How is this guidance structured?
The materials are structured into the four broad areas of need as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice to support schools to plan the provision they can offer:
- Cognition and Learning
- Social Emotional and Mental Health
- Communication and Interaction
- Speech and Language and
- Social communication
- Physical and Sensory
- Physical and/or Medical
- Hearing Impairment
- Visual Impairment
How can needs be met at a whole school level?
This section provides information about the responsibilities of the senior leadership team in schools, working with all staff to create an inclusive environment which meets the needs of all young people. For example, developing inclusive policies and using audits to gain a thorough understanding of the provision and skills available and linking the results to whole school training and individual professional development.
How can needs be supported by Quality First Teaching?
The SEND Code of Practice makes it clear that teachers are directly responsible and accountable for all pupils in their classes, even when young people are receiving support from a teaching assistant or other specialist staff, within or outside the classroom. The responsibility and accountability for the progress and development of pupils with SEND lies with the teacher, not with the SENCO or the learning support department.
This section sets out the responsibilities of the teacher in meeting the needs of young people with SEND in their classes. There are different areas in this section that look at how assessment, curriculum content, curriculum delivery and the physical environment, can be adapted to meet the needs of young people with SEND.
How can need be met through further cycles of assess, plan, do, review?
This section outlines guidance about assessment and intervention that can be put into place for individual young people with SEND who need additional support in order to make progress in all aspects of their development. SEND provision in mainstream schools needs to focus on both ensuring curriculum access (adjustments needed in class to improve access to the curriculum) and improving an individual's skills in the specific area of need.