Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)
The revised Early Years Graduated Response is now live on the website, and is available at the following link: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools-and-colleges/special-educational-needs-file/strategies-and-policies/the-graduated-response/. This is the document for children in pre-school early years provision up to, and including, the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage in Reception classes.
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS – OUR GRADUATED RESPONSE
Dear Parents,
I would like to explain how we as a school continuously monitor and focus on your children and identify any need they may have which may affect their learning or progress.
We aim to make sure that everything possible is being done for an individual who is falling behind, at as early a stage as possible.
If we feel that a child is not performing at their full potential we will monitor them closely and help them in any way we can to catch them up. We call this “On Alert”. An example of this would be that a child is not reading at the expected level for their age, so we will make extra time to hear them read in school as well as usual reading sessions.
For those who require support that is additional or different to that which can be delivered by the class teacher or teaching assistant within the classroom, we categorise this as needing SEN Support (Special Educational Need). This may involve an outside agency such as an EP (Educational Psychologist) working with the child and helping them to make progress. If we feel that your child would benefit from extra support then we will arrange a meeting with you and they will be placed on our “SEN Record of Need” so that we can monitor their progress.
Each child needing additional support will have an IEP (Individual Education Plan) which will identify the need, assess where they require help and state what strategies we will put in place in order to help them progress. We will keep you involved in this process and give you a copy of the IEP so that you can support your child at home with similar ideas.
The plan will be reviewed at least half termly, again with your involvement, so that we can see how they have progressed, and whether the targets need to be kept or new ones formed. We refer to this as the Assess/Plan/Do/Review cycle.
If we are all in agreement that your child needs specialist provision that is extra to what we provide on SEN Support then we will consider an application for an EHCP (Education, Health & Care Plan) to the County SEN Services for specialist help and hopefully top-up funding to support the child here in school.
I hope this explains the process in a bit more detail.
I am hoping to be in school most Wednesdays this year as my role of SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). Most of my role will be trying to make sure that everything is being done to support all of our children and liaising closely with all staff. I also hope to spend time with children and enjoy some “Thrive time” with them.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are concerned about your child or just want a chat and a cup of tea – my door is always open in my new Rainbow Room.
I can be contacted via the phone at school or via email – jgreen@landewednack.cornwall.sch.uk
Kind regards – Judith Green
SENCo