Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND)
All schools have a duty to be accessible and inclusive for the children within their community. It is our job to support parents and carers in providing the best possible education for all children. This guide explains how the system that supports children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities works.
Guidance on the special educational needs and disability system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014 can be found here: ‘Special education needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25’.
You may also find the easy-read version of this guide for parents and carers and for children and young people useful.
Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO)
All mainstream schools are required to have a SENDCO and to hold this position you need to:
- Be a qualified teacher
- Achieve a National Award in Special Educational Needs Coordination within three years of appointment
The SENDCO provides leadership and professional guidance, working closely with pupils, parents and carers, staff and other agencies. The SENDCO promotes person-centred, inclusive practice in which the interests and needs of pupils with SEN and/or Disabilities are at the heart of everything that they do.
The SENDCo is aware of provision offered through the Derbyshire Local Offer (see link below) and works with professionals to provide support to families to ensure that children with SEND receive appropriate support and high quality teaching, make at least good progress and achieve good outcomes.
At our school, the SENDCO is Miss Sarah Brown.
Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Governor
All governing bodies have important statutory duties towards pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Governing bodies should, with the Headteacher and SENDCO, decide the school’s general policy and approach to meeting pupils’ special educational needs/disabilities for those with and without EHC plans.
Under the provisions of the Education Act, governors and local authorities have a duty to do their best to ensure that the necessary provision is made for pupils with SEND and must have regard to the SEND Code of Practice.
Most governing bodies appoint a link governor to have specific oversight of the school’s arrangements and provision for meeting SEND. The governor is the link between the governing body and the school in relation to pupils with SEND.
At our school, the link governor for SEND is Mrs Emily Wood
Derbyshire Local Offer
The Derbyshire Local Offer is an information, support and advice service for children and young people aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). It also includes information for parents and carers as well as practitioners and professionals.
