SEND
Top tips to get the most out of SENDAR
Wherever possible encourage parents / carers who feel their child might require an EHC Plan to work with your staff rather than submit a parental referral. Parental referrals usually arrive with much less evidence than school referrals and so are frequently turned down with a request to the school for missing information. This causes frustration for parents and delays matters. It also means that the school is required to provide the same level of evidence and paperwork as they would if they were making the referral themselves but within a mere two weeks rather than two terms to do this.
If it is believed that a child might require a needs assessment to support transition between key stages these should be considered in the year before transfer year; that is Years 1, 5, 8 or 10. Please work with parents, carers and appropriate professionals on this.
As far as possible avoid sending in EHC Plan referrals in the final term of the academic year and especially the final half term of the academic year. Think of the end of March as the latest date in the academic year for a referral. Any later than that and things risk running up against the summer exception rule that puts things on hold or means we are trying to contact schools and other professionals for advice when they are on holiday. Once again this causes frustration and wastes time.
Please don’t submit batches of EHC Plan referrals. These lead to bottle necks in the system and once again contribute to delays.
If a child or young person with a Statement or EHC Plan is at risk of exclusion please remember to call a professionals meeting inviting your SENDAR Plan Coordinator and the educational professionals working with the child before any decision is made regarding permanent exclusion.
If you have any concerns you should talk to the LA professionals who work in your school for guidance (EPS, EIS or IDS staff) and if still in doubt contact SENDAR. Asking questions early can avoid later misunderstandings.
We continue to welcome volunteer Head Teachers or SENCos to attend our EHC Plan Referral Panels on Thursdays or for the County Panel which meets monthly on Monday mornings and considers requests for children and young people to move from mainstream to specialist provision. These are excellent CPD opportunities for you and help to promote consistency across the LA.
When submitting EHC Plan referrals please do so electronically and use Microsoft Word not PDF. Referral forms, Family Conversations, Child / My Views and SEND Provision Matrix are easier to manage if they come in as separate documents but all other documents can come in as one. If you do have to make a paper submission please send documents in single-sided on unstapled A4. This will greatly ease our administration and speed up the process.
Please remember that SENDAR has no budget to provide support for school beyond that provided through the EHC Plan process.
If a child is undergoing a transfer to an EHC Plan and a costed IEP is enclosed, please include “Costed IEP Enclosed” in the title of the email
Remember, SENDAR is an extremely busy service with a heavy caseload working to tight deadlines and so might have difficulty in responding immediately to questions but all SENDAR staff are dedicated to the best interests of children and young people. Please have faith in them. They want to work with you.
Schools should be providing Careers Advice and Guidance for all their students from year 9 onwards. SENDAR’s Preparing for Adulthood team can support with Transition Planning for post 16 where needed. Please give them plenty of notice for any reviews you want them to attend. If any of your students are considering specialist provision beyond school it is vital that we know about this as soon as possible as there is a process for applying for high needs funding and local provision needs to be considered first. It is envisaged that the majority of leavers will transition into mainstream provision; our team can advise about support available.
Developing new SEND provision
The local authority has been working with schools and colleges to develop new SEND provision within the County.
This provision will better support vulnerable learners to access education in schools in their local area and to develop friendships and peer groups in their own communities and thereby support improved long term outcomes for these learners.
This has already had and will increasingly have a crucial impact in reducing High Needs Block expenditure on out-of-authority provision. It will also contribute significantly to reductions in SEN transport costs.
As examples of new provision:
- The Discovery Academy opened in September 2015, ultimately providing 80 places for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) & Social Emotional and Mental Health issues (SEMH)
- A SEN Free School for Rugby is due to open in September 2017, ultimately providing a further 80 places for ASD / SEMH
- A ‘Link’ base opened at Wheelwright Lane Primary School in Bedworth providing short term intervention for learners with SEMH
- Funding has been approved for development of new accommodation for two ‘Link’ bases - one at Stockingford Primary School in Nuneaton and another in the Rugby area
Other developments include:
- Brooke School Partnership @ Rokeby Primary – 8 places for learners with a range of SEN
- Brooke School Partnership @ Harris Secondary – 8 places for learners with a range of SEN
- Exhall Grange Coleshill Learning Pod – 8 places for learners with acute SEMH in Key Stages 3&4
- Work is ongoing with River House School as it becomes an academy and changes its admissions criteria to reflect local needs
SEN Resourced Provision for learners with complex communication and interaction (C&I) needs have been developed at the following locations:
- Peter’s Place at Trinity High School, Leamington Spa – 8 places
- Evergreen at Water Orton Primary – 8 places
- Lillington Primary School, Leamington Spa – 8 places
Two further C&I bases are under development as follows:
- Middlemarch Junior School, Nuneaton – 8 places
- Stockingford Primary School, Nuneaton – 8 places
Investment has also been made in new learning facilities in further education at Warwickshire College Group and North Warwickshire and Hinckley College. These new facilities increase the local offer young people aged 16-25 with SEND, and again will help to reduce out-of-authority placements.
A new county panel for admission to specialist SEND provision was established in September 2016. The local authority is continuing to work with schools to develop further SEND provision.
SEND Provision Matrix and training opportunities
The SEND Provision Matrix is a guide to what schools in Warwickshire offer to learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) so that they can achieve their best, become confident individuals living fulfilling lives, and make a successful transition into adulthood.
It is designed to help parents understand what schools will be doing, and to help Special Educational Needs Coordinators in schools think about what extra support might be relevant, for learners who are not progressing at the rate they would expect.
The SEND Provision Matrix describes the range of support available to learners at universal, targeted and higher needs provision. All EHC plans are assessed and moderated against this Matrix.
The SEND Provision Matrix and other documents relating to EHC plans are available at: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/sendocs
Warwickshire Education Services offer a range of training opportunities to help schools work with vulnerable learners. Training is aligned to the SEND Provision Matrix and covers a range of needs including communication and interaction, cognition and learning, and social, emotional and mental health. Further information on training opportunities can be found here .
Children and young people in Warwickshire’s SEND programme
Parents and carers have been regularly working with local Education, Health and Social Care professionals at the highest levels of Warwickshire’s SEND Programme for over a year. Having a regular working relationship in the workstreams (working groups) means that those who use SEND services have a say in how those services are designed and commissioned.
The next step this year has been to make sure that children and young people with SEND will have the same opportunity to do this and to make their voices heard at this level.
Since April, we have been working with young people to:
- Look at ways to regularly work with young people – exploring options such as face to face meetings, social media and working with local service providers who already work with young people.
- Co-design new Twitter and Facebook pages to help support this work, and share information for young people, parents/carers and professionals:
www.twitter.com/WarksCoPro
www.facebook.com/WarksCoPro
- Review the SEND Voice newsletter from young people's perspectives and working together on ideas to make it more appealing and accessible for young people.
- Test and review the Local Offer website, which provides information on SEND services for people aged 0 – 25, and working together on ideas to make it more accessible - www.warwickshire.gov.uk/send
For more information on how children and young people with SEND can take part, please contact:
Laura Musgrave
Co-production Officer
Warwickshire County Council
01926 742906
lauramusgrave@warwickshire.gov.uk
Ethan’s story: Leaving primary school and finding the right secondary provision
When I went to secondary school everything fell apart because it was busy and noisy and I didn’t have enough work to do when I wasn’t in class. Lessons were too difficult because there were people making lots of noise. I didn’t want to be at school but Mum wouldn’t let me stay at home so I just did two and a half hours a day. In the morning when I arrived it was very noisy and loud.
In January, Mum and Dad looked at another school and Mum said it was really nice; but when I went to have a look around Mum got upset because it looked loud and busy. I felt I wouldn’t make friends because the students weren’t like me. It really depressed me; I’ve been depressed over the last couple of years.
When I first heard about Peter’s Place at Trinity I felt confused because I didn’t know what was happening. Now I know there will only be eight students at Peter’s Place and when I arrive in the morning I can sit outside on the bench and it’s quiet. Now I’m really happy because it’s been such a long time since I’ve been happy. I hated life and I wanted to die.
Now I’m happy and I feel I can enjoy life,
I feel like I have a future.
The two things I’d like to do in the future……
…….I really like sea life (but I can’t swim!),
and I’m interested in computers.
Feedback from Mum: 'It has been a very difficult couple of years, seeing Ethan struggling so much. Since starting Peter's Place he has been much happier and it is wonderful to hear him being positive about going to school.’
Ethan, Year 8
First new pupil to join Peter’s Place at Trinity Catholic School
Family Voice Warwickshire
Family Voice Warwickshire are a group of parents and carers. We meet regularly to discuss the support and services within Warwickshire, acting as advocates for families of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
We welcome parents and carers to attend our forum meetings because we very much want to hear their voice. We truly believe ‘Working Together we make a difference‘.
We empower parents and carers, their families and children to inform Education, Health and Social Care providers of their views.
We are committed to gaining positive outcomes to enable a better future for all children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
You can keep up to date with any information through www.familyvoicewarwickshire.co.uk and any forthcoming events and meetings are now shown on our calendar. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter too (search for Family Voice Warwickshire).
SENDIAS Warwickshire (formerly Parent Partnership Service)
SENDIAS provide advice, information and support on all matters relating to SEND for parents and carers.
In particular, SENDIAS provide support for parents and young people during an Education, Health & Care (EHC) assessment and support in resolving disagreement.
SENDIAS also provide advice on school based support for children and young people with SEND who do not have an EHC Plan, advice on SEN & disability, health & social care, and advice on exclusions.
The service provides impartial and confidential advice by telephone or email as well as through individual casework.
Please add a link to SENDIAS to your school website: www.family-action.org.uk/wias
What is SEND Voice?
SEND Voice is a twelve-page newsletter that goes out twice a year to professionals, parents/carers and young people around Warwickshire.
What is it about?
The newsletter currently features:
- Special Educational Needs and Disability news and information,
- News from Warwickshire’s SEND Programme workshops and workstreams (working groups),
- Stories from young people with SEND aged 0 – 25 years in Warwickshire.
Who creates it?
The SEND Voice Editorial Team includes Warwickshire County Council’s Co-production Officer, a parent carer from Family Voice Warwickshire, and a member of SENDIAS (Information, Advice and Support). We have also recently started to work with young people to make the SEND Voice newsletter more appealing, interesting and accessible for them.
How can we read it?
Issues are available in print and online. You can read the first three issues on the Local Offer website in the section Help Develop the Local Offer > What We’ve Done.
Each issue is also shared on the Warwickshire Working Together Twitter and Facebook pages (search for @WarksCoPro).
Issue 4 will be available in late January 2017.
How can we help?
Please share printed copies with young people with SEND and their families. Get in touch if you would like more printed copies: lauramusgrave@warwickshire.gov.uk.
If your school has a Twitter account, please follow us @WarksCoPro for updates, and share with young people with SEND and/or and their families.
FREE Reception “SEND Surgeries”
The IDS 0-5 Service are offering Exciting New Opportunities for 2016-17
FREE Reception “SEND Surgeries” & “On-Call” Telephone Support and Advice
The IDS 0-5 Specialist Teaching Service will be offering free termly “SEND Surgeries” for schools, to help support reception-aged children with SEND in the Foundation Stage.
We invite all Reception Practitioners & School SENCOS (on a first come, first served basis)
For more information please click here
New structure chart for Vulnerable Learners
Vulnerable Learners
Pat Tate, Service Manager
pattate@warwickshire.gov.uk
Vulnerable Learners structure chart
SEND Programme Update
The SEND programme has been reconfigured following a review in September-October 2016. This was approved by the SEND Programme Board.
The role of the SEND Programme Board has been clarified as to:
- Implement the SEND reforms as set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2015
- Monitor activity and performance across the programme
- Ensure that the local area is prepared for inspection
The Programme Board will be supported by five workstreams: Local Offer, EHC Planning, Service Redesign, Preparing for adulthood and SEN Transport.
The priorities for the 2016/17 academic year are:
- Improving EHC planning and processes
- The delivery of new SEND Resourced Provisions & increase ‘in-county’ placements
- Streamlining planning across social care, early help and EHC plans
- Co-production (especially CYP voice)
- Preparation for adulthood
Across the programme we are working with parents and carers, schools and colleges, local authority services and health partners.
SEND – some facts and figures
- The January 2016 school census reported that of 78,892 pupils attending Warwickshire state-funded primary, secondary and special schools,
- 8,852 (11.2%) were receiving SEN support
- 2,438 (3.1%) had a statement or EHC plan
- giving a total of 11,290 (14.3%) pupils with an assessed SEN at any level.
- The highest recorded primary needs for SEND (inc. SEN Support) are
- Moderate Learning Difficulty (3,772 children and young people; 33%)
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health (1,825 cyp ; 16%)
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs (1,612 cyp ; 14%)
- 93% of learners with statements/EHC plans attend outstanding or good schools in Warwickshire
- 49% of new EHC plans issued within 20 weeks, including exceptions (Sept 2016)
- 9.6 % of CYP with EHC plans are educated in independent specialist providers (2014/15)
- 374 children have CIN plan & EHC plan; 223 children have EHC plan & CAF (Oct 2016)
- 5% of SEN pupils with a statement or EHC plan achieving a 'good level of development' at foundation stage (2014/15)
- 6.9% of pupils with SEN with a statement or plan achieving 5 or more A* to C GCSEs (incl. E&M) (2014/15)
- 91% of KS4 cohort with statement of SEN in Education & Employment or Training at 17 (2014/15)
- 11.1% of adults with learning disabilities in paid employment (2014/15)
Further information is available in the SEND Joint Strategic Needs Assessment at:
http://hwb.warwickshire.gov.uk/jsna-needs-assessments/
- Data sets for educational attainment for 2015/16 should be published shortly by DfE.