Leeds Parent Partnership Service

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Schools and Early Years settings

  

What is Special Educational Needs (SEN)?
How do schools and early years settings support children with SEN?

What if extra support is needed?

School Action and School Action Plus
Funding For Inclusion (FFI)
Statutory Assessment
Asking for Statutory Assessment
Refusal to Assess
The Assessment Process
After the Assessment
Note In Lieu
What is a Statement
Finalising the Statement
Annual Reviews
Changes to a Statement

Support to Resolve Disagreements

Informal resolution
Mediation
Special Education Needs and Disability Tribunal

Provision in Leeds

Where do children attend?
SILCs and Partnerships
Resourced provision

 

What is Special Educational Needs (SEN)?

Children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) have learning difficulties that means they may need extra or different help to learn. Children and young people may need extra help because of a range of needs, such as physical or sensory (such as hearing or sight) difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties or thinking and understanding difficulties.

Children and young people with SEN will usually get the help they need at their school or early years setting. Sometimes help is offered by other professionals such as speech and language therapists or educational psychologists.

 

How do schools and early years settings support children with SEN?

Schools and early years settings aim to meet special educational needs through a step-by-step or graduated approach.

This takes into account that each child with SEN is different and has different levels of need.

 

What if extra support is needed?

School Action or Early Years Action

When a school or early years setting identifies a child has SEN and starts giving extra support they must tell you.

The school or early years setting will organise support for your child.

They may also involve you and you child in writing an Individual Education Plan (IEP). An IEP will describe the extra help made available and specific targets for your child's progress.

IEPs are usually reviewed every 6 months although they can be reviewed at anytime.

Sometimes an IEP may not be written but the school or early years setting must be able to tell you how they are supporting your child and how they are tracking their progress.

Individual Behaviour Plans (IBPs) can also be written for behavioural needs.

 

School Action Plus or Early Years Action Plus

If your child does not make enough progress then the school or early years setting may want to involve other professionals. This might be an educational psychologist who may come in and work with your child.

They should try and involve you in discussions and take into account your views. It is very important that you are aware of the support being offered and how the school or early years setting are meeting your child's needs.

 

Funding For Inclusion (FFI)

Funding For Inclusion (FFI) is funding that makes up part of a school's SEN budget. A child does not need a Statement to access this funding.
FFI is delivered to schools based on a child's special educational need by which they must meet set criteria which are separated into 7 different bands.
A Band - Cognition and Learning
B Band - Vision
C Band - Hearing
D Band - Physical Skills
E Band - Communication and Interaction
F Band - Behaviour
G Band - Medical

There are two broad levels of funding:
Level 1 - Funding is given to the school and remains with the school even if the child transfers school.
Level 2 - Funding is pupil related and can move with the pupil. Level 2 funding is also further differentiated into tiers depending on the severity of the pupils needs.

Funding is given in 'Units', these units equate to a certain amount of money.
For example a child may have Level 1, A Band funding - 2 Units, or Level 2, D Band funding 16 Units.

A school can apply for FFI in Years 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10. If your child qualifies for F or G band funding, this can be applied for at any time providing all relevant professionals are in agreement. Please remember, like with all bands, each child must still meet a certain criteria to receive this funding.

Please be aware that FFI goes into the school budget and it is up to the school how they spend the money, for example they may buy a computer programme or a piece of classroom equipment that may benefit a number of children. What is important is that they are using the money to meet you child's needs - the needs identified in the original funding application.

If you have any specific FFI questions you can contact the Parent Partnership Service on 0113 3951200.

 

Statutory Assessment

For some children the help made available by school action or school action plus is not enough to help them progress.

Education Leeds may decide to carry out a 'Statutory Assessment' which is a more detailed assessment of your child's needs.

The statutory assessment is a detailed investigation of your child's needs and the support they need.

 

Asking for a Statutory Assessment

There are two ways that you can ask for a statutory assessment.
- You can ask for an assessment by writing to Education Leeds. If you are unsure of what to write please contact the Parent Partnership Service.
- Your child's school or early years setting can ask Education Leeds for an assessment.

Education Leeds has 6 weeks to tell you whether they will carry out a statutory assessment and they will write to you explaining the process.

If there is a delay in answering the request you can contact the Parent Partnership Service for more support.

 

Refusal to Assess

If Education Leeds decide not to assess your child they must write and tell you and the school or early years setting.

If you are unhappy with the decision you have the right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. The appeal must be lodged within two months of the date the authority notified you.

You can contact the Parent Partnership Service for more support and to see if the disagreement can be sorted out informally.

The Assessment Process

Education Leeds have 10 weeks to complete the assessment which will take advice from all the professionals involved with your child.

You will also have the opportunity to provide you views again and supply the contact details of anyone else who can contribute to the assessment.

The Parent Partnership Service can provide impartial advice and guidance or an Independent Parental Supporter (IPS) to help with your part of the assessment as your views are very important. You know your child better than anyone else.

Your child should also be given the opportunity to contribute to the assessment and may need yours or a teachers support.

Education Leeds will write to within 12 weeks of the start of the assessment to let you know if they are going to collect all the information in a statement of special educational needs.

 

After the Assessment

Note in Lieu

If after the assessment it is decided that a statement is not needed Education Leeds may issue a 'note in lieu of a statement' which will describe your child's needs, explain why a statement has not been issued and what help should be given to your child.

If you disagree with the decision you have the right to appeal to the Special Educational and Disability Tribunal and you can contact the Parent Partnership Service for more information and advice. You can also ask if the disagreement can be sorted out informally.

What is a statement?

A statement is a legal document that describes your child's SEN and the special help they should receive.

A statement is set out in 6 parts.

Part 1 - Gives you and your child's details as well as those who have contributed to the assessment.

Part 2 - Gives details about your child's SEN, and anything about who your child is as a person should be included.

Part 3 - Is split into 3 sections
Part 3A - Objectives
Part 3B - Educational provision to meet needs and objectives
Part 3C - Monitoring

Part 3 describes the help that your child should get to meet the needs listed in Part 2. It also outlines the long and short term aims for your child including arrangements to review these.

Part 4 - Gives details of the school or early years setting your child will attend.

Part 5 - Describes any non-educational needs your child has.

Part 6 - Describes how your child will get the help to meet the needs in Part 5.

 

Finalising the Statement

A proposed statement will be sent to you which will not name a school for your child. This is because you have a right to say which school you want your child to go to. Education Leeds must agree as long as;
- The school is suitable for your child's age and ability;
- Your child's attendance will not damage the education of others at the setting;
- Placing you child at the school will be an efficient use of resources.

Education Leeds will also give you the opportunity to comment on all other parts of the statement. You have 15 days to do this and can ask for a meeting to discuss the statement with Education Leeds. If you need support for this meeting please contact the Parent Partnership Service. After the meeting you have another 15 days to ask for more meetings. Within 15 days of your last meeting you can send any further comments to Education Leeds and they will consider them.

The final statement will be issued within 8 weeks of the proposed statement. The final copy will have a school named in Part 4.

If you disagree with the contents of the statement the Parent Partnership Service can offer support and advice to help you resolve any issues. If you still disagree you have a right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal against the contents of parts 2, 3 and 4.

There is no funding attached to the statement, if schools require additional resources to support your child they have to apply to Education Leeds. See heading "Funding For Inclusion"

 

Annual Reviews

Education Leeds must check that the statement they have issued continues to meet your child's needs. They must review the statement at least once a year.

Your child's school will write to you or tell you the date of the meeting. You will also be asked to send in your views on your child's progress over the past year. The Parent Partnership Service can support you with this.

The school has to gather advice and send copies to parents and professionals at least 2 weeks before the meeting date.

At the annual review meeting the school may look at reports that have been provided from other professionals as well as the current statement. The aim of the meeting is to look at the progress your child has made over the past year and to plan new targets for the next year.

You and your child should try and attend the annual review meeting as yours and your child's views are important. The Parent Partnership Service can offer support if you need it.

Following the meeting the school must write to Education Leeds within 10 days recommending any changes to the statement. They must also send you a copy of their report.

An annual review will not always lead to changes in your child's statement. However from September after recommendations from the Lamb enquiry, you will be able to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal if Education Leeds refuse to make changes on the statement.

Changes to a statement

Once the annual review report is received Education Leeds will decide whether they should make any changes to your child's statement. They will tell you about any changes and the reasons for them and ask for your views.

Within 15 days you can ask for a meeting to discuss the proposed changes. Education Leeds must tell you within 8 weeks of suggesting a change of their final decision.

If you disagree with the amended statement  you have the same rights as when the statement was first made and go to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. The Parent Partnership Service can support you in this.

 

Support to resolve disagreements

Informal resolution

If you find yourself in a disagreement with Education Leeds or your child's school or early years setting it is important to know your rights and responsibilities.

The Parent Partnership Service has officers who are available to offer you support, information and impartial advice. They can also provide an independent Parental Supporter (IPS) who can support you in writing letters and attending meetings.

Mediation

Mediation can be a useful tool for resolving disagreements and can be arranged quickly.
The Parent Partnership Service is able to arrange mediation for parents, schools and Education Leeds through 'Community Accord'.

The mediation process can improve communication between all the people involved whilst working towards a realistic agreement. It is useful to take part in mediation if you are considering lodging an appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

Mediation is a voluntary process and for it to take place all those involved need to agree to it taking part.

For more information on mediation please contact the Parent Partnership Service.

 

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal is an independent body that you can appeal to if you disagree with some aspects of the statutory assessment and statementing process.

There is a 2 month time limit for making an appeal which starts from the date Education Leeds give their decision letter.

The Parent Partnership Service can provide you with an Independent Parental Supporter (IPS) who can attend meetings and help write an appeal.

 

Specialist Provision in Leeds

Where do children attend?

99.2% of children and young people are educated in their local mainstream school and additional resources are made available for targeted and specialist support.

For some children it is considered that their need can be more appropriately be met in a specialist setting.

In 2005 six Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres (SILCs) were established. A SILC is a school which provides teaching to children and young people who have severe and complex difficulties and are unable to access mainstream provision.

If a child or young person is functioning at a higher level and is academically able to access mainstream school but still requires specialist staff (this may be for a number of different reasons), it may be decided by the SILC and local authority that your child attend a partnership school. A partnership school has teachers that are employed by the SILC but work in a mainstream school.

You can not request a partnership school on Part 4 of your statement, however it can be discussed at your childs next annual review. If you feel your child's current statement does not reflect your child needs then you can request an early annual review under schedule 27.

Every partnership school works in different ways, the Parent Partnership Service always advise parents to look around a school before agreeing to the change of placement.

SILCs and Partnerships

SILC and mainstream partnerships are continually changing and developing. Currently the following picture exists across the city:

 

 Legend    ^{n      Children’s Centre   t     Primary School   ¬     High School}

Definition of terms

Aspirational Partnership: when the SILC has agreed with a school to develop provision for a number of places but prior to any pupil attending on a planned, regular basis. Usually applies for one year.

Developing Partnership: apply to situations where a number of pupils begin to attend on a planned, regular basis. Usually applies for one to two years.

Established Partnership: is one in which pupil places are confirmed and planned for future years. The intention is to develop a model agreement for established partnerships.

 

Resourced Provision

There are also a number of mainstream schools with provision on site that caters for children's specific additional needs. Children attending these settings will be on role of a mainstream school.

 

Resourced Provision Schools in Leeds
	Area	Type of Need	Number on Roll
Ireland Wood Primary School	NW	Complex PD and Medical	13
Parklands Primary School	E	MLD Primary	11
Shakespeare Primary School Nursery	S	Hearing Impaired	4
Cottingley Primary School	S	Hearing Impaired	9
Gledhow Primary School	NE	Speech and Language	7
Hawksworth Wood Primary School	NW	Speech and Language	4
Grimes Dyke Primary School	NE	Speech and Language	7
Middleton Primary School	S	Speech and Language	6
Ralph Thoresby High School	NW	Complex PD and medical	7
Brigshaw High School	E	Complex PD and medical	6
Roundhay School	NE	Specific Learning Difficulty	11
Intake High School	W	Specific Learning Difficulty	0
John Smeaton Community High School	E	Severe Learning Difficulty	12
Corpus Christi Catholic College	E	Severe Learning Difficulty	17
Allerton Grange High School	NE	Hearing Impaired	17
Allerton High School	NW	Communication, Speech and Language	18
Wortley High School	W	Communication, Speech and Language	13
		Total	169

If you have any questions about the information on this page please do not hesitate to contact the Parent Partnership Service on 0113 3951200.