A: Children with special educational needs all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age. These children may need extra or different help from that given to other children of the same age. Hide

A: A learning difficulty could be one or more of the following: All or some work in school Reading, writing, number work Understanding information Expressing themselves Making friends or relating to adults Behaviour in school Organisation Sensory or physical needs which may affect them in school. Hide

A: Every school and early years setting should have a teacher responsible for children with special educational needs – the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). If you have concerns you should speak to the SENCO or class teacher. The school/setting may share your concerns and may discuss ways of supporting your child. Working in Partnership with your child’s school and Questions to ask the SENCO. You may also request a copy of the Special Educational Needs Policy, which all schools must have and sets out how the school will help pupils with SEN. Hide

A: The graduated approach recognises that children learn in different ways and can have different kinds of levels of SEN. So, increasingly, step by step, specialist expertise can be brought in to help the school with the difficulties that a child may have. The school must tell you when they first start giving extra or different help for your child because your child has special educational needs. Hide

A: Your child’s teacher or the SENCO will collect information about your child. They will discuss with you what extra or different help is needed. This is called early years action or school action. Your child’s teacher or SENCO may decide to write down the help provided for your child in an Individual Education Plan (IEP), or keep the record in another way. The IEP should say: What special help is being given How often your child will receive the help Who will provide the help What the targets for your child are How and when your child’s progress will be checked; and What help you can give your child at home. The IEP should be reviewed at least twice a year or ideally termly. This is to see if targets have been met and where necessary new ones set. See PPS leaflets: Individual Educational Plan. Hide

A: If your child does not make enough progress, the SENCO should then seek advice from other people outside the school, such as an educational psychologist, specialist teacher, speech and language therapist or other health professionals. This kind of help is called Early Years Action Plus or School Action Plus. This stage will continue until it is no longer needed, or until it is decided that your child requires more help and a request for a Statutory Assessment should be made. Parents have a right to request a Statutory Assessment. See PPS leaflets: Early Years Action/ Action Plus or School Action/Action Plus. Hide

A: Statutory Assessment is a detailed assessment. Lewisham Council will gather information from professionals and yourself, to find out exactly what your child’s special educational needs are and what help your child needs. The Local Authority will then decide whether or not it is necessary to issue a Statement of Special Educational Needs for your child or a Note in Lieu. If the LA decide not to carry out a Statutory Assessment, they must write and tell you and the school their reasons. You should contact the LA to discuss the decision and request it reconsiders the decision if you are unhappy. If this fails, you have a right to appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) if you disagree with the decision within the time limit. See PPS leaflets: Statutory Assessment, Statements and Note in Lieu.Hide

A: An Annual Review is part of a process that take place for pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs. The law requires the Statement be reviewed at least once a year and is to check whether or not the Statement is still right for your child. It is the school’s duty to arrange the Annual Review. Professionals involved with your child can be invited or their views requested. Your child’s school will inform you of the Annual Review date. A representative from the Local Authority may also be invited. All written views received by the school will be sent to you. You can also write your views. The school must make arrangements to find out what your child’s views are. The meeting will look at the statement and will record any necessary alterations to Part 1, and any suggested changes to Part 2 and 3. It will also be recorded if there is a suggestion of a change of placement. Hide

A: You can ask to make an appointment to see your school’s special educational needs coordinator. It would be a good idea to list your concern to discuss at the meeting. See our information leaflet on questions to ask SENCO (special educational needs coordinator. Hide

A: Make contact with your schools special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) he/she will have a list of all children on the SEN register. If you would like further information on school action /school action plus follow the Link. Hide

A: The SENCO is an identified member of staff who is responsible for: Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy Coordinating provision for children with special educational needs Liaising with and advising fellow teachers Managing learning support assistants Overseeing the records of all children with special educational needs Liaising with parents of children with special educational needs Contributing to the in-service training of staff Liaising with external agencies including the LEA’s support and educational psychology services, health and social services, and voluntary bodies. Hide

A: The parent partnership service holds a workshop once a year. (normally in June). Click on the link for further information about the process. Hide

A: If a Head Teacher is satisfied that, on the balance of probabilities, a pupil has committed a disciplinary offence and needs to be removed from the school site for that reason, formal exclusion is the only legal method of removal. Informal or unofficial exclusions are illegal regardless of whether they are done with agreement of parents or carers. Sending a pupil home to cool down, during lunchtimes or telling you to keep your child home until he/she calms down are not legal exclusions. Follow this link for further information on exclusions. Hide