Mainstream schools
School governing bodies of maintained schools must ensure that any child with special educational needs (SEN) joins in the activities of the school, together with students who do not have SEN, so far as that is reasonably practical. Such action must be compatible with:
Teaching methods and learning materials are decided by the class teacher in consultation with expert colleagues, who have a particular responsibility for that area. Every school must formulate and publish a special educational needs policy and must name the member of staff responsible for coordinating the day-to-day provision of education for students with special educational needs at the school. This special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) is also responsible for providing advice and guidance to other teaching staff. 15
Secondary level mainstream education
Most mainstream secondary schools appoint one or more teachers with specific expertise in the identification and teaching of children with special educational needs (SEN). Large secondary schools may have a separate special needs department. Children may be withdrawn from the mainstream class for remedial classes, or a teacher may support children with SEN in ordinary classes, either individually or as members of a small group. SEN specialists may work with groups of teachers to develop curriculum materials or teaching techniques.16
Special schoolsSome special schools choose to group students with profound special educational needs with similar aged children who have less profound difficulties. Some schools, because of their size, have little option but to include children from different years or key stages in the same groups. This means that effective differentiation (teaching that takes account of individual needs, interest and previous achievements) is important in developing a curriculum in which the diversity of needs is met. The way children are grouped for activities can influence their access to the curriculum. Placing a child with profound learning difficulties alongside a student whose difficulties are less profound can, for example, provide opportunities for interaction, language development and a worthwhile shared experience that benefits both participants.49
Mainstream provision
In mainstream schools, children are generally placed in classes according to their age. At the end of each school year, they normally progress to the next class. Exceptionally, the parents and the school may decide that a child would benefit educationally from an extra year in a particular class. Arrangements vary in special schools depending on the needs of individual children and the internal organisation of schools.18
Special schoolsIn all-age special schools, children do not necessarily progress to a different class each year. Students change classes and groups at different times, dependent on what teachers and their parents determine is the best progression route for the individual concerned. 49
Progression for students with statements of special educational needsWhere students with special needs have a statement of special educational needs, this must be reviewed annually and any necessary amendments, to reflect new needs, must be made. Similarly, it may be decided that the maintenance of a statement is no longer appropriate. A student may, as a result of the review, change schools either at the point of transfer between school phases, such as from primary to secondary, or when a child's needs would more appropriately be met in a different school, for example, by integration in the mainstream.10
Every statement of special educational needs made by a local authority (LA) must be reviewed at least once every 12 months from the date on which the original statement was issued. Schools may, in addition, review the statement more often if this is considered necessary. The review meeting will normally be held in the school. Parents are invited to attend and to be accompanied by an adviser, friend or 'Named Person'. (A Named Person can be a friend, a relative or a member of a voluntary organisation or parent partnership scheme organised by the LA.) The child may also attend at least part of the meeting and express a view on progress made in the past year. If, as a result of the review, the LA, on receipt of a report from the school, wishes to amend or cease to maintain the statement, it must write to the parents informing them of this intention and of their right to make representations concerning it. The LA must consider any parental representations and inform parents, in writing, of the result of their consideration. It must also inform parents of their right to appeal if they disagree with the LA's conclusions. The first annual review after the student's 14th birthday, and any subsequent annual reviews until the child leaves school, should include a transition plan. 12
Transition plansThe first annual review after a student's 14th birthday should include a transition plan which draws together information to plan for his or her transition to adult life. The review should involve all the agencies that may play a role in the young person’s life during the post-school years. 71
The annual review and transition plan have an additional significance as the young person approaches the age of 16 (the end of compulsory education).71
Statements of special educational needs do not have any force once a student has entered the further education sector, although institutions may take them into consideration when assessing the needs of students.71
The quotation which follows is an extract from a research report sponsored by the, then, Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (now the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, DIUS) which looked at post-16 transitions of students with special educational needs (SEN). It provides an overview of what happens to these young people in practice.71
Transition from school to employment
The European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education produces a transition information database. This includes a country overview of transition from school to employment for students with special needs in England (UK) and is available at http://www.european-agency.org/transit.
Initial teacher training courses in England must provide all student teachers with basic knowledge and skills in the field of special educational needs (SEN). Requirements have been introduced to ensure that all newly qualified teachers are, amongst others:
All teachers of classes of hearing-impaired students and of visually-impaired students must obtain a relevant, additional, approved qualification within three years of appointment.15
Continuing professional development (CPD) (training) in special educational needs (SEN) is provided at a variety of levels. Government funding is made available to, for example:
This involves equipping such staff with the skills and competences needed to improve the education of children with SEN and to help them to take account of revisions to the SEN Code of Practice. Funding is also available to cover costs associated with the development of a closer partnership between parents, schools, LAs and voluntary bodies in securing a better education for children with SEN. 17
Mainstream schoolsWhen a child with a statement of special educational needs is placed in a mainstream school, extra support or provision is required, which may include a learning support assistant (LSA). The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) provides guidance on staff time per student in terms of teacher support and support from LSAs at primary and at secondary school age, taking account of the particular learning difficulties of the child. This guidance is based on observation of educational practice.18
Learning support assistantsLearning support assistants (LSAs) provide the extra help which is often needed to make it possible for children with special educational needs (SEN) to be educated within mainstream schools. LSAs do not need to have 'Qualified Teacher Status' (QTS), although some LSAs are experienced teachers. Continuing professional development (CPD) is provided.19
The role of higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) has also been created. This support role is more complex and holders of the post have greater autonomy than other classroom support assistants. The Standards for Higher Level Teaching Assistants, published jointly by the, then, Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (now DCSF) and the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) (now the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)) in September 2003, require that HLTAs know the definition of special educational needs (SEN), are familiar with the guidance about meeting SEN in the SEN Code of Practice and promote and support the inclusion of all students in learning activities.87
SENCOsIn addition, in all mainstream schools, a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) is esignated. This person is responsible for:
In a small school, one person may take on this role, possibly the headteacher or deputy headteacher. In larger schools, there may be an SEN coordination or learning support team. 11
There is a national framework of standards for special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs). These standards set out the additional knowledge, understanding, skills, attributes and expertise required by those teachers who coordinate SEN provision in a mainstream school. The standards clarify responsibilities arising from the national Code of Practice for SEN (see section 1.2.1 of this Archive) and provide a framework for the development of targeted professional training in relation to SEN.12 These "National Special Educational Needs Specialist Standards" are available via the website of the Training and Development Agency for Schools (http://www.tda.gov.uk).
Secondary level mainstream educationMost mainstream secondary schools appoint one or more teachers with specific expertise in the identification and teaching of children with special educational needs (SEN). Large secondary schools may have a separate special needs department. Children may be withdrawn from the mainstream class for remedial classes, or a teacher may support children with SEN in ordinary classes, either individually or as members of a small group. SEN specialists may work with groups of teachers to develop curriculum materials or teaching techniques.13
Special schoolsStaffing for special schools consists of teachers, learning support assistants (LSAs) (see above) and, where appropriate (for example, in residential special schools), care staff and support staff. Where residential childcare staff are appointed in residential special schools, a suitably qualified person should be responsible for the care of children/students. This 'head of care' should not be the headteacher of the school. In mainstream and special schools, teaching methods and learning materials are decided by the class teacher in consultation with expert colleagues, who have a particular responsibility for that area.14