Divine Mercy SNS.,
Balgaddy,
Lucan,
Co. Dublin.
Roll Number: 20187H
Introductory Statement
This draft policy on Special Education in Divine Mercy SNS, was initially formulated by the Special Education Team, during the year 2008/2009. It was reviewed in January 2015 given the changes in personnel on the advice from professionals involved in the school.This draft policy was discussed and further developed by the teaching staff of the school.
Rationale
Divine Mercy SNS is a mixed senior school catering for approximately five hundred and fifty six pupils from third to sixth class. The children are aged between nine and thirteen years. There are thirty seven teachers, including the principal, twenty four class teachers, eleven special education teachers and one teacher of English as a second language. In addition, seven Special Needs Assistants serve the needs of individual children. The secretary and caretaker assist in the running of the school.
This school serves the needs of children from the parish of Lucan South and the surrounding areas. We aim to provide an appropriate education for each child, recognising the special educational needs of individual children. We wish to enable each pupil to realise his/her potential through access to a suitable curriculum.
The policy hopes to cater for the enrolment of pupils with special educational needs, to comply with legislation and department circulars and to assist parents in making an informed decision in relation to the enrolment of their children.
Relationship to Characteristic Spirit of the School
Divine Mercy SNS wishes to serve each child in our community, welcoming the challenge to diverse needs and acknowledging the enrichment this will bring.
We aim
Guidelines
Divine Mercy SNS has been to the forefront in providing inclusive education for its pupils over the past 10 years, welcoming children with special education needs from Balgaddy and surrounding areas. Staff understanding has increased about practical measures to ensure the best possible result for all its pupils. The policy provides a frame work for implementing methods which are agreed as relevant and operable in this school. It allows equality of participation for all schools full range of curricular and extra-curricular activities.
When planning for this we will consider the following:
Practical Steps for Inclusion in the Classroom
All staff members are made aware of strategies to include children with special needs
Staff Roles and Responsibilities
It is important that the Board of Management, Principal, Special Education and Class Teachers, Parents and Special Needs Assistants are involved in planning and implementing the learning programme. This is achieved across a continuum from liaising to collaborating as appropriate. Regular consultation will be facilitated by the Principal. Teamwork is crucial in achieving results.
Role of Class Teacher
The class teacher has primary responsibility for the progress of all children in his/her class, including those receiving supplementary teaching
She/he should
The key to successful intervention within the school is the collaboration of class and support teachers
Role of Special Education Teachers
According to the Learning Support Guidelines (2000) the main role of the SEN teacher is to provide supplementary teaching to pupils, either in class or withdrawal. There should be a planned implementation of approaches, involving the class and SEN teacher. Discussion of these areas with school staff, as a group, should take place at least once per year while consultation between class teachers and SEN teacher should occur on a regular basis.
Activities should include
SEN Teacher and Principal
Should work closely to develop and implement the school’s programme
Role of SEN Teacher in Collaboration with Class Teacher is to
Role of SEN Teacher in Collaborating with Parents is
SEN Teacher: Co-ordinating selection of Pupils for Supplementary Teaching
Role of Parents
Parents are the primary educators of the children by providing a home environment conducive to the cognitive, language, social, emotional, personal, aesthetic, creative and physical development of the child. The collaboration of teachers and parents is vitally important in situations where a child requires learning support. We encourage parents to support learning progress by
Pupils Planning and Monitoring Own Learning/Self Assessment
The child becomes a more independent learner if he/she is aware of the next step in learning. Children should
Involvement of Outside Agencies
Speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists have a role to play in supporting children with special needs to develop their learning potential. They should
Whole School Strategies for Identifying and Supporting Children with Learning Difficulties
As a staff Divine Mercy SNS
Screening, Assessment and Reporting
Selection of pupils
There will be preliminary screening of children’s progress in all classes. Following intervention of Stage 1 (circular SP ED 02/05), parental permission is sought for further assistance involving SEN teacher.
Stage 1
A class teacher or parent may have concerns about academic, physical, social, behavioural or emotional development of certain pupils.
The class teacher will then draw up a short, simple plan for extra help to be implemented within normal classroom setting, in the relevant areas of learning and/or behavioural management. The success of the classroom support plan will be reviewed regularly, with appropriate parental involvement. If concerns remain after a number of reviews and adaptations to the plan, the special education support team or the learning support/resource teacher in the school will be consulted about the desirability of intervention at stage II.
Stage II
If intervention is considered necessary, then the pupil will be referred to the learning support/resource teacher, with parents’ permission, for further diagnostic testing. If this diagnostic assessment suggests supplementary teaching would be beneficial, it will be arranged. The parents and the class teacher will be involved with the learning support/resource teacher in drawing up the learning programme, which will include appropriate interventions for implementation in the home, in the classroom, and during supplementary teaching.
The learning support/resource teacher and the class teacher will review the rate of progress of each pupil receiving supplementary teaching and communicate with parents. If significant concerns remain after a number of reviews and adaptations to the learning programme, then it may be necessary to provide interventions at Stage III.
In the case of pupils with emotional or behavioural difficulties, it is recognised that, with serious difficulties, more urgent action may be needed. In these cases the pupil’s needs will, with parents’ permission, be discussed with the relevant NEPS psychologist and/or the case should be referred to the clinical services of the Health Services Executive. This may lead to a more detailed behavioural management programme to be implemented at home and in class, or to referral for further specialist assessment (Stage III)
Stage III
Some pupils who continue to present with significant learning needs will require more intensive intervention at stage 111. The school may formally request a consultation and, where appropriate, an assessment of need from a specialists outside the school in respect of pupils with learning difficulties or with mild or moderate behavioural problems. Such specialist advice may be sought from psychologists, paediatricians, speech and language therapists, audiologists etc. In respect of children who have failed to make sufficient progress, the learning support/resource teacher, and the class teacher, in consultation with the relevant specialists will then draw up a learning programme that includes identification of any additional available resources that are considered necessary in order to implement the programme. The parents will be informed throughout the process. This programme will be the subject of regular reviews, leading to revisions of the learning programme and referral for specialist review, as necessary.
In the case of pupils identified at an early stage, as having very significant special education needs, intervention at Stage III will be necessary on their entry to school. Support in the classroom will be an essential component of any learning programme devised for such pupils and primary responsibility for the pupil will remain with the class teacher, in consultation with the learning support/resource teacher.
Diagnostic Assessment May Include
Resources
A list of SEN resources used in the school is contained in Appendix 2. Suitability of these resources has been evaluated for specific purposes and is updated as necessary.
Intervention: In order of Priority
Parents’ Permission
A letter is sent home inviting parents to meet the SEN teacher and discuss the priority needs of the child.
Review of Child’s Progress
Code of Behaviour
The whole school policy for behaviour is based on D.F.L.
Transfer to Secondary School
Transfer is facilitated by
SPHE
The SPHE programme is ideally suited to fostering of integration by
Success Criteria
The practical indicators of success of this policy will be
The achievement of these success criteria will be assessed through feedback from teachers, pupils and parents
Ratification of Policy
To be agreed by the Board of Management______________________________
Implementation of Policy
The implementations of this policy will commence______________________________
Review of Policy
Review of this policy at a staff meeting at the end of the year____and every year thereafter.
Dated:___________________________________