Special Education Policy

Scoil Nioclais Naofa

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS POLICY(SEN)

Contents

Introduction
Aims of SEN Support	2
Principles of SEN Support	3
Roles and Responsibilities	3
Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies	8
Meeting the Needs and Allocating Resources	9
Identifying Pupils with Additional Needs	9
Selection of pupils for Support Teaching	13
Meeting Children’s Additional Learning Needs	13
Planning Template to Guide the Allocation of Additional Teaching Supports for Pupils with Special Educational Needs	14
Monitoring and Reviewing Progress	15
Continuing and Discontinuing Supplementary Teaching.	16
Record Keeping	16
Inclusive Practice	16
Psychological Assessments	17
Policy on one to one teaching	17
Positive Handling	17
Transfer to Post Primary	18
SEN Policy Success Criteria	18
Implementing and Review	18
Ratification and Communication	19
Appendices

Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy

Introduction

Scoil Nioclais Naofa Special Educational Needs (SEN) policy was discussed, reviewed and ratified by the Board of Management in March 2024.

It is the policy of this school to regard and include each child as an equally valued member of the school community.

The purpose of this Special Education Needs (SEN) policy document is to provide information to school personnel and parents on how we organise provision for teaching and support of children with special educational needs. The term special educational needs is broad and includes children who have difficulty acquiring literacy and/or numeracy skills, children with difficulties with fine or gross motor skills, children who have English as an additional language (if that impacts on their progress) and children who have diagnosed disabilities.

This policy is informed by the following DES documents:

Circular 13/2017 Circular to the Management Authorities of all Mainstream Primary Schools Special Education Teaching Allocation
Guidelines for Primary Schools Supporting Pupils with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools (2017)
Special Educational Needs – A Continuum of Support (NEPS 2007)
Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties – A Continuum of Support (NEPS)

Scoil Nioclais Naofa caters for children from Junior Infants to 6th Class and is under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Dublin. The school currently has 10 mainstream class teachers, 2 Special Class Teachers and 3.8 Special Education teachers. The school has 6.5 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). The allocation of both Special Education teachers and Special Needs Assistants is subject to review by the DES.

Aims of SEN Support

Our school is committed to helping our pupils achieve their full potential. The provision of a quality system of SEN support teaching is integral to this commitment.

Through the implementation of our SEN policy we aim to:

support the inclusion of children with SEN in our school
develop positive attitudes about school and learning in our children
ensure that the Staged Approach/Continuum of Support is implemented (see below)
optimise the teaching and learning process in order to enable children with learning difficulties to achieve adequate levels of proficiency in literacy and numeracy before leaving primary school
enable children to participate in the full curriculum
support appropriate differentiation in the classroom
support children’s development both socially and emotionally
enable children to understand themselves as learners
involve parents in supporting their children
promote collaboration among teachers in the implementation of whole-school policies on learning support for our pupils
promote early intervention programmes designed to enhance learning and prevent/reduce difficulties in learning.

Principles of SEN Support

The provision of SEN support in our school is based on the following principles:

All our children have a right to an education, which is appropriate to them as individuals. We want all our children to feel that they are a valued part of our school community.
The resources provided to support pupils with special educational needs will be used to facilitate the development of a truly inclusive school.
Supports provided to pupils with special educational needs will be based on identified needs and be informed by regular reviews of progress (in consultation with parents and pupils) as outlined in the Continuum of Support Guidelines.
The class teacher has primary responsibility for the progress and care of all pupils in the classroom, including pupils with special educational needs.
Pupils with the greatest levels of need will have access to the greatest level of support, and whenever possible, these pupils will be supported by teachers with relevant expertise who can provide continuity of support.

Roles and Responsibilities

The role of supporting learning is a collaborative responsibility shared by all the school community:

The role of the Board of Management

The Board of Management will:

oversee the development, implementation and review of school policy on support for children with additional needs
provide adequate class accommodation and teaching resources
provide a secure facility for storage of records.

The role of the Principal Teacher

The principal has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of provision. He will work closely with school staff and will keep the BOM informed about the working of this policy. It will be the role of the principal to:

develop inclusive whole-school policies and monitor their implementation
assign staff strategically to teaching roles, including special education roles
coordinate teachers’ work to ensure continuity of provision for all pupils
ensure that whole-school procedures are established to facilitate the effective involvement of parents, pupils and external professionals/agencies
ensure that effective systems are implemented to identify pupils’ needs and that progress is monitored methodically
facilitate the continuing professional development of all teachers in relation to education of pupils with special educational needs, and ensure that all school staff (class teachers, special education teachers and special needs assistants) are clear regarding their roles and responsibilities in this area
maintain a list of pupils who are receiving supplementary teaching
select children for psychological assessment in consultation with class and support teachers and with NEPS
liaise with external agencies such as NEPS to arrange assessments of children with SEN
liaise with SENO regarding all aspects of special education provision
arrange for exemptions from the study of Irish for pupils for whom this is appropriate.

The role of the Special Education Post Holder

The role of the Special Education Post Holder is to:

liaise with, advise and support colleagues in order to facilitate planning for Special Needs pupils.
monitor and evaluate SEN provision regularly.
assist the principal with a whole school assessment and screening programme
advise the class teacher, where needed, of possible interventions to meet the needs of their pupils.
advise class teacher on procedures for availing of external special needs services
facilitate regular meetings of the Special Education Team within school. Communicate with the principal regarding any concerns raised at SET team planning meetings. Maintain a record of these meetings and decisions made.
analyse standardised test results and report results and overall findings to the staff at staff meeting and identify pupils needing support as a result of these tests.

The role of the Class Teacher

The Class Teacher has primary responsibility for the progress of all children in his/her class, including those selected for supplementary teaching.

The Class Teacher will:

create a positive learning environment within the classroom
differentiate teaching strategies, approaches and expectations to the range of experiences, abilities, needs and learning styles in their class
meet with parents regarding any concerns about their child and update them regarding their progress
gather information and assess children presenting with needs to inform teaching and learning using the Continuum of Support
open a Student Support File once additional needs have been identified and require Classroom Support
develop Classroom Support plans for children in receipt of Classroom Support
collaborate with Special Education Teachers to develop School Support Plans and School Support Plus Plans for each pupil in receipt of School Support and School Support Plus
meet with Special Education Teachers, parents/guardians and other staff members to identify priority learning goals for each pupil in receipt of School Support and School Support Plus
meet with Special Education Teachers, relevant staff to review Support Plans
where applicable, collaborate with the SET team regarding teaching aims and activities for team teaching
administer and correct standardised tests of achievement in literacy and numeracy, following the school’s guidelines
discuss outcomes of standardised testing with SET team to assist in the selection of children for supplementary teaching
co-ordinate the role and responsibilities of the SNA in relation to the needs of pupils with SEN within the class(es) to which they are assigned.

The role of the Special Class Teacher (SCT)

The Special Class Teacher has primary responsibility for the progress of all children in his/her class. The Special Class Teacher helps to provide an education which meets the needs and abilities of children assessed as having a diagnosis of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder who meet the criteria for Special class setting and approved by SENO in accordance with our school enrolment policy. In addition, the SCT will advise and liaise with other teachers, parents and other professionals in the pupil’s interests. More specifically, the Special Class Teacher has responsibility for:

being the main point of contact for the child’s parents/guardians
involving parents in the educational process, e.g. Individual Education Plans (IEPS), Home School Communication Diaries, etc.
preparing a pupil’s IEP in consultation with parents, and in liaison with other staff working with the child.
initiating a review of that IEP each term and organising venue, date and time to consult with parents, mainstream class teacher and SNAs
planning and implementing educational provision for children enrolled in the class. IEPs being used as long-term planning and fortnightly plans for short-term planning to enable progression over time
co-ordinating the supporting work of the Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) on an ongoing basis
working with the mainstream class teacher to identify regular opportunities for integration or reverse integration, where appropriate
working with the mainstream class teacher to identify and implement accommodations that the child with ASD may need to be successful in the mainstream classroom, where appropriate
upholding the Code of Behaviour of the school, where appropriate

The role of the Special Education Teacher (SET)

The central roles of the Special Education Teacher will be to:

a) support the class teacher in optimising teaching and learning opportunities and
b) provide specialised teaching to those children with identified special educational needs.

The Special Education Teacher will:

familiarise themselves with a wide range of teaching approaches, methodologies and resources to cater for particular learning styles and to meet a variety of needs
assist in the implementation of a broad range of whole school strategies aimed at prevention and early intervention
meet with Class Teachers, parents/guardians and other staff members to review and develop School Support Plans and to identify priority learning goals for pupils in receipt of School Support or School Support Plus
monitor the ongoing progress of each child in receipt of supplementary teaching in relation to the attainment of agreed learning targets
maintain planning and progress records for each individual or group of pupils in receipt of school support
update and maintain the Student Support Files of pupils in receipt of School Support and School Support Plus
Support the class teacher in the writing of classroom support plans.
administer and interpret diagnostic tests and inform class teachers and parents of the outcomes
In conjunction with the class teacher, implementing various in-class models of support.
Withdraw children individually or in small groups, groups will be kept to a maximum of four to enable effective support.
meet with parents regarding any concerns about their child and update them regarding their progress
administer a range of formal and informal assessments and maintaining records of the outcomes of those assessments
contribute to the development of SEN policy.
provide advice to the Class Teacher (if requested).
liaise with external agencies such as speech and language therapists etc., and implementing suitable recommendations, wherever possible.
Complete an end of year progress report and meet with parents at parent teacher meetings.

The role of the SNA

The role of an SNA will be to carry out duties based on the care needs of the child. The tasks associated with these duties can be of a primary or secondary nature. (Circular 0030/2014)

The primary care support tasks may include:

Administration of medicine.
Assistance with toileting and general hygiene.
Assistance with mobility and orientation.
Assisting teachers to provide supervision in the class, playground and school grounds, and at recreation, assembly and dispersal times.
Assisting children while at play as appropriate.
Provision of non-nursing care needs associated with specific medical conditions.
Care needs requiring frequent interventions including withdrawal of a child from a classroom when essential.
Assistance with moving and lifting of children, operation of hoists and equipment.
Assistance with severe communication difficulties including enabling curriculum access for children with physical disabilities or sensory needs and those with significant, and identified social and emotional difficulties. The secondary care support tasks may include:
Preparation and tidying of workspaces and classrooms or assisting a child who is not physically able to perform such tasks; to prepare and tidy a workspace, to present materials, to display work, or to transition from one lesson activity to another.
Assistance with the development of Personal Pupil Plans (PPP) for children with Special Educational Needs, with a particular focus on developing a care plan to meet the care needs of the child concerned and the review of such plans.
Planning for activities and classes where there may be additional care requirements associated with particular activities.
Attending meetings with Parents, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENO); National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS); or school staff meetings with the agreement and guidance of Class Teacher/Principal.
Assistance with enabling a child to access therapy or psycho-educational programmes such as anger management or social skills classes, under the direction of appropriate personnel.
Assistance to attend or participate in out of school activities: walks, or visits, where such assistance cannot be provided by teaching staff.

The Role of Parents/Guardians

The central role of parents/guardians of children with SEN is the same as all parents/guardians, i.e to support the work of the school and to optimise teaching and learning opportunities for their child at home. The Continuum of Support process and use of the Student Support File provide valuable opportunities to engage with parents and to build a collaborative approach to identifying and responding to the needs of pupils with special educational needs.

When we identify a child as having additional needs we expect the child’s parents/guardians to help us to explore all possibilities to help the child to achieve their potential. Any parent who refuses our support or refuses to access School Support/School Support Plus or SNA support will have to sign a disclaimer saying they understand that the school has offered support and that they are turning it down.

Parents and guardians can prepare for and support the work of the school by:

Supervising, assisting with, showing interest in and signing homework.
Reading and telling stories to their child/children.
Listening to and giving supportive feedback on oral reading.
Where their child is in receipt of supplementary teaching, implementing suggested home-based activities and discussing the outcomes with the child’s teachers.
Signing and returning consent forms to the school regarding withdrawal for support teaching.
Talking positively about school and school work.
Keeping the class teacher informed of any home factors which may be affecting their child’s progress.
Participating in activities organised by the school that are designed to increase the involvement of parents in their children’s learning.
Helping children to develop their organisational skills.
Helping children to look after school books and other resources which are loaned to the children for use at home.
Supporting programmes and initiatives implemented by the school

The Role of the Pupil

In recognition of the child-centred nature of the school’s ethos, we recognise the importance of the child’s own role in the provision of Additional Education Support. A child-centred approach will enable the SET team to work with the child to:

Help the child to understand their own learning.
Take ownership of their own learning – making it real and memorable.
Recognise their own needs and strengths.
Take on a responsibility for their achievements and work hard to succeed.
Work together from a shared understanding of the difficulties the child is experiencing.
Set clear realistic and achievable goals so that the child experiences a sense of achievement.

The Role of External Bodies and Agencies

Our school liaises with external professionals such as NEPS Psychologists, Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO), the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Support Service, the HSE (Health Service Executive), Early Intervention Teams, School Age Teams, Tusla, Visiting Teachers for children with vision impairment, Visiting Teachers for children with hearing loss, and the Inspectorate.

We acknowledge that the needs of many children span both health and education services. We therefore liaise with and contribute to health-led assessment and delivery of interventions and facilitate meetings between parents and various support services. We also endeavour to incorporate relevant recommendations from health professionals in developing support plans at each level of the Continuum of Support.

Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies

We believe it is very important to identify and assess children with special needs as early as possible so that effective interventions can be put in place. The use of early intervention and prevention programmes helps mitigate the development of learning, social and emotional difficulties. Early intervention programmes may be provided by the Class Teacher and/or the Special Education Teacher, in accordance with the Staged Approach outlined in the Continuum of Support. Collaboration and consultation between the Class Teachers and the Special Education Teachers, should identify children who may be in need of early intervention. Teacher observation and professional opinion will be given due consideration in the selection of children for early intervention programmes at Classroom Support/School Support level.

We use the following prevention and early intervention strategies:

Ongoing structured observation and assessment of the language, literacy and numeracy skills of pupils in the infant classes to facilitate early identification of possible learning difficulties.
Observation of pupils’ social interactions and behaviour in the classroom and the yard to facilitate early identification of social, emotional and behavioural needs.
The Early Numeracy Tests are administered to all pupils in Senior Infants during the second term of the school year. Pupils who present with scores below a given point are selected for additional literacy support.
The Early Drumcondra Literacy are administered to all pupils in 1st class during the first term of the school year. Pupils who present with scores below a given point are selected for additional literacy support.
Provision of additional support in language development and any relevant early literacy and mathematical skills to pupils who need it.
In class support and team teaching
Close collaboration and consultation between the Infant Teacher and the SET team.
Differentiation of the curriculum by the mainstream class teacher to cater for individual strengths and needs.
Withdrawal of individuals/groups for extra support where required.
The development of agreed approaches to the teaching of Literacy and Numeracy in order to ensure progression and continuity from class to class. (See School Plans for Literacy & Numeracy)
Parental involvement in promoting literacy and numeracy e.g. Homework Policy Guidelines for Parents.

Meeting the Needs and Allocating Resources

Once pupils’ needs have been identified, Special Education Teachers (SETs) are deployed to address these needs as required. We deploy SETs in a variety of ways in order to effectively meet pupils’ needs. We aim to strike a balance between in-class support, group and individual support while ensuring that the needs of children with additional needs are met inclusively.

Importantly, the level and type of support reflect the specific targets of individual pupils as set out in their support plans and are informed by careful monitoring and review of progress. In this way, following a period of intervention, some pupils may no longer require additional teaching supports; some may require the same level, while others may require more intensive supports.

In planning the allocation of additional teaching supports, the over-riding principle is that resources are deployed to address the identified needs of pupils. Importantly, those with the highest level of need should have access to the greatest level of support. We consider methodologies best suited to promoting meaningful inclusion such as differentiation, heterogeneous grouping, team-teaching and small group teaching. In addition to literacy and numeracy difficulties, many pupils will have specific needs in such areas as oral language, social interaction, behaviour, emotional development, motor skills and application to learning.

At the end of each term the SET’s meet class teachers and review children’s needs, the resources in place and progress made using the Continuum of Support problem-solving model of assessment and stage approach flow charts. The SET’s then bring this information to the end of term SET team planning meetings. As a SET team, we review all support and allocate resources for the subsequent term. We cross-reference the needs of pupils at School Support and School Support Plus levels and consider common needs that can be met by grouping, to ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning approaches.

Identifying Pupils with Additional Needs

We use the Continuum of Support Framework set out by the Department of Education to identify and support children with additional needs. Like this framework, we recognise that special educational needs occur along a continuum, ranging from mild to severe, and from transient to long-term and that pupils require different levels of support depending on their identified additional needs. By using this framework, it helps us implement a staged approach to ensure that our support and interventions are incremental, moving from class-based interventions to more intensive and individualised support, and are informed by careful monitoring of progress.

The Continuum of Support is a problem-solving model of assessment and intervention that enables us to gather and analyse data, as well as to plan and review the progress of individual pupils.

This problem-solving process is illustrated as follows:

Identification of educational needs is central to our policy and the new allocation model. By using the Continuum of Support framework, we can identify pupils’ educational needs, to include academic, social and emotional needs, as well as needs associated with physical, sensory, language and communication difficulties. This, in turn, allows us to identify and respond to needs in a flexible way.

The Continuum of Support suggests the following levels of support:

STAGE 1 CLASSROOM SUPPORT

Classroom Support is the most common, and typically the first response to emerging needs. It is a response for pupils who have distinct or individual educational needs and who require approaches to learning and/or behaviour which are additional to or different from those required by other pupils in their class. Problem-solving at this level typically begins when a parent or teacher has concerns about an individual pupil. The class teacher and parents discuss the nature of the problem and consider strategies which may be effective. The class teacher may seek advice from Special Education Teachers at this stage. Classroom Support incorporates the simple, informal problem-solving approaches commonly used by class teachers to support emerging needs.

STAGE 2 SCHOOL SUPPORT

In some cases, interventions at classroom support level are not enough to fully meet the pupil’s special educational needs. If standardised test results and teacher observation indicate this to be the case, School Support may, therefore, be required. The class teacher involves the Special Education Teacher Team (SET Team) in the problem-solving process at this point and it involves more systematic gathering of information and the development and monitoring of a School Support Plan. Where progress is such that the child is no longer giving cause for concern, the child will revert to the usual differentiated curriculum available to all children.

STAGE 3 SCHOOL SUPPORT PLUS

If a pupil’s special educational needs are severe and/or persistent, they are likely to need intensive support. If interventions at classroom support and school support levels are not enough to fully meet the child’s special education needs, a School Support Plus plan is required. School Support Plus will generally involve personnel outside the school team in the problem solving, assessment and intervention process. An assessment may be arranged at this point from a relevant and suitably qualified professional to provide more information to help the school and parents to meet the needs of the child. If the child is assessed as having care needs then an application will be made to the SENO for SNA support. Where it is recommended that a child requires specialised equipment the school will make an application for this equipment and arrange for the use of this equipment to be demonstrated to the relevant staff. However, the information from Classroom and School Support work will provide the starting point for problem-solving at this level.

Table 1: Identification of Educational Needs through the Continuum of Support Process

Classroom Support

The class teacher considers how to differentiate the learning programme effectively to accommodate the needs of all pupils in the class.

A classroom support plan is developed and/or adjusted over time for those pupils who do not respond appropriately to the differentiated programme.

This is informed by: Parental consultation

Teacher observation records

Teacher-designed measures/assessments

Basic needs checklist

Learning environment checklist Pupil consultation –

My Thoughts About School Checklist

Literacy and numeracy tests

Screening tests of language skills

A classroom support plan runs for an agreed period of time and is subject to review.

School Support

At this level a support plan is devised and informed by: Teacher observation records

Teacher-designed measures/assessments

Parent and pupil interviews

Learning environment checklist

Diagnostic assessments in literacy/numeracy

Formal observation of behaviour including ABC charts, frequency measures

Functional assessment as appropriate, including screening measures for social, emotional and behavioural difficulties

A support plan at this level may detail suitable teaching approaches including team-teaching, small groups or individual tuition.

A school support plan operates for an agreed period of time and is subject to review.

School Support Plus

This level of the continuum is informed by a detailed, systematic approach to information gathering and assessment using a broad range of formal and informal assessment tools, reports from outside professionals (as appropriate) and may include:

Teacher observation and teacher-designed measures

Parent and pupil interviews

Functional assessment

Results of standardised testing such as measures of cognitive ability, social, emotional and behavioural functioning, adaptive functioning etc.

Data generated from this process is used to plan an appropriate intervention and can serve as a baseline against which to map progress.

A support plan at this level is likely to be more detailed and individualised, and to include longer term planning and consultation.

The Continuum of Support and the Selection of Pupils for Support Teaching.

Selection of pupils for Support Teaching

In the allocation of places for support teaching we are guided by the 2017 Guidelines that state ‘ pupils with the greatest level of need have access to the greatest level of support’

In identifying pupils for support, we will consider the following:

Pupils with significant Additional Educational Needs including pupils with significant learning, behavioural, emotional, physical, and sensory needs. This will be evidenced through school-based assessment of attainment, behavioural, social and emotional functioning and ongoing monitoring of learning outcomes. We also consider needs set out in professional reports, where available.
Pupils with mild or transient educational needs including those associated with speech and language difficulties, social, emotional or behaviour difficulties, coordination difficulties and attention control difficulties.
Pupils performing below the 10th percentile on standardised tests will be prioritised for support in literacy and numeracy
Pupils presenting with difficulties in literacy and/or numeracy e.g. difficulties that present a barrier to learning and full access to the curriculum.
Pupils who have additional literacy or language learning needs including those pupils who need English Additional language Support.
Children experiencing serious difficulties with oral language or social or emotional development or application to learning, despite interventions made by the Class Teacher at Classroom Support (Stage 1) level of the NEPS Continuum of Support. The class teacher will have opened a Support Plan and recorded the interventions in it.
Early intervention in literacy and/or Maths - Infant class children who continue to experience difficulties in early literacy skills, despite interventions made by the Class Teacher at Classroom Support (Stage 1) level of the NEPS Continuum of Support. The class teacher will have opened a Classroom Support Plan and recorded the interventions in it.
Children scoring at or below STEN 4 (25th percentile) on standardised assessments in literacy and/or Maths and who continue to experience difficulty, despite interventions made by the Class Teacher at Classroom Support (Stage 1) level of the NEPS Continuum of Support. The class teacher will have opened a Support Plan and recorded the interventions in it.
Pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties including ASD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder, dyscalculia and dysgraphia.
Gifted Pupils (those scoring above the 95th percentile in both English and Mathematics on Standardised Assessments and / or have been diagnosed by a NEPS Educational Psychologist as having a "superior IQ"). Interventions will be made in the first instance by the Class Teacher at Classroom Support (Stage 1) level of the NEPS Continuum of Support.
Due consideration will be given to the overall needs of the school and all its pupils.

Meeting Children’s Additional Learning Needs

Once pupils needs have been identified they may be supported in a variety of ways. Children at Classroom Support level will be supported in the classroom by the class teacher. Special education teachers and class teachers will work together to support children at School Support and School Support Plus level. This support may take the form of in-class support or withdrawal of groups/individuals. Interventions will be planned to address pupils’ priority learning needs and to achieve the targets identified in the relevant Continuum of Support plan.

We take into account the different backgrounds, experiences, interests and strengths that influence the way in which children learn when we plan our approaches to teaching and learning. In planning our support, the ‘Planning Template’ outlining the 6 point action plan below will be utilised.

Good target setting is central to effective teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs. Targets should be few in number; informed by priority learning needs and directly linked to suitable interventions. We will consult parents when setting targets and when reviewing progress. The views of pupils may also be included in this process, through their direct involvement in the discussion or by gathering their views in advance of the review process. This collaboration will help ensure that targets are relevant, meaningful, realistic, and that they draw on the strengths and interests of pupils.

Planning Template to Guide the Allocation of Additional Teaching Supports for Pupils with Special Educational Needs

Action 1: Identification of pupils with special educational needs	Review existing information on pupils’ needs, using school-based data and any information from parents and external professionals. Engage in additional screening and data gathering as required, using informal and formal assessment approaches (for example, teacher observations, information on social and emotional competence, standardised tests, diagnostic tests). Identify all pupils with special educational needs in the school. Match their needs to the appropriate level on the Continuum of Support.
Action 2: Setting targets	Based on individual needs, set clear learning targets for each pupil at each level of the continuum of support.
Action 3: Planning teaching methods and approaches	Identify the level and type of intervention required to meet targets for each pupil on the continuum of support. Schools should consider methodologies best suited to promoting meaningful inclusion such as differentiation, heterogeneous grouping, team-teaching and small group teaching. They should also be mindful that the interventions and supports that they are using are evidence-informed.
Action 4: Organising early intervention and prevention programmes	Based on identified needs, choose evidence-informed early intervention/prevention programmes to address concerns. Identify time needed and staffing commitment required.
Action 5: Organising and deploying special education teaching resources	Cross-reference the needs of pupils at school support and school support plus levels and consider common needs that can be met by grouping to ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning approaches. Agree which teacher(s) will cater for these groups/individuals and when and where the teaching will take place. Be mindful of the requirement that pupils with the greatest level of need should receive the greatest level of support from teachers with relevant expertise.
Action 6: Tracking, recording and reviewing progress	Establish a tracking and recording system, to ensure that the progress of all pupils in meeting their identified targets is monitored: At whole-school and classroom support level by all teachers At the school support and school support plus levels by class teachers and special education teachers.

Monitoring and Reviewing Progress

Pupils’ progress in relation to achieving their targets will be regularly and carefully monitored. This stage of the process is informed by effective measurement of baseline performance, including the use of criterion-referenced tests and other methods of assessment (for example, teacher-designed tests, checklists, samples of work, observation) that allow pupils to demonstrate their progress. This will lead to the establishment of specific targets to be achieved within a defined timeframe as outlined below.

Monitoring outcomes is part of a dynamic process of identification, target-setting, intervention and review, which in turn should lead to adjustments in support plans. The Student Support File will be used to support and record this process. It includes a Support Review Record to guide teachers when monitoring progress and reviewing outcomes with parents and pupils. Such monitoring of progress, and subsequent adaptation of support plans, are key drivers of effective practice.

In addition to monitoring outcomes at the individual level, it is also important to review outcomes at group, class and whole-school level. This review will include some of the following measures: attainment, communication, independence, attendance, social inclusion and well-being (for example, sense of belonging and connectedness to school) for pupils with special educational needs.

Monitoring Progress

The Support Review Record on the Continuum of Support will be completed by the Special Education Teacher in collaboration with the Class Teacher. This will be carried out at the end of each instructional period.
Self Reflection (by the child) – as part of the Continuum of Support Review Record if appropriate.
Teacher designed tasks and tests
Termly Assessments if applicable (teacher designed or from publishers).
Standardised Tests at end of year (1st – 6th) English and Maths.
Senior Infant end of year test –Drumcondra Early Numeracy Testt
1st class September–Drumcondra Early Literacy Tests.
NNRIT- 1st, 2nd, 3rd class in February
MIST test- Senior Infants- February

Continuing and Discontinuing Supplementary Teaching.

School Support and School Support Plus Plans will be reviewed in June and January/February. A decision will be made regarding the continued level of support and revised targets will be set in the Support Plan. Supplementary teaching may be discontinued when satisfactory progress has been made and targets have been met.

Record Keeping

Student Support File

We use student support files to plan interventions and to track and record a pupils’ progress. The student support file should include:

Cover Sheet (pupil details & date file opened)
Log of Actions
Support Plans & Support Review Records
School Assessments
Reports from external professionals/agencies
Copies of correspondence with professionals/external agencies (referral forms etc.)
Record of phone calls/conversations with external professionals
Personal Pupil Plan (where relevant)

Student Support Files for pupils at Classroom Support level will be maintained by the class teacher. If the pupil progresses to School Support or School Support Plus level the file will be passed to the relevant SET.

Student Support Files for pupils at School Support and School Support Plus will be maintained by special education teachers. Student Support Files will be stored in a locked filing cabinet in the special education room.

IEP’s for special class students will be maintained by special class teachers.

Professional Reports will be maintained by the Principal. A copy of these reports will also be kept in the Student Support File on Aladdin.

Inclusive Practice

All children get the chance to participate in all curricular areas, differentiating by task, questioning, outcome, extension.

Inclusion of children from our classes for children with ASD, which is called Solas, into age – appropriate mainstream. We value meaningful inclusion. We endeavour to include all pupils where possible and where mutually beneficial. Such inclusion is a graduated process beginning with inclusion for lunch breaks and then arts subjects and academic subjects, or in a subject area a child has a particular strength in. Time spent included in the mainstream class increases as appropriate. This process requires regular consultation between the SCT teacher, class teacher and parents/guardians.
All children take part in whole school activities as suits their needs.
Where the curriculum is adapted to suit individual needs, this is not highlighted, and all children are still challenged and given the opportunity to experience perseverance, progression and success.
Children sit in mixed ability groups.
Buddy System: A buddy system may be operated according to needs arising. Children from Solas or those receiving SET support may have a buddy where it is mutually beneficial for both children. Shared activities may include reading, indoor and outdoor games, incidental play at break times. We hope to encourage a welcoming and tolerant attitude towards difference within the school community.
We recognise that the Social, Personal and Health education programme supports inclusive practice, raising awareness and understanding around areas such as friendship, assertiveness and bullying.
Whole class drama and Circle Time are used to develop social skills and encourage integration and inclusion of all pupils.
Yard Breaks. All Pupils are entitled to their breaks and playtimes. Pupils with additional needs are supported in the following ways: SNA’s and Teachers on yard duty supervise diligently, dealing with, recording and reporting any incidents that occur. PECs picture cards and other visual prompts are used by SNA’s to manage particular behaviours. Staff will be aware of different behaviour plans and targets that are relevant to a child’s yard time if necessary.

Psychological Assessments

Children to be considered for psychological assessments should be selected using the following criteria.

Where a pupil's difficulties are markedly unresponsive to a period of two instructional terms of SET intervention (1 school year) resulting in little or no progress or concerns by SET teacher.
Where there is a discrepancy between the NRIT score and standardised test score and the child has been on a school support plan.
Where a child has very low NRIT and standardised tests scores and has a school support plan.

Consultation must also take place with the class teacher and pupil’s parents

Our school is covered by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and the amount of assessments we carry out will be determined by the provisions of that service.

Referral for children with social emotional and behavioural issues will be dealt with through a family GP following consultation with the pupil’s parents.

In extreme cases the school might seek the support of a private psychological assessment/ behaviour therapist again in consultation with the pupil’s parents.

Policy on one to one teaching

A table should generally be in place between the teacher and pupil - although this may not apply in Solas.

There must be a glass panel on the door to allow visibility from outside the classroom.

Positive Handling

There are many times when physical contact is used in our school, such as high fiving a child in affirmation, administering first aid and meeting intimate care needs. Our duty of care to others means that it may on occasion also be necessary to use physical contact to restrain a child who is putting themselves or another person at risk. The following examples, which are not exhaustive, outline the circumstances where physical contact may be used in the school:

physically interposing between pupils
blocking a pupil’s path
holding or leading a pupil by the hand or arm or shepherding a pupil away by placing a hand in the centre of their back
in extreme cases using more restrictive holds.

The following principles are followed by staff who find themselves in a situation where they feel a restrictive physical intervention is necessary. Action by staff will be in best interests of the child

use maximum care, minimum force
be reasonable, proportionate, and necessary be for reasons of safety
Positive handling may be part of an agreed plan with parents and the pupil where appropriate. If this is the case plans will be viewed regularly with a view to reducing the need for intervention
Staff have Manual handling training

Transfer to Post Primary

The school uses the NCCA developed suite of materials to support the reporting and transfer of pupil information from primary to post-primary schools. The materials are presented under the umbrella title of Education Passport and include:

6 th Class Report Card
My Profile Sheet (for children)
My Child’s Profile (for parents)
A Special Educational Needs Summary Form is included to support the sharing of information for children with identified learning needs.

SEN Policy Success Criteria

A whole school approach to the implementation of our SEN policy will:

ensure that children with SEN gain access to a broad, balanced curriculum and have opportunity of access to an appropriate education.
develop positive self-esteem and positive attitudes to school and learning among our pupils.
improve standards of academic performance and achievement.
enhance parental involvement in supporting their child’s learning.
increase collaboration between school personnel.
The achievement of these success criteria will be assessed through: feedback from teachers, children and parents/guardians; child’s achievements and ongoing analysis of children’s academic performance and attainment of personal targets.

Implementing and Review

The implementation of this Policy will commence once ratified.

The Policy will be reviewed in line with any new directives from the DES.

Ratification and Communication

A copy of the policy will be e-mailed to all members of staff and placed on the one drive.

It will be posted on the school’s website.

This policy was ratified by the Board of Management on the _____________

Signed: ________________________(Chairperson, Board of Management)

Date:____________________