SEND

Every teacher is a teacher of SEND and every leader is a leader of SEND.  All practitioners and professionals are responsible for supporting these children.

The percentage of pupils with SEN is increasing, and has been increasing since 2015. The number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has been increasing since 2015. The most common types of primary need have remained the same – for SEN support it is moderate learning difficulties (around 25%), for EHCPs it is Autistic Spectrum Disorder (around 33%). Information about supporting specific needs is included as part of the SEND Local Offer information.

SEN 0-25 Team document updates summer 2018 >

We have a range of information and support tools that you can find on this page – click on the headings to show or hide the information.

Engagement Toolkit

Listen, Hear, Understand – Devon’s Champions for Change film and resources

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• Policies and Strategies

  Devon Accessibility Strategy 2017-20

  This applies to local authority maintained schools, nurseries, children’s centres and early years settings.

  The Accessibility Strategy sets out the local authority plan to increase access to education for pupils with disabilities in all schools. Schools should take account of the local authority strategy when drawing up their own school accessibility plans. The strategy is also relevant to academies and free schools as well as settings not maintained by the local authority. All schools have a statutory duty to draw up and publish a school accessibility plan.

  Devon SEND Strategy 2017-2020

  This strategy aims to set out Devon’s priorities in order to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEN & disabilities and their families; this directly aligns with My Life My Journey: Devon Children, Young People and Families Plan 2015– 20201 and the five key shifts which will enable us to deliver services in a responsive and flexible way:

  1. Strengthening our Early Help system
  2. A locality based model with integrated services rooted in the community.
  3. An integration of services – we want our whole system to be joined-up and services and functions to be delivered by co-located, or virtually co-located, locality-based teams
  4. Bespoke and personalised services that are responsive, flexible and agile.
  5. Asset or strengths-based practice – focus on what people can do, not what they can’t

   

  • SEND Implementation Plan – coming soon.

   

  • Guidance for writing an SEN Information Report – coming soon
  • Model SEN Policy for schools (2014)
  • Devon Educational Psychologist (EP) Policy (2017)
  • A Devon Approach to Understanding Children and Young People with Mathematical Difficulties (2017)
  • Protocol for supporting children and young people in care at school – May 2018
  • Part time school timetable guidance – to be reviewed winter 2018
  • Devon Education Transport policy 2018-19
  • Devon Education Transport Policy 2018-19 – post-16
  • Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs Policy May 2016
  • DfE Guidance on Supporting pupils with medical conditions

   

• SEN Support: Early Help and the Graduated Response

  Devon Graduated Response – Key Facts (September 2018)

  • Key Facts – Levels of SEN Provision
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • SEN 0-25 Team updates – summer 2018

  The graduated approach is a way of meeting need through effective implementation of support before moving a child or young person onto higher levels of support by following the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycles.

  The Devon Graduated Response to SEN support is an electronic tool to support teachers and SENCO’s to identify, assess and record the needs of children and young people requiring special educational provision. It supports the planning and recording of appropriate provision and provides guidance for reviewing progress.

  It has been designed to help educational settings meet their duties as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years.

  There are graduated response tools available for EYFS – Key stage 4, and a universal provision checklist. The checklist has been designed to be use as an audit tool for school practice, so that staff can check that they are providing appropriate and purposeful support for pupils at universal level for their area of need.

  

  • Devon’s Graduated Response to EYFS

   

  • Devon’s Graduated Response Identification of Need KS1
  • Devon’s Graduated Response Plan and Review KS1

   

  • Universal Provision Checklist – Key Stage 2
  • Devon’s Graduated Response Identification of Need KS2
  • Devon’s Graduated Response Plan and Review KS2

   

  • Devon’s Graduated Response Identification of Need KS3 & 4
  • Devon’s Graduated Response Plan and Review KS3 & 4

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  The Devon Early Help offer

  When a child/young person/family needs something extra, Early Help is the initial response offered by all services in contact with children, young people and families. Early Help is not a designated team – it is the way that EVERYONE works together to support the needs of families.

  • One-minute guides
  • Leaflets
  • Early Help consent form
  • Right for children – Devon’s Early Help IT system
  • Guidance
  • Request for Additional Services
  • Devon’s Outcomes Framework
  • Sharing of Information
  • Contact and support information

• Education, health and care (EHC) Needs Assessments and Plans

  The majority of children and young people with SEN or disabilities will have their needs met within local mainstream early years settings, schools or colleges (as set out in the information on identification and support in Chapters 5, 6 and 7). Some children and young people may require an EHC needs assessment in order for the local authority to decide whether it is necessary for it to make provision in accordance with an EHC plan. (SEND Code of Practice 2015:9.1)

  You can download and edit these documents if you need to provide information as part of the EHC process. Click ‘download’ then click ‘Enable Editing’ at the top of the screen. There are examples to help you understand what you need to write.

  1.Requesting an EHC Needs Assessment

  • EHC Needs Assessment Request form – Early Years Settings
  • EHC Needs Assessment Request form – for Primary Schools
  • EHC Needs Assessment Request form – for Secondary Schools
  • EHC Needs Assessment Request form – Post-16 institutions
  • EHC Needs Assessment Request form – for young people aged 16 and over
  • EHC Needs Assessment Request form – for parent carers

  2. The Process

  • Blank EHC Plan (updated summer 2018)
  • Key facts about the EHC Needs Assessment (autumn 2018)

  3. How to contribute to an EHC plan

  • Health assessment contribution for EHC plan – H1 – download
  • Social Care assessment contribution – SC1 – download
  • Education assessment contribution for EHC plan – E1 – download (for health practitioners who are giving advice for section F)

  4. Have you got any examples?

  • Example assessment contribution for EHC plan – H1 – download

  5. School, College or Settings Contribution (If request received from a parent/carer or other agency)

  • EHC Needs Assessment Information Request- Early Years Settings
  • EHC Needs Assessment Information Request- Primary
  • EHC Needs Assessment Information Request- Secondary
  • EHC Needs Assessment Information Request- Post 16 institutions 

  6. What happens while I’m waiting for an EHC Needs Assessment or Plan?

  • The child or young person remains on roll at school/college.
  • Any alternative provision should be organised by the school.
  • Funding remains in school for the EHCP and should continue to be used.
  • Schools should continue to:
    • put in targeted support
    • work with professionals, e.g. SEN Advisers and Educational Psychologists
    • implement advice from professionals
    • follow the Graduated Response and ensure a robust assess, plan, do review cycle is implemented
  • If a part time timetable is agreed, parents must agree and Annexe R must be completed.
  • Parents are still responsible for their child or young person’s attendance.

  7. How do I respond to a consultation about taking a child at my school?

  • Suitability of school or college Form – this is about the suitability of your school as a place to have children with SEND, not about a specific child.
  • Assessment Framework Form – this is the ‘consult form’ for suitability of your school for an individual child.

• SEN Provision Descriptors

  • Calculator for SEND Provision Descriptors – Example
  • SEND Provision Descriptors (November 2019)
  • SEN Funding – Key Facts for SENCos (2018)

• Core Competencies and Workforce Development

  Workers need to be committed to regular training and professional development around SEND.  “The quality of teaching for pupils with SEN, and the progress made by pupils, should be a core part of the school’s performance management arrangements and its approach to professional development for all teaching and support staff.” (SEND Code of Practice 2015:6.4).

  SEND Core Competency Framework – Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People with SEND in Devon

  What training is available for me? (PDF)

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• Who can I contact for help?

  There is a Devon helpline for teaching staff, school leaders, school governors and SENCos to give you support.

  What does it provide?

  Advice and guidance on implementing the SEND Code of Practice (2015) including:

  • Assess, Plan, Do Review cycle (including using the Devon Graduated Response Tool).
  • Recording and reporting progress to parents.
  • Promoting high-quality inclusive teaching in classrooms.
  • Monitoring and evaluating impact.
  • General advice on statutory processes such as requesting a statutory assessment of need, holding an annual review*.
  • Working with multi-agency partners.
  • Working with families.
  • Early Help and working with multi-agency partners.

  When can I call?

  Tuesdays 12-4pm term-time (01392 287248)

  Or email on LDP-SencoHelpline@Babcockinternational.com  (please note emails will be responded to as quickly as possible but are accessed on Tuesdays 12-4pm only. If your enquiry is urgent please call the Babcock central number for support).

  * Please note that any enquiries related to named individuals undergoing EHC Needs Assessments or annual reviews process should be directed to the appropriate 0-25 SEN Team. Contact details for the team are on this page or email specialeducation@devon.gov.uk

  * Online Portal: For technical support on accounts or password issues, please contact the One Support Team onesystemsupport-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

  There is support and guidance available for families as part of the SEND Local Offer.



• SEN 0-25 Team

  Devon’s SEN 0-25 team carries out Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and maintains and reviews EHC plans for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). They use the information from Education, Health and Care professionals to co-ordinate the writing of EHC Plans.

  • Meet the SEN 0-25 Team
  • SEN 0-25 Team structure and management chart

  specialeducation0-25-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or call 01392 380434

• Data and Statistics

  The percentage of pupils with SEN is increasing, and has been increasing since 2015. The number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has been increasing since 2015. The most common types of primary need have remained the same – for SEN support it is moderate learning difficulties (around 25%), for EHCPs it is Autistic Spectrum Disorder (around 33%).

  November 2018 update 

  Calendar year data                                             (source – SEN2)	Jan – Dec 2015	Jan – Dec 2016	Jan – Dec 2017	Jan 2018 (up to 13/11/2018)
  Requests for EHC Needs assessments	334	513	1110	1215
  Final EHCPs issued	168	255	384	973

  current ongoing assessments: 789

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Updated 13/11/18

• SEN Funding

  Every school gets money to teach children and young people. Every school gets funding to support children and young people with SEN. This is calculated by a national funding formula.

  Key Facts: Funding for Children and Young people with SEND describes SEN funding available to schools and education settings to support children and young people with SEND.

  SEN Funding Update – High Needs Block Review (06/12/18)

  You can find out how much funding your school gets through the School Budget Share calculator (this is a secure link for schools).

  • The SEN Funding Evaluation Tool (MS word document, editable)
  • The SEN Funding Evaluation Report (PDF)

  EHCP Funding Updates for Mainstream Schools

  • Calculator for SEND Provision Descriptors – Example (2018)
  • SEND Provision Descriptors ( November 2019)
  • SEN Funding – Key Facts for SENCos (2018)

  There is information for parents about EHCP funding in mainstream schools .

  How does SEN funding work?

  

• EHCP Annual Reviews

  • Access the EHCP Annual Review Portal here

  • EHCP Portal FAQs (February 2019)

  • Annual Review Portal guidance (April 2017)
  • Annual Review Guidance – for schools and education settings (2018)
  • Annual Review Guidance – for parent carers (2018)
  • Annual Review Guidance – for professionals (2018)

   

  Templates to Request Professional Advice

  • Annual Review – professional advice form  (September 2018)
  • Annual Review – professional advice form for Year 6 and Year 11 Transition (September 2018)

   

  • EHCP Review Fact Sheet July 2018
  • EHCP Review Letter July 2018

  Annual Review word documents

  • Post-16 Annual review (download and edit in Word – 2016)
  • Under 16 Annual review (download and edit in Word – 2016)

  These documents are here to help you if there are any problems with accessing the portal – all the annual review documents need to be submitted via the portal but we understand that these documents can be helpful. We are considering revising the Annual Review template for different phases of education. The 2016 documents have been reviewed against the portal to ensure they still match the fields. Subscribe for updates  from this page to be alerted to changes to documents and processes. Please send feedback if you have any difficulties with these documents.

  The Annual review portal is now live and can be used for all learners with an EHCP. Please use the accompanying guidance for assistance. In line with the SEND Code of Practice 2014, the first review of an EHC plan must be held within 12 months of the date the EHC plan was issued, or within 12 months of any previous review, and the local authority’s decision following the review meeting must be notified to the child’s parent or the young person within four weeks of the review meeting (and within 12 months of the date of the issue of the EHC plan or previous review).In order to meet the requirements within the Code of Practice, schools and settings are asked to hold the review meeting not later than 11 months from the date of issue of the EHC plan, or the last review.In line with the Code of Practice, the school/setting must prepare and send a report of the meeting to everyone invited to the meeting within 2 weeks of the meeting.Within 4 weeks of the review meeting, the local authority must make a decision whether to keep the plan as it is, amend the plan or cease to maintain the plan and notify the child’s parent or young person and the school/setting.This portal supports the timely submission of review meeting reports, through the use of the online form, enabling supporting reports from professionals as well as parental views, where they have been provided for the review, to be uploaded. It is essential that the form within the portal is completed in full for each child demonstrating a full review of progress and provision for the child/young person.Once completed, the form is submitted to the local authority online, providers can then circulate a copy to all those who attended the meetingFor assistance on the EHC plan review process or Review form please contact the SEND 0-25 Team specialeducation@devon.gov.uk.For technical support on accounts or password issues, please contact the One Support Team onesystemsupport-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.

• Quality Assurance

  The Education Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment Quality Assurance Guidance and Toolkit describes how Devon measures and monitors the quality of the EHC needs assessment process and Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND), 0-25 years.

  The EHC Needs Assessment Quality Assurance Guidance and Toolkit should be used to guide services and organisations to:
  • Ensure all contributions to the EHC needs assessment and planning processes have been quality assured by contributing services/organisations;
  • improve the experience of children, young people and parent carers
  • improve sustainable outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND);
  Tools within this document have been developed to support the workforce in understanding the processes and requirements; this is targeted at practitioners, line managers/supervisors and senior managers across partner organisations.

  • Quality Assurance Guidance and Toolkit (2018)
  • Line Manager or Supervisor Form (2018)
  • Practitioner Self-Assessment of EHCP Form (2018)
  • EHCP Multi-Agency Quality Assurance form (2018)
  • EHCP Senior Manager Quality Assurance checklist (2018)

• Additional Guidance

  School Resources

  • Babcock LDP SEND Strategic Support
  • Devon Education Inclusion Service
  • Flowchart for identifying a reading or spelling difficulty – from Babcock LDP
  • Guidance about educating out of year group – from Babcock LDP
  • How to write a SEND information Report – Babcock LDP (February 2019)

  Health Needs

  • Quick guide – Guidance for health services for children and young people with SEND (July 2018)
  • Quick guide – Commissioning for transition to adult services for children and young people with SEND (July 2018)
  • Meeting Health Needs in Educational and other Community Settings: A guide for nurses caring for Children and Young People (2018)
  • DfE Guidance – Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions
  • Devon Guidance – Education for Pupils with Medical Needs
  • Health Checks for Teenagers with a Learning Disability 
  • Mentally Healthy Schools – resources and practical ideas aimed at Primary schools

  Preparing for Adulthood

  • CSW Group guidance and information
  • Preparing for Adulthood Choices and Options – for pupils in Y9/Y11 (updated September 2017)
  • Complete the referral form to request services from the Preparing for Adulthood Team. This form includes a privacy notice, explaining the information we record and how we will use it.

  Multi-Agency Working

  • Good Practice example – when GPs and SENCos work together

  Visiting Officers

  Visiting Officers attend annual reviews to:
  1. Check whether the statement/ EHCP accurately describes all of the current special educational needs of the child / young person and to report back to the SEN 0-25 Team whether the (SMART) outcomes recommended at the review for the coming year are appropriate to meet all of them;
  2. Ensure that the school has organised the specified support for the child;
  3. Check that progress is being made;
  4. Check that there are no safeguarding concerns (as far as this is possible on the day of their visit).

  • Visiting Officer Form (September 2018)

   

Updated 25/02/19

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