Fwd: [senco-forum] New Senco

Subject: Re: [senco-forum] New Senco

Hi Kev -- I'm probably stating the obvious.

1) Have a copy of the SEN Code of Pratice 2001 always at hand and check out what it has to say concerning your current prioroities -- on behaviour, inclusion, learning diffs, and of course, Action / Action plus and statementing (graduated provision) approaches, and parent partnership. If school management or LA advise you to abide by over-restrictive policies (e.g., limiting numbers of children at Action plus based on a funding formulae rather than relying solely on presented needs) it is helpful to be able to dscreetly refer in terms of the CoP as it has seniority over local policies.  

2) Send a Headteacher approved letter to all of the SEN chidrens' parents introducing yourself and inviting them to let you know what their concerns are and invite them to a get to know you meeting with tea and bics at the school one evening -- with the Head and SEN staff present if poss.

3) When poss., carry out an SEN needs and provision audit of your SEN pupils (Brum have a pro-forma checklist for this (called CRiSP) and someone from Brum could send you a copy or advise how to download from the Brum Web.This is a local Brum doc and carries no national or statutory status but is a useful informal checklist of needs and likely required level of provision on the graduated CoP provision model.

4) From the needs and provision audit, you may ascertain whether all children's needs are being sufficiently provided for. And you could produce a map of current provision. It could help if you wish to make a case for enhanced equipment, materials and SEN designated staffing provision, at the appropriate time.

5) Take a look at what your school's SEN policy states -- and whether it is currently in line with legislative developments -- particularly on inclusion and the DDA  -- and do a draft re-write for the Head to peruse and put to the Governors if neccessary. Check that existing policy is being enacted.

6) Take a look at the training and current expertise of SEN staff, and staff in school as a whole, (much depends upon whether your's is a primary or secondary phase school). If training of staff is a need, check out staff views and put case for funding of such training to Head and/or LA as appropriate.

7) Look for initiatives that may attract funding from LA or Central Gov. such as Dyslexia Freindly in service courses / ASD / Inclusion/disablity awareness training, etc.

8) When you've accurately assessed, over a reasonable time, the needs and direction your school needs to take (having consulted parents and colleagues and gained their confidence, and done your homework on provision needs) you may be able to put a case to your colleagues, at a special staff meeting / training session, for progressive changes you would ask them to support. If there is a perceived imbalance in SEN funding as devolved by LA, and as actually allocated to your SEN chiildren -- and if this is having a significant detrimental affect -- put this case in a document to the management team at the appropriate time. You will become part of that team under forthcoming legislation (if not already).

9) On a more mundane note, check what support individual colleagues need to better differentiate learning materials appropriately, and lend advice for particular children they are having difficulty in teaching and/or managing. And check out IEPs (if they exist) and see if they conform in quantity and quality with the CoP guidance and format advice from TeacherNet and similar sources -- update and improve asap. Ignore any advice that IEPs are a waste of paper and time. They are, quite simply, a single sheet indicating an individual child's additional needs, provision requirements and measured progress over time. 2 or 3 only per pupil, per year, are required to be issued and reviewed according to the CoP. A record of individual provision and progress is essential for a variety of purposes and is an essential accountability insurance for yourself and your school. 

10) After all of this 'auditing' and paper-trail checking, and having screened/assessed your SEN chidren's current levels of functioning and achievement (checking where the school is at in terms of its responsibilities)  you should know for certain (if you haven't been made aware already) of the children at most risk of learning failure -- either through behaviour of learning difficulties or both. And the acton that needs to be taken, in consultation with parents and management. Are there any that need a highly structured behaviour plan and additional support? Are there any that need to be upped (or downed) on the graduated CoP provision scale, e.g., placed on Action plus. referred for  a statutory assessment / reassessment / new statement, to enable increased / different provision?   

11) And, finally, audit the use of your own time, as required to carry out all of the jobs I've suggested above and to teach children and manage staff / complete paperwork, attend meetings. etc., in accordance with your job description. Are you recieving sufficient non-contact time and do you require (are you getting sufficient) admin support? If you've been doing all of the above and more for several months you may be sympathetically heard if asking for more time and support to do your job effectively as per job description.

Take it steady -- careful, measured, and well evidenced/supported changes are better than wholesale  -- precipitate demands foe radical ovehaul -- unless this is the reason for you were appointed. And even then you have to carry all staff with you -- as well as parents and pupils. Regard and respect for them, and listening carefuly to their views, and taking these views into full account when progressive change is sought -- is vital.

Best of luck with your future career. Brendan King 