Killashee (European Language and Multi-Denominational) School

Kilcullen Road, Naas, Co. Kildare

School Policy – Special Education Needs

Introductory Statement

Ann Fleming, Tony Rogerson, Mary Brady and Eleanor Brennan (Special Education Teachers) and Julie Hughes, Principal, in consultation with the teaching staff of Killashee Multi-Denominational School, revised the policy on Special Educational Needs in Killashee School.

Rationale

This policy was formulated in accordance with the Education Act 1998.

• We believe that the pupil with special needs is someone who belongs in our school and deserves the best educational opportunities. In order to provide an education appropriate to the child’s needs the Board of Management will require full access to all documentation relevant to the child’s ability.
• We believe that there should be flexibility in the provision for children with special needs to include short-term intervention for children who suffer personal trauma e.g. bereavement, illness, accident or family problems.
• We believe that no amount of material resources will ever be a substitute for the human interchange between teacher and pupil.
• We believe that the experience, expertise, creativity and imagination of the teachers in a school are its best resource. Its best support comes from collaboration and consultation with its partners in the educational process both inside and outside the school.
• We are committed to working as a team to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum to the child.
• It is our belief that the teachers’ expertise and experience is crucial in assessing and meeting children’s needs and their progress.

Relationship to School Ethos

This policy is formulated within the context of our school philosophy which states that:“The Ethos of Killashee Multi-Denominational School recognises the uniqueness and importance of every human being. It celebrates diversity among people, it encourages self-actualisation and the development of a positive self-image in all who are associated with our school. It fosters a spirit of co-operation and promotes self-respect and respect for all others. Our vision aspires to fostering a caring, nurturing environment for children of all denominations; an environment which embraces differences and gives equal opportunities to all children to reach their full potential – academically, spiritually, physically, socially and emotionally. We aim to achieve this through providing the highest possible standard of education by means of quality leadership, teamwork and the involvement of all partners in an environment of mutual respect”.

This policy is also in line with our Admission Policy on Special Needs which states: “We will endeavour to accommodate children with special needs providing the DES approves the necessary resources. However, while recognising the right of parents to enrol their child in the school of their choice the Board of Management is also responsible for maintaining the rights of the existing school community and in particular the children already enrolled. This requires balanced judgements, which are guided by the principles of natural justice and acting in the best interest of all children.

In assisting the school in such circumstances the Board of Management reserves the right to determine the maximum number of children n each separate classroom bearing in mind the following:

1. available space in classrooms
2. education needs of children of a particular age
3. Presence of children with special education/behavioural needs
4. consideration where special needs assistants are required
5. Department of Education & Science maximum class average directive (currently a maximum average of 30 Children).
6. Fire & Safety regulations regarding maximum numbers in any classroom to include teachers, special needs assistants and pupils.

Children with special needs will be accepted when the special resources required are provided by the Department of Education and Science. However, parents may consider a special school, which is designed and resourced to specifically cater for the needs of a particular child if they find that their child’s needs are not being met satisfactorily.

Our Aims for Special Education Teaching

The principal aim of Special Education teaching is to optimise the teaching and learning process in order to enable pupils achieve their full potential.

Learning support also aims to:

Policy Guidelines

Criteria for selection of pupils – Learning Support

i.e. pupils covered by general allocation model (circular Sp. Ed. 02/05)

Children requiring learning support will be allocated time as prioritised below:

1. Children who have a Psychologist’s report recommending learning support.
2. Children performing below the 10th percentile in standardised tests of achievement in English or Maths (circular Sp. Ed. 02/05).
3. Junior Infants to 1st Class – early intervention programmes for low achievers in English based on the class teacher’s observations, recommendations and/or B.I.A.P. and M.I.S.T.
4. Children who continually show a high level of achievement in both Maths and English (e.g. sten of 10 in both standardised test) would receive learning support, subject to the time available.
5. Priority will be given to English low scores before Maths low scores.
6. Pupils performing with a steno score of 4 and under in a standardised test of achievement in English and/or Maths, where time permits.
7. Pupils in senior classes who are experiencing very low achievement will receive learning support subject to the time available.
8. Children who have a high incidence special need in mild general learning disability and specific learning disability, so indicated by assessment, may receive learning support when necessary (circular Sped. 02/05).

Note: As stated previously in this policy, every possible effort will be made to accommodate pupils who for various reasons e.g. illness, bereavement or family circumstances, may benefit from temporary special education support

Criteria for Selection of Pupils – Resource

i.e. pupils with low incidence special education needs.

Resource hours will be allocated by the SENO on submission of application with psychological assessment and/or medical reports in accordance with Appendix 1 (circular Sp.Ed. 02/05).

The class teacher and/or principal may recommend to parents that a child should be assessed following teacher observation and/or class tests. Where possible assessments will be carried out through the National Education Psychology service. The school may also recommend a panel of therapists should parents choose to have the assessment carried out privately.

The Role of the Board of Management

It is the role of the Board of Management to:

• Oversee the development, implementation and review of the provision of Learning Support and Resource Teaching
• Ensure adequate classroom accommodation and teaching resources are provided for the learning support teacher and the resource teacher.
• Provide a secure facility for storage of records, which relate to pupils in receipt of Special Needs and learning support services.

The Role of the Principal

It is the role of the Principal to:

• Make application to the SENO for resource hours as required
• Apply to the Department of Education for resources for children with special needs when required
• Apply to the Department of Education for Special Needs Assistants as required.
• Liaise with other school principals in the case of school cluster arrangements
• Consult with the SENO on matters regarding special needs.
• Assume overall responsibility for the development and implementation of the school’s policy on learning support and special needs.
• Monitor the selection of pupils of learning support.
• Assume direct responsibility for co-ordinating learning support and special needs services.
• Liaise with NEPS Psychologist and keep teachers informed of the procedures to be followed in initiating referrals.
• Liaise with other external agencies, e.g. Enable Ireland, occupational therapists, speech therapists etc.
• Oversee the implementation of a whole-school assessment and screening programme, which will identify the pupils who most need support.
• To support teachers in increasing their knowledge and skills in the area of special needs.
• To meet with parents of children who have been allocated learning support or resource hours.
• To interview, appoint and manage Special Needs Assistants as they are sanctioned for pupils attending our school
• To ensure that planning time is made available to class teachers and special education teachers on a regular basis.

The Role of the Class Teacher

The class teacher has primary responsibility for the progress of all pupils in his/her class, including those requiring learning support or special needs resource time.

support and special needs the class teacher should:

• Implement teaching programmes that optimise the learning of all pupils
• Implement the school’s policies on screening and selecting pupils for supplementary teaching in English and Maths.
• For each pupil who is in receipt of learning support, collaborate with the SET Programme/Individual Education Plan, by identifying appropriate learning targets.
• Communicate regularly with the pupil’s parents
• Will use his/her discretion to provide extra challenging work for the gifted pupil appropriate to his/her ability. The gifted pupil being one who scores a sten of 10 in both Maths and English in standardised tests.

The Role of the Special Education Teacher/Learning Support Teacher/Resource Teacher

• Assisting in the implementation of a broad range of whole-school strategies designed to enhance early learning.
• Maintaining a weekly planning and progress record for each individual pupil/group of pupils.
• Promoting intensive early intervention programmes.
• Providing learning support in English and Maths for pupils who experience low achievement.
• Co-ordinating the implementation of whole-school procedures for the selection of pupils for learning support in line with selection criteria outlined in our school plan.
• Providing advice to the class teacher in such areas as programme planning, approach to language development, reading and assessment.
• Performing a defined role in co-ordinating the provision of special needs and learning support services in the school.
• Liaising with external agencies, such as psychologists, to arrange assessments and special provision for pupils with special needs.
• To administer diagnostic tests where appropriate (see attached list of available tests).
• Liaising with the school Principal regarding pupils in receipt of resource hours.
• Providing advice to the class teacher in the areas of English and Maths for children who are high achievers (sten 10 in standardised tests).
• Provision will be made for all external agencies (e.g. psychologists, speech & language therapists, occupational therapists, play therapists, social workers etc. to meet with the Class Teacher, SET, parents, SNA and Principal to co-ordinate information relating to the child).
• The development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for each pupil, in consultation with class teacher, principal, parents and pupil, who is sanctioned for resource hours by the Department of Education (see attached template).
• Meeting with parents of each pupil with resource hours/learning support hours to discuss targets and ways in which these can be achieved with support from home.
• Providing advice to the class teacher in such areas as assessment, programme planning as well as approaches to reading, writing, maths and language development for pupils experiencing difficulties.
• Contributing at school level to decision making regarding the purchase of resources for children in receipt of learning support and resource teaching.
• Liaising with the school principal regarding pupils in receipt of resource hours.
• Children with an overall percentile/composite score of 5 or under, in a psychological assessment, will not do the standardised Micra-T test in school. Sigma-T testing will be done with these children by the Special Education Teacher. This test will be read by the SET to the child in the special education room. Children with specific learning difficulties must do age appropriate standardised tests.

Role of the Parents

Effective communication with parents is critically important to the success of a learning support programme. Parents are asked to:

• Provide all relevant information to the school i.e. reports, assessments, medical information that may pertain to their child’s learning
• To attend meetings with the SET. On occasion the principal and class teacher may also attend these meetings
• To support their child’s learning at home through activities such as:
  • Paired/shared reading
  • Developing oral language through discussion
  • Motivating their child to read more
  • Creating a home environment where reading can thrive
  • Selecting books that interest their child
  • Developing children’s reasoning and problem solving skills
  • Counting, measuring and other activities involving number.

Liaison Between the Special Education Teacher and the Special Needs Assistant

The Special Education Teacher, in collaboration with the class teacher, guides the SNA as to how best to help the child with special needs to integrate successfully into School life.

Areas that may be discussed will include:

• Behaviour issues
• Motor skills
• Organisational skills
• Language development
• Written work
• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Social interaction with peers
• Basic management/classroom skills
• Care need e.g. toileting, feeding, dressing