In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Lorraine Petersen OBE to discuss how SENCOs and class teachers are meeting their legal requirement for pupils on SEN Support.

8 out of 10 pupils with a SEND are sitting in mainstream classrooms requiring SEN Support – that means they are in receipt of additional and/or different provision to their peers – or are they?

With the tightening of school budgets, lots of schools have had to reduce the numbers of support staff which has had a direct impact on SEND pupils and the support they receive. Class teachers have a duty and a responsibility to ensure that these pupils are in receipt of the additional and/or different provision required however many have not been trained to support their complex needs.

What is the SEN Register for? Is it just a list of names or is it a list of names you are tracking and monitoring, ensuring they are receiving support and is it effective? What should schools be doing for pupils on SEN support?

Are you looking for barriers/issues? When progress in English or Maths is low are you just working on the areas they are struggling with? Are you looking at the wider picture? Asking why?

There is lots of information and guidance out there, but before you access that you need to aware of your pupil's needs, asking questions and looking at the wider picture. This is something the whole school needs to think about, not just the SENCO and it needs to be led by the senior leadership team.

This will start with the curriculum you are teaching, making sure the pupils have the foundations to build on when the progress up the school. Before moving on and chasing progress, make sure pupils have the basic stepping stones.

Useful Links

Graduated Response guidance from Norfolk LA - https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/-/media/norfolk/downloads/children-and-families/send/education-and-training-0-25/sen-support-guidance-provision-expected-at-sen-support.pdf?la=en

Cheshire East Toolkit for SEND - https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell/local-offer-for-children-with-sen-and-disabilities/education/supporting-send-in-education/send-toolkit.aspx

Graduated Response Guidance from Worcestershire - http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11603/send_graduated_response.pdf

The SEND Gateway - https://www.sendgateway.org.uk/

SEN Suport – Research Evidence on effective approaches and examples of current good and outstanding practice - https://www.sendgateway.org.uk/download.sen-support-research-evidence-on-effective-approaches-and-examples-of-current-practice-in-good-and-outstanding-schools-and-colleges.html

For more podcast episodes from the SENDcast click below… https://www.thesendcast.com/sendcast-episodes/