A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

TO THE SEND CODE OF

PRACTICE, 2014

What you need to know nowInformation for parents, mainstream teachers and school

staff

WHY CHANGE? SEND education has changed society for the better

since Warnock (1978) and education is more inclusive. There are things that need to be done now to move forward and be even better

Previous SEN Code of Practice- last revised 2001; inclusive practice has moved on significantly

It has been suggested that under current system:-a) Family voice lostb) No extension beyond 16c) Wider agencies such as health and social care are not fully involved at a statutory level with children with multiple vulnerabilities. This needs to change 

THE INFORMATION IN BRIEF…

There is still lots of fine detail being worked out at a government and Local Authority level

Brighton & Hove will be launching a city-wide approach soon- important we all do the same thing so students moving between schools have an agreed and similar experience

This will be a transition year as systems switch for students at SA & SA+

Statements will be changed between now and 2018 into EHCP’s (Education, Health & Care Plans). This will be done in bits with transition aged children likely to be first (Yr 6 into 7, Yr 11 into college etc)

Full details (should you wish to look at them) can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

SPECIFIC CHANGES OF PHILOSPHY… All current names for categories of SEN will change.

Statements tended to be ‘for’ a specific need such as ASC or dyslexia. Whilst children will still be diagnosed with things like SpLD, MLD, VI etc the category will no longer define their SEND or their provision

The ‘old’ definitions were felt to be too restrictive plus only certain ‘named needs’ attracted specific high level financial support. Provision and support should link to the breadth and depth of a need’s impact- it is important this changes

Moving forward, there will only be 4 categories of SEND:- 1. Communication & Interaction 2. Cognition & Learning 3. Social, Mental & Emotional Health (please note behaviour is no

longer an SEND) 4. Sensory and/or physical

WHAT ABOUT BESD? Behaviour is no longer recognised as a learning need,

merely as a symptom of other needs. Therefore no child should be on the register for

behaviour alone- the ‘social, emotional and mental health’ strand will cover some of this

There is a new duty to work out the communication behind behaviours; so for some students, their needs may be better determined to fit one of the other categories

Mental health is for the first time acknowledged as a significant and educationally impactful need- this is soundly welcomed and there will be new statutory duties on health (CAMHS) to engage with/advise education.

There will need to be some changes for this all to work and this will take time and coordination between agencies.

MAIN EXPECTED NATIONAL CHANGES…

Faster National SEND diagnosis and response time.

Knowledge of staff needs to deepen- teachers as well as SEND professionals. This needs to be on an organisation-wide level and will take time

Greater clarity of provision for families -and for schools with regard to wider services

Aspirations need to continue to rise to close attainment gaps- SEND currently over represented in NEET figures

Statements gradually replaced by EHCP (education, health & care plans) by 2018 No new statements can be applied for, only Education health and care plans from September

2014

Current SA & SA+ categories to be redesignated by April 2015

Brighton & Hove are publishing a strategy early this academic year

Longhill will be compliant and will ensure general information is communicated to parents and carers on the website

All families with a child currently on the SEND register will be sent personalised information, once B&H have communicated the changes to us

There are no plans to change any support at this time.