[senco-forum] Setting up SEN dept

Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 08:29:02 +0100

I have a ring binder for each child. Each ring binder has five dividers
in it: 1) IEPs, with the latest right at the front 2) Reports - any
reports from EPs, SALTs etc. 3) Assessments - all assessment records I
have on paper, diagnostic as well as summative 4) Correspondence and 5)
Notes. This works brilliantly, enabling me to find anything I need very
quickly.
But any filing system is only as good as the person doing the filing, so
it has to be kept up-to-date. A chore, but a necessary one.
Mary

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of WrayJanice
Wray
Sent: 22 August 2006 12:17
To: Kate Barnes; June Boschen
Cc: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Setting up SEN dept

The problem is you never know when you are going to need some evidence
etc - I am afraid that I file evrything and stuff notes etc into pupils'
files re: phone calls, reports from teachers etc. I always file to the
front and get a TA or someone to put a treasury tag on the file when it
gets to more than 20 or so pages. I print off NC levels and sometimes
school reports and file those. 
You see, suddenly someone pops up as a problem and in order to access
outside help you have to provide evidence - a record of events etc. 
We have SIMS but I hate it and no-one uses it for behaviour and I use it
for a record of meetings  and SEN labels (none of which are really
appropriate) but not much else and I probably should use it more - I
don't use it for the minutes of a meeting - I write those by hand as the
meeting happens or sometimes type up my rough notes afterwards and pop
them in the file. I made a pro forma for meetings once but it never had
the right boxes in it. It was a good idea though and kept me focussed in
the meeting - ie what's gone well, what hasn't worked, what needs
attention now etc
I just keep the files in a filing cabinet - 2 drawers for School Action
and one for SA+. The Statemented children eachl have a level arch file -
and sometimes two. I am afraid that I do throw out some of the work from
Year 2 and KS2 SATS practice papers etc that has been passed on to me
etc.
I do keep a day book - like a lawyer - and write down anything each day
in that - I can look back then - but that's not perfect either.
I had a card file index and every time there was a phone call I would
log it on the card file for that child - sort of worked.
I guess by the time I retire I'll have worked out a really good system -
but until then, I plod along like everyone else I think because at the
end of the day there are children and teachers who come for help and
need to talk and that takes priority.
Everyone says I need a secretary but I am such a fast typist it's
quicker to do it myself than tell someone else what I want to say.
I had some TA hours that I used once for admin and the TA sorted out my
files - put treasury tags onto large amounts of a paperwork and a label
at the front of each file with the pupil's address and tel number on and
that was useful. 
None of this helps except to say that I think a lot of us are not as
efficient as we might be................

Janice Wray
Secondary SENCO, Herts

----------------------------------------
> Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 08:29:02 +0100
> From: kate.senrab at btinternet.com
> To: juneboschen at msn.com
> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Setting up SEN dept
> CC: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
> 
> June Boschen wrote:
> > As you are starting off a really simple way to organise your records

> > is to:-
> >  - use a card envelope file for each child
> >  - allocate a different colour for each year group, eg Y1 pink Y2
red  
> > etc, make a list of colour codings in order to make accessing a 
> > particular file easy  - arrange in year group piles in cupboard etc
> >  - make a brief note on the internal flap of the envelope file each 
> > time you add information, eg 29:06 phone call from mum (much easier
to 
> > refer to this for general information than have to search through
file)
> >
> >
> > Then at the end of the school year staple/paperclip all year's 
> > documentation together in each file,  change the colour coding list
so 
> > that Y2 pink Y3 red etc and move the files into new year group 
> > position in the cupboard.
> >
> > This works and saves so much time!!
> >
> > Good luck - June
> >
> >
> > Sounds a good system, but you may want to consider WHO is going to 
> > access these files and WHY you are keeping them.and WHAT is going
in. 
> > I suspect that too many of us spend hours battling to keep up to
date 
> > with record systems that are not useful. to anyoneHOW it will
dovetail 
> > (or not) with computer records you are required to keep via SIMS or 
> > other is another issue. I gave up paper diaries because of having to

> > enter reviews in SIMS and have regretted it ever since...
> > As a garrison school we have a very high turnover so I see a lot of 
> > record systems! I am in awe of what some SENCos manage.....    but
not 
> > all of it is useful to me as the receieving SENCo. I'm not saying
dont 
> > keep records... Brendan will quite rightly remind us that records
are 
> > crucial in applying for Statements - whatever the policy of your
LEA. 
> > Most of all I think records should show progress by the child in sub

> > levels or P levels, reading ages, or achievement of behaviour
targets 
> > or whatever and what provision/strategies facilitated this,
including 
> > work by outside agencies. The diary bit, wether on flap or not is
crucial.
> Do you want any other staff to have access or be able to add 
> information? Keeping SEN records separately can mitigate against 
> Inclusion. Unless all information about a pupil is readily available
to 
> senior staff in one place, you may find it is not used eg if a major 
> behaviour problem suddenly blows up.
> You will need to be ruthless about only allowing that which is useful
to 
> go in. How many of us receive files full of duplicate reports and 
> samples of work from 3 years ago? Decide what would be useful in your 
> situation and then make a list to remind yourself .....(there speaks
the 
> voice of someone who wishes she had done this years ago!!)
> Hope some of this is useful, back to parenting role now....
> Kate B
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  reports, samples of work from 3 years ago etc
> 

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