Leadership and Management: Developing Policy

Describe in your own words the values and ethos that are personal to your setting relating to SEND. Your values and ethos must be fully embedded in your setting so that your policy reflects your practice. Describe how you promote inclusive practice and remove barriers to achievement.

Explain how you ensure that you have an inclusive approach to the admission of children with SEND, it may be appropriate to cross-reference to your admissions policy.

In this section, you can choose to cover just the role of Setting SENCo or for a more in-depth policy, you can cover other roles such as Owner, Manager, Chair of the Committee etc.

Here are some pointers for the role:

Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)

You should name your setting SENCo in the policy. Put two names if you have two setting SENCos.

You may find it helpful to describe the role of the setting SENCo using bullet points (for other roles the pages in the first section will be helpful). The following list is not exhaustive and should be personalised to your setting:

• Ensure all practitioners in the setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEND and the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting SEND.
• Leading and co-ordinating the ‘graduated approach as set out below, working with and supporting individual practitioners in the setting.
• Providing advice and support to colleagues.
• Ensure that parents are involved throughout and that their insights inform action taken by the setting.
• Liaising with professionals or agencies beyond the setting.

Ensure your policy identifies:

• How children’s strengths, interests and needs are established before a child starts at your setting and who takes responsibility for this.
• How parents or carers are empowered to share their knowledge at the earliest stage.
• What tools are used to identify a child’s starting point or baseline.
• What observation and assessment tools are used to identify children who may be at risk of delay.
• How children’s progress is tracked and who takes responsibility for this.

Ensure your policy identifies:

• What happens if a child is behind expected levels, or when a child’s progress gives cause for concern.
• What planning documents are developed in consultation with parents or carers.
• What are the desired outcomes for the child and parent or carer and who will be involved.

Ensure your policy identifies:

• How high-quality teaching is differentiated to meet the diverse learning needs of children.
• How Individual Child Plans and Enhanced Support Strategies are implemented daily and who takes responsibility for this.
• What good practice strategies are embedded across the setting to support all children’s development and who is responsible for monitoring this.

Ensure your policy identifies:

• How the impact on a child’s progress is monitored and who is responsible for this.
• How will the views of the child and their parents or carers be used to evaluate the quality and impact of support.