Transcript Key overarching messages…

Gareth D Morewood
Director of Curriculum Support & Specialist Leader of Education,
Priestnall School, Stockport
Honorary Research Fellow, University of Manchester
Download the presentation slides: http://bit.ly/GDMorewood
Wednesday 26th November 2014
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 FROM
September!
 Work in partnership – proper co-production
takes time – not overnight!
 Ensure that the young person is central to
everything – proper engagement not ‘lipservice’!
 Ensure documentation and information is easy
to understand and clear – no need for
complex policies!
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 Ensured all
staff contacts, pictures and details on
website – easy to contact
 Planned Year 11 transition reviews – end of
November – currently underway, met all
parents/carers and ensured they know the law
 Drafted Information Report with parents/carers –
time for reflection – final meeting early December
 Ensured School Support labelled as ‘K’ (no more
SA/SAP)
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 Ensured all staff aware
of new arrangements –
whole school training and regular updates
 Worked closely with the LA Officers
 Positively engaged with young people – no
‘woolly’ student voice/lip-service – real
engagement and discussion
 Remained robust about the whole-school
approach and a corporate responsibility
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 From 1 September,
Education, Health and Care plans will
replace statutory Statements of SEN and post 16
Learning Difficulty Assessments, for all new referrals. It
will be based on a new co-ordinated assessment process
 All
young people who receive support as a result of an
LDA who need an EHC plan should have one by
September 2016
 The process of
transitioning statements to EHC plans
should be complete by April 2018
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“The needs of the individual child or young person
should sit at the heart of the assessment and
planning process. LAs must have regard to the
views, wishes and feelings of the child and their
parent or the young person, their aspirations, the
outcomes they wish to seek and the support they
need to achieve them.”
(Para 9.22 Code of Practice)
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Advice and information must be sought* as follows:
(CoP paras 9.45-9.52)

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
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The child’s parent or the young person, and wherever possible the child
Current educational institution attended, or person responsible for
educational provision
Health care professionals
An Educational Psychologist
Social care (from children’s or adult services)
From Y9, advice on preparing for adulthood and independent living
From any person requested by the child’s parent or the young person
Any other advice or information which the LA considers appropriate e.g.
from a youth offending team
*The LA must not seek further advice if it has already been provided and the person
providing the advice, the LA and the child’s parent or young person are all satisfied that it
is sufficient for the assessment process.
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Meets the
requirements of the Children’s
& Families Act, regulations and the Code
Describes positively what children and YP
can do
Is clear, concise, understandable and
accessible
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A:
B:
C:
D:
E:
F:
G:
H1:
H2:
I:
J
K:
Views, interests and aspirations
Special educational needs
Health needs
Social care needs
Outcomes
Special educational provision
Any health provision reasonably required
Social care provision under S2 of Chronically Sick
and Disabled Persons Act 1970
Any other social care provision
Placement
Personal budget
Advice and information received
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• Initial planning meeting
Step 1 • Meeting with all parents/carers
• Reports/assessments commissioned
Step 2 • Consideration of reports/further action
• Meet with LA Officer & consider draft Plan
Step 3 • Official Transition Review & discussions
• Writing EHCP & reviewing discussions
Step 4 • Final EHCP agreed (14 weeks after meeting)
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 Reports completed/nearly
completed
 Initial consideration to draft EHCPs being
established
 Lots of parent/carer discussions and
involvement in understanding new legislation
 Really engaging with young people positively
– transition to post-16 does help this
 And, hot off the press…
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 Ensure
early initial engagement
 Provide timely reminders
 Be as positive as possible
 Consider engaging parents/carers in ‘chasing’
too
 Provide clear time-frames and early dates –
plenty of notice
 For essential professionals – arrange around
them
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 Check
through documents beforehand –
number them too!
 Make sure the kettle is boiled ready!
 Always start with the child/young person and
keep them central
 Give parents/carers time to speak and engage
in discussion
 Management of meeting key
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 Excellent
reports – thorough, really impressive
and very much in line with ‘outcomes’ for new
Plans
 All students and parents/carers have attended –
very polite and engaged
 Refreshments available
 Everyone worked really hard to pull it all together
– team effort – everyone supporting each other
 Good time management – no rush!
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To have a pro forma so we know what documentation is required
for each meeting – not all meetings are the same (double check)
 To have spare copies of referral forms (just in case need to
commission additional assessment as part of process)
 To have packs ready for Travel Training (a very popular provision
for our year 11 students)
 To agree on a set order for the packs of documentation to be put
together – although sometimes different approach required – be
flexible
 To identify who needs to receive emails with
reports/documentation to ensure nothing is overlooked or mislaid

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 Early discussions –
share openly the law and provide
information/handouts
 Allow time for consideration and thinking
 Don’t rush discussions – time is important
 Ensure positive, open communication at all times
 Stress that the process is looking for outcomes – what
do they want for their child?
 How can it be achieved?
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 Addressing
and challenging miss-information!
 Lots of inaccurate views ‘out there’ – whatever
your situation, remember ‘the law trumps all’!
 Lots of additional meetings with parents/carers
– ensuring a real ‘personal touch’ regarding
accurate information and transparent working
– proper co-production!
 Planning for Year 11 EHCP Transition Reviews…
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 Ensuring
everyone aware of the additional
work regarding re-assessments for EHCPs and
demands on young people, parents/carers and
specialist staff
 Working with different LAs and inaccurate
policy/practice
 Keeping SEND a high priority within a raft of
other educational change
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 Remember the law
trumps all …
 Ensure you know ‘absolute’ information:
 Irwin
Mitchell Factsheets & Template letters
 IPSEA
 Douglas
Silas
 Brown Jacobson
 Always
be absolutely open and transparent –
engage parents/carers positively and pro-actively
 Keep the young person central to everything
 Remain resolute and solution-focussed
 Read SENCology for an on-going account!
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 Could have been far, far worse…
 Remember good
and outstanding & outstanding
provision will still be good and outstanding…
 And where SENCos need some ‘ammunition’ to change
poor provision there is plenty in the new arrangements
(from this webinar and relevant websites)
 Ensuring truly positive engagement with parents/carers
and young people and considering inspirational outcomes
MUST be better for our students
http://www.ipsea.org.uk/file-manager/SENlaw/ipsea-ehc-plan-checklist-july-2014.pdf
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Hear more from Gareth D Morewood at our
Supporting High-Quality SEND Teaching in the Classroom
28th January 2015, Central London
Benefits of attending
• Meeting your new obligations within the SEND Code of Practice
• Understand the latest Ofsted expectations
• Take away effective staff training programmes & proven
classroom strategies
• Ensure children and families are placed at the heart of decision
making
Speakers presenting on the day include:
Gareth D Morewood, Director of Curriculum Support & SLE
Tania Tirraoro, Founder & CEO of Special Needs Jungle
Kate Ruttle, SENCO & Deputy Head
Find out more at: www.oeconferences.com/SENDteaching
Gareth D Morewood
Director of Curriculum Support & Specialist Leader
of Education, Priestnall School, Stockport
Honorary Research Fellow, University of
Manchester
www.gdmorewood.com
@gdmorewood
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