Learning Support
Special Educational Needs
Definition of Special Educational Needs:
A student will be regarded as having Special Educational Needs if he/she meets the criteria of The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 which defines Special Educational Needs as follows:
“A child has Special Educational Needs if he or she has a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.” “A child has a learning difficulty if he or she: (a) has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; (b) has a disability which either prevents or hinders the child from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in ordinary schools.”
Definition of Special Educational Needs Provision:
Special Educational Needs provision means, “provision which is additional to or different from the provision made generally for children of the same age in ordinary schools”. (Education (NI) Order 1996, Part 2, Article 3)
Definition of Disability:
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A pupil is regarded as having a disability if he/she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-today activities. (1995, Disability Discrimination Act)
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Duties, Roles and Responsibilities
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The duties of the Board of Governors are to:
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Ensure that an Personalised Learning Plan (PLP) is prepared for all students with an identified Special Educational Need;
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Designate a teacher as having responsibility for coordinating SEN provision;
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Tell the Education Authority about change of circumstances affecting a child getting EA support;
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Inform parents and students (over compulsory school age) of the arrangements relating to
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disagreements between them and the Board of Governors;
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Ensure teachers take “all reasonable steps” to identify and provide for students with SEN;
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Ensure those concerned with the student’s education all know about the student with SEN.
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The Principal has the responsibility to ensure that Special Educational Needs and Additional Learning Needs provision is implemented in the College.
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The Vice Principal (Pastoral Care) leads the structure, working closely with the Learning Support
Coordinator.
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The Learning Support Coordinator (LSC):
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develops and oversees the day-to-day operation of the College’s Special Educational Needs Policy;
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provides information about matters relating to SEN;
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identifies SEN related training requirements;
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coordinates special educational provision;
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encourages and supports staff to seek the child’s views (mindful of age, maturity and capability)
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and involve him/her in all decisions about his/her education;
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facilitates teacher engagement through partnership, working with parents of children over
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compulsory school age;
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provides advice to staff in relation to actions to address issues identified through Teacher Notes of Concern;
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maintains the SEN register and oversees all the records of children with SEN;
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advises and guides staff on the creation, monitoring and review of PLPs/ILPs/IMPs;
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liaises with EA and other external agencies to secure access to resources, advice and support.
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The Assistant Learning Support Coordinator:
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works cooperatively with the Learning Support Coordinator in fulfilling her responsibilities;
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undertakes the duties of the Learning Support Coordinator as required.
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Heads of School coordinate information on those students who require or may require additional provision, keep parents informed of procedures, liaise with the Learning Support Coordinator and attend Annual Reviews.
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Heads of Year update confidential information on students to keep subject teachers informed.
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Heads of Faculty, under the direction of the Vice Principal (Curriculum), are responsible for ensuring that their subject departments adhere to the College’s Special Educational Needs Policy.
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Heads of Department implement the policy within their subject areas and help subject teachers develop strategies for students with Special Educational Needs.
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Subject Teachers are responsible for the day-to-day teaching and learning of all children in their classroom. They also identify students who may have Special Educational Needs and employ strategies within their subject areas in initial stages or refer to the Learning Support Coordinator for direction. Where relevant, they employ strategies from the student’s Personalised/Individual Learning Plan which apply to their subject area.
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The Tutor, under the Code of Practice, has a significant role in the monitoring and reviewing of progress of a student with Special Educational Needs. The Tutor will pass on important information to the Head of Year and Learning Support Coordinator.
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The Learning Support Team (LST) is a whole school planning and support mechanism for students. It is formed with the purpose of identifying and addressing the learning support needs of individuals and groups of students through the coordination, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of educational support programmes. A prime function of the Learning Support Team is to ensure that the needs of all students in the College are being met. This will be achieved through the Team facilitating collaborative planning and strategic implementation of provision between teachers, support staff, outside agencies, parents and students.
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Classroom Assistants (CA) are key members of staff in the lives of those students with classroom assistant provision written into their Statement of Special Educational Needs (Stage 3 of the Code of Practice). They provide in-class support and some also have a supervisory role at break and lunch. The role and duties of classroom assistants will be determined by the Learning Support Coordinator/Head of School in consultation and liaison with parents, the student, subject teachers and the Pastoral Team under the guidance of the Education Authority.
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The College First-Aider has responsibility for managing medical conditions for students with Special Educational Needs, as they arise. She liaises with the Learning Support Coordinator.
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