1

SEN Governors Meeting

Jeannette Veira, Head of Behaviour and Attendance

Carol Gamble, SEN Governor

Jackie Hibbert, School Development Adviser (SEN/Inclusion)

Charlie Palmer, Head of Specialist Education Services

May 2008

2

ContentsContents

1. Role of Governors in Managing Exclusions Jeannette Veira (Head of Behaviour and

Attendance)

2. The County Autism Forum Carole Gamble, (SEN Governor)

3. Social & Emotional Aspects of Learning and the Inclusion Development Programme (Jackie Hibbert, School

Development Adviser)

4. Meetings to Help Schools Monitor SEN Support Charlie Palmer, (Head of Specialist Education

Services)

5. Time to discuss local issues

3

Role of Governors in Managing Exclusions

Jeannette Veira (Head of Behaviour and Attendance)

4

The Role of Governors in Managing ExclusionsThe Role of Governors in Managing Exclusions

Aim:

To ensure that school governors are fully aware of their responsibilities when children are excluded from school for disciplinary offences.

Key Catergories:

• The Strategic

• The Critical Friend

• Ensuring Accountability

5

Ensuring AccountabilityEnsuring Accountability

The Governing Body must decide whether the

headteacher’s decision was justified or whether it is

appropriate to re-instate the pupil. This role must be

discharged by a Discipline Committee:

• Committee Chair

• Clerk should be appointed

• Qurom for meetings (3)

• Committee (3 or 5 governors)

6

Procedure at the Discipline Committee MeetingProcedure at the Discipline Committee Meeting• Chair opens meeting and explains procedure• Opportunity for excluded pupil to attend the meeting if

appropriate• Chair explains facts and allows each party to put their

case• A local authority officer may be present to offer technical

advice, but has no role in the decision making• The Committee should inform the parent/carer, the

headteacher and the local authority of its decision in writing, within one day of the hearing, stating the reasons

7

Special Educational NeedsSpecial Educational NeedsSchool governing bodies have a legal duty to ensurethat the necessary educational provision is made forany pupil who has special educational needs (SEN). Unless there are exceptional circumstances, schoolsshould not permanently exclude pupils with specialeducational needs, whether or not they have astatement. If it seems likely that a pupil with specialeducational needs is in danger of being excluded, the schoolshould examine the support in place and do everything possible tokeep the pupil in school, such as:• Seeking advice from the local authority and other professional advice

and support• Asking the local authority to carry out a statutory assessment or

reassessment• Arranging an early annual review if the child has a statement of

special educational needs

8

Special Educational NeedsSpecial Educational NeedsBefore deciding whether to exclude a pupil, governorsshould:• Ensure that an appropriate investigation has been carried

out• Consider all the evidence available, taking into account the

school’s behaviour and equal opportunities policies and, if applicable, the Race Relations and Disability Discrimination Acts

• Talk to the pupil to allow them to give their version of events• Check whether the incident may have been provoked, for

example by bullying or by racial or sexual harassment• Ensure that other alternatives have been considered

9

2. The County Autism Forum

Carole Gamble, (SEN Governor)

10

Leicestershire County Autism ForumLeicestershire County Autism Forum Multi agency Forum Multi agency Forum

Childrens servicesChildrens services Representatives from Representatives from

Educational Psychology Educational Psychology Autism OutreachAutism Outreach

Social Care Social Care Schools – primary, secondary, special schools, governorSchools – primary, secondary, special schools, governor

representationrepresentation

Voluntary SectorVoluntary SectorParent & Carer Council – Chair plus Parent & Carer Council – Chair plus

PCC Family support workerPCC Family support workerRepresentative from Leicestershire Autistic Society Representative from Leicestershire Autistic Society

HealthHealthSpeech & language TherapistSpeech & language Therapist

CAMHS CAMHS

11

• Role of the Group: Meet termly

• Helping to shape the development of provision for pupils and families with ASD within Children’s Services through debate and discussion

• Promoting partnership between LA and voluntary sector

• Identifying best practice and promoting it• To seek clarification on policy and practice in relation to

ASD provision and support

• Forum for consultation concerning ASD and SEN policy

• Raising awareness of ASD needs and issues

12

• “The role of the group is advisory, it should not vote or pass resolutions but

should debate, question, seek clarification, request information,

sponsor development work.”

13

Criteria for membership

• Voluntary Agencies

• Practical involvement with support to families of children with ASD.

• Management responsibility for agencies offering provision to children with ASD and their families.

• An ability to represent the views of a range of

parents/carers of children with ASD.

• An ability to represent the perspective of children and young people with ASD.

14

Criteria for membership

• Professionals

• Direct contact with children and young people with an autistic spectrum disorder and their families

• Management responsibility for services that offer advice and support to families and children with ASD

• Management responsibility for school provision for children with ASD

• An ability to act as representative for groups of schools or other agencies offering provision to children with ASD and their families.

• Responsibility for co-ordination and formulation of services that provide for children with ASD and their families.

15

Topics Covered

New SEN Criteria - ASD procedures & provision Area Special Schools - Provision for ASD pupils- environmental factors i.e avoiding sensory overload

Transition Issues - Changes between school stages - Transition of LSA’s into new settings

Diagnostic Pathway

16

Topics CoveredFunding - e.g. Delegation

- Short breaks / respite issues for parent/carers - Behaviour management for parents – ADHD 1-2-3 Magic Course

Training and raising awareness for - Parents & carers - teachers - school staff - Social Care staff

Service Updates – All agencies contribute

17

• SEN Governor Role

• Forum requested that SEN Governor Representative raise awareness to other SEN Governors that there is representation on the County Forum

• Governor Representative fed back governor issues

• Governor perspective

18

How can SEN Governors raise issues at theForum?

Carole GambleLong Field High School

Frisby on the Wreake (C of E) Primary School

19

3. Social & Emotional Aspects of Learning and the Inclusion Development Programme

Jackie Hibbert, (School Development Adviser)

20

The Inclusion Development Programme (IDP)The Inclusion Development Programme (IDP)

4 year programme of training for all school staff.

Year 1: Dyslexia & Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

Year 2: Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)Year 3: Behaviour, Social and Emotional

Difficulties (BESD)Year 4: Learning and Cognition Needs (Used

to be called Moderate Learning Difficulties)

21

IDP – The TrainingIDP – The Training

• Foundation Level Knowledge (FLK), aimed to get all staff to that standard.

• Self-evaluation• Background• Identifying Barriers• Overcoming Barriers• Pointers to further training and materials

22

How will it roll out?How will it roll out?

• October ½ day training for Headteachers (or their representative) who will then organise training in their own school.

• Central training for Local Authority staff working in schools.

• Playgroups and Childminders will also receive training packs via Area SENCOs and EY Team.

23

IDP: Web-based LearningIDP: Web-based Learning

• The majority of the materials are already on the web:

www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/features/inclusion/sen/idp

(Materials are differentiated for Secondary and Primary, but both accessed through the above link)

24

Audit Commission Self-Evaluation ToolAudit Commission Self-Evaluation Tool

• Helps schools judge value for money for SEN• Launched 12th May on audit commission

website• http://sen-aen.audit-commission.gov.uk• Web-based – you answer a questionnaire

and it creates an action plan for the school• Good opportunity for SEN governor and

SENCo to work together

25

SEAL updateSEAL update

• PRIMARY SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning)– 2008-9 SEAL/Behaviour for learning partnerships

open to all schools and free. Schools self-nominate.

– Targeted support to schools needing additional help to implement SEAL.

26

SSEAL updateSSEAL update

• Secondary SEAL – not a subject based teaching package; most effective when used by all staff.

• 2008-9 second year of roll-out to at least 45% of schools.

27

Bercow ReviewBercow Review

• The interim report from John Bercow on support for children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs is now available on the web. Final report in July.

• Broader than education. • Increased importance given to Family

support.

28

4. Meetings to Help Schools Monitor SEN Support

Charlie Palmer, (Head of Specialist Education Services)

29

Monitoring SEN Provision in SchoolsMonitoring SEN Provision in Schools

• Previously, an inspectorial system– Visits, observation, report…?

• Now– Links to SDA process

– Supported self review

– Three year planning cycle

30

Good to Great for SEN MeetingsGood to Great for SEN Meetings

• 5 alternative half days around the county• Head, SENCO and SEN Governor• Offered annually in April• Each school advised to attend once in 2 or 3

years

31

Good to Great for SENGood to Great for SEN

Aims: – to review effectiveness of provision

– hear examples of best practice

– plan the further development of provision

32

5. Time to discuss local issues

Issues for future meetings:• Spring 2009• Summer 2009