School Inclusion Policy

Introductory Statement

This Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy was coordinated by the two Special Education Needs Coordinators (SENCos) in consultation with all subject teachers. The development of our SEN policy was identified as one of our priorities following attendance at Continuous Professional Development (CPD) delivered by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in November 2018. This policy review will bring us in line with the new model of Special Education provision, in accordance with Circular 0013/2017. It was circulated to staff, parents and students in March/February 2019 and finalised in March 2019.

School Information

The Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen opened in 1897 under the patronage of the Sisters of the Cross and Passion. Since 1887, the Cross and Passion College is a co-educational mainstream setting. A unit (Room 16) for students on the Autistic Spectrum was established in 2012. We endeavour to create a positive and inclusive atmosphere that respects all children, regardless of their religious, social, cultural backgrounds, or special educational needs.

Rationale

The purpose of this policy is to:

Provide practical guidance to staff, parents and other interested parties about our SEN procedures and
Outline the framework for addressing additional needs in our school.
Comply with legislation (The Education Act 1998, Equal Status Act 2000, The Education for Persons with Special Educational Act 2004).
Fulfil Department of Education & Skills (DES) Circular 0013/17.

Belief Statement

Our school is dedicated to the implementation of an effective system for meeting the needs of all of our pupils in accordance with our mission statement, the resources provided by the DES and the Board of Management (BOM).

We believe that all our children have a right to an education, which is appropriate to their individual needs. We strive to ensure that all our children feel that they are a valued part of our school community. We are fully committed to the principle of inclusion. This policy aims to enable children with SEN and children whose first language is not English, to become fully integrated members of our school community. This will be achieved by careful consideration of the needs of each child and by either modifying the environment, activities or by providing support that will help the student to participate in them.

Aims of the Policy

This policy aims to outline our procedures and practices of how we:

Identify additional needs that our students may have.
Allocate resources to effectively meet the needs of students with additional needs.
Divide the roles and responsibilities among our school community in relation to pupils with additional needs.
Track, monitor, review and report on the progress of students with additional needs.
Communicate information between the Special Education Teacher (SET) team, principal(s), staff and parents/guardians.

Roles and Responsibilities

Board of Management (BOM)

The BOM oversees the development, implementation and review of school policy on SEN. They also ensure that adequate classroom accommodation, secure storage space and effective teaching resources are provided.

Principal

The Learning Support Guidelines (2000, p. 39) outlined the principal has overall responsibility for SEN procedure and practices in the school. The new allocation model states the principal’s leadership role is central and includes the following;

Implementation and monitoring of the school’s SEN policy on an on-going basis.
Assign and co-ordinate staff strategically to teaching roles, including SETS.
Ensure that whole-school procedures are established to facilitate the effective involvement of parents, students and external professionals/agencies.
Ensure that effective systems are implemented to identify student’s needs and that progress is monitored.
Facilitate the continuing professional development (CPD) of all teachers in relation to education of students with special educational needs and ensure that all staff (subject teachers, SETs and special needs assistants (SNAs)) are clear regarding their roles and responsibilities in this area.
Assign responsibility for co-ordinating additional support to an identified teacher (SENCo).
Communicate with the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).
Oversee a whole school assessment and screening programme.
Allocate time within the school timetable for the SET team to plan and consult with teachers and parents.
Inform staff about external agencies and provide information on continuing professional development in the area of SEN.
Meet with parents regarding any concerns about their child and update them regarding their progress.

SEN Co-ordinator(s)

Communicate with the Principal re; SEN matters on an ongoing basis.
Liaise with external agencies about the provision for students’ with additional needs.
Liaise with the National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS), the Special Education Teachers (SET) team and class teachers to prioritise students for psychological assessments.
Co-ordinate regular SET team planning meetings.
Ensure effective communication and support for students with additional needs.
Collaborate with the SET team, creating timetables for additional support.
Meet with parents regarding any concerns about their child and advise parents on procedures for availing of special needs services and update them regarding their child’s progress.
Assist with the co-ordination of standardised testing.
Select students for external diagnostic assessment where parental permission has been sought and granted.
Maintain lists of students in receipt of additional support.
Administer and correct standardised tests of achievement in literacy and numeracy according to the school’s guidelines. Sub sequentially inform class teachers of the outcomes and strategies to implement to support the students.
Open Student Support Files (SSFs) once needs have been identified and require support.
Devise a Student Support Plan (SSP) for students in receipt of additional support on a withdrawal or in-class basis.
Devise a Personal Pupil Plan (PPP) for students granted access to Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
Coordinate the role and responsibility of the SNA in relation to the needs of students with SENs and/or additional needs and within the classes to which they are assigned.
Oversee the completion of Reasonable Accommodations (RACE) applications for students with additional needs in exam years (3^rd and 6^th year).
Oversee the running of the special centres for in-house examinations.

Subject Teachers

Primary responsibility for the teaching and learning of all students in their classes, including those selected for additional support. They should:

Implement teaching programmes which optimise the learning of all students and to the greatest extent possible support students with learning difficulties in an inclusive learning environment.
Differentiate teaching strategies, approaches and expectations to the range of range of experiences, abilities, needs and learning styles in their class.
Gather information and assess students presenting with needs to inform teaching and learning using the Continuum of Support.
Collaborate with SENCos to create learning programmes for students with additional needs in receipt of support.

Special Education Teachers (SETs)

Attend regular meetings to discuss the wide range of needs presented by the students and to clarify roles/expected duties.
Familiarise themselves with a wide range of teaching approaches, methodologies and resources to cater for particular learning styles and to meet a variety of needs.
Assist in the implementation of a broad range of whole school strategies aimed at prevention and early intervention.
Collaboratively develop targets for each student with additional needs.
Assist with the updating of each SSP.
Provide supplementary teaching for literacy and numeracy on a withdrawal and in-class support basis.
Support whole school procedures for screening. Administer and interpret diagnostic tests and inform the SENCos of the outcomes.
In some cases, meet with parents about any concerns about their child and update them regarding their progress.
Provide advice and support to class teachers regarding students with additional needs.
Discuss the needs and progress of the students on their case load at planning meetings.

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs)

The duties of the SNA are carried out according to the guidelines for Special Needs Assistants from the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and under the direction of the Principal, SENCo and subject teacher. The SNA will meet the primary and secondary care needs of the students to which they have been assigned (Circular 10/76).

The SNA should:

Support the needs of students in successfully accessing the curriculum.
Contribute to the quality, care and welfare of the students.
Support learning and teaching in the classroom.
Attend, where possible, training courses or workshops provided by the Board of Management (BOM).
Attend student support meetings for the students on their caseload and meetings with relevant professional, when necessary.
Ensure the safety of the students with additional needs in the school yard when on duty.
Maintain a record of support provided to the students with additional needs.
Accompany students with additional needs to supplementary lessons, when required.

Parents/Guardians

Collaboration and sharing of relevant information between home and school are essential elements of our SEN policy. Parents/Guardians through their unique knowledge of their own children have much to contribute to their child’s learning.

Parent/Guardian should:

Share any information, reports or reports pending from health professionals, and/or concerns regarding their child’s development. Copies of professional reports should be provided to the school at the enrolment stage.

Support the work of the school and keep the subject teacher informed of the progress and challenges they observe in their child’s learning.
Attend meetings arranged by the subject teacher, Year Head or SEN team.
Support the targets outlined in their child’s support plans and engage in all suggested home-based activities.
Should monitor students journals and homework on a regular basis.

Students

Students who are in receipt of supplementary teaching should, as appropriate:

Be given the opportunity to contribute to the setting of the medium and short-term learning targets.
Become familiar with the targets that have been set for them.
Develop ‘ownership’ of the skills and strategies that are taught during supplementary teaching and learn to apply these learning strategies and skills to improve their own learning.
Contribute to the evaluation of their progress by participating in appropriate assessment activities, including self-assessment.

Identifying Pupils with Additional Needs

Continuum of Support

We use the Continuum of Support Framework set out by the Department of Education to identify and support children with additional needs. Like this framework, we recognise that special educational needs occur along a continuum, ranging from mild to severe, and from transient to long-term and that pupils require different levels of support depending on their identified additional needs. By using this framework, it helps us implement a staged approach to ensure that our support and interventions are incremental, moving from class-based interventions to more intensive and individualised support, and are informed by careful monitoring of progress.

The Continuum of Support is a problem-solving model of assessment and intervention that enables us to gather and analyse data, as well as to plan and review the progress of individual students.

This problem-solving process is illustrated as follows:

Identification of educational needs is central to our policy and the new allocation model. By using the Continuum of Support framework, we can identify pupils’ educational needs, to include academic, social and emotional needs, as well as needs associated with physical, sensory, language and communication difficulties. This, in turn, allows us to identify and respond to needs in a flexible way.

The Continuum of Support suggests the following levels of support:

STAGE 1 CLASSROOM SUPPORT

Classroom Support is the most common, and typically the first response to emerging needs. It is a response for pupils who have distinct or individual educational needs and who require approaches to learning and/or behaviour which are additional to or different from those required by other pupils in their class. Problem-solving at this level typically begins when a parent or teacher has concerns about an individual pupil. The teacher, Class Co-ordinator and parents discuss the nature of the problem and consider strategies which may be effective. Classroom Support incorporates the simple, informal problem-solving approaches commonly used by class teachers to support emerging needs.

STAGE 2 SCHOOL SUPPORT

In some cases, interventions at classroom support level are not enough to fully meet the pupil’s special educational needs. School Support may, therefore, be required. The class teacher needs to involve the Special Education Teacher Team (SET Team) in the problem-solving process at this point and it involves more systematic gathering of information and the development and monitoring of a School Support Plan.

STAGE 3 SCHOOL SUPPORT PLUS

If a pupil’s special educational needs are severe and/or persistent, they are likely to need intensive support. School Support Plus will generally involve personnel outside the school team in the problem solving, assessment and intervention process. However, the information from Classroom and School Support work will provide the starting point for problem-solving at this level. Classroom support and school support will continue to be an important element of his/her individual education plan.

The flow diagrams below outline how we gather information to identify needs and support children with additional needs. A more comprehensive explanation of each stage can be in the Continuum of Support – Guidelines for teachers:

https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/National-Educational-Psychological-Service- NEPS-/neps_special_needs_guidelines.pdf

Information Gathering and Assessment

Assessment is part of what a subject teacher and/or SET does on a daily basis for all children. Some methods include self-assessment, questioning, teacher observation, portfolios of work and teacher- designed tasks and tests. The information gathered enables the teacher to plan learning experiences based on the appropriate objectives from the curriculum.

In order to identify students who may require supplementary teaching, screening; including standardised testing, is carried out in all classes annually and further diagnostic testing may need to take place. The information gathered from these formal assessments is then used to inform decisions for support and student’s support plans.

Assessment and Screening Tests:

In our school we carry out the following assessment procedures:

Pre 1^st Year (Jan/Feb): CAT 4
1^st Year (late August): Mop-Up of CAT 4 for additional applicants
1^st Year (Oct/Nov): NGRT
1^st Year (Nov/Dec): WRAT 4 Spelling
1^st Year (Dec – May): Screen using WIAT
2^nd Year (Oct/Nov): WRAT Spelling
2^nd Year (Nov – May): Screening using WIAT
3^rd Year (Oct/Nov): WRAT Spelling
3^rd Year (Nov – May): Screening using WIAT
4^th Year (Nov): DATS
5^th Year (Nov): Mop-up of DATS
5^th Year (Jan – May): WIAT in preparation for RACE applications
6^th Year (Aug – Dec): WIAT for RACE and/or DARE

We continually review the assessment and screening tests that we use in order to balance the needs of our pupils and the need to provide information for appropriate support. Therefore we may deviate from the above list prior to the review date.

Tracking, Recording and Reviewing Progress

Provision for students with special educational needs is enhanced through clear identification processes and careful planning of interventions to address academic and/or personal and social development needs. Identification of needs, planning, target-setting and monitoring of outcomes are essential elements of an integrated and collaborative problem-solving process.

Student Support File

We use a Student Support File to plan interventions and to track a pupil’s pathway through the Continuum of Support. It facilitates us in documenting progress and needs over time and assists us in providing an appropriate level of support to pupils, in line with their level of need. Our Student Support File is based on the NEPS template and is stored on the school server. All support files should include:

Cover sheet with student’s details
A timeline of actions
Record of support received
Standardised/ Diagnostic test scores
Support plans (See below)
Checklist

A SET or SENCo should open a Student Support File once a child is placed on Stage 1 – Classroom Support on the continuum. This is stored in a file in a locked filing cabinet in the SEN office.

SEN Records

Individual SEN files

All pupils’ SEN files are stored in a locked filing cabinet in the SENCo’s room. It is the responsibility of SETs to update and manage the files of the children on school support and school support plus that they support. It is the responsibility of the SEN Class Coordinators to update and manage the SEN files of children on classroom support. The following should be stored:

Student Support File
Psychological Report
Copy of referrals made to outside agencies
Copy of reports from outside agencies
Record of SEN meetings with parents, outside agencies and inter- school meetings
Record of SEN correspondence between parents, outside agencies and school staff

Health and Safety Issues

Every staff member and pupil is entitled to a safe, secure environment and to be treated with due respect. All appropriate measures are taken to ensure the safety of each student with SEN. When a place is offered to a student with SEN, every effort will be made to ensure that the supports to which the student is entitled are in place as soon as possible. Staff members will be informed of any potential risks and, where necessary, individual plans will be drawn up and implemented.

Supervision/Child Protection

Where the there is no glass panel, the door of the room should remain open.
Where a child has access to an SNA, they may withdraw the child from the class if a plan is in place with the subject teacher.

Assistive Technology

Information Communication Technology (ICT) can have an exponential impact on education for students with special education needs (SEN). It enhances their access to the curriculum, enables them to improve the presentation of their work and heightens motivation levels, ensuring significantly higher achievements. It is therefore important that teachers and students in CPC gain the appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding of ICT in order to optimise learning potential for students with SEN. It is envisaged that ICT be used in any subject where it is appropriate and is a viable support to the student’s learning. The assistive technology provided to students can be in the form of a laptop computer.

Rules for Use:

As per the Department of Education and Skills (DES) Circular (No 0010/2013 Scheme of grants towards the purchase of essential assistive technology equipment for pupils with physical or communicative disabilities, available on education.ie ), assistive technology issued by the DES is the property of the school and will remain in the school’s possession once the student no longer requires the technology or leaves the school.
Parents/Guardians of each student who is granted access to assistive technology must sign a copy of the Assistive Technology Use Parental/Guardian Agreement Form (Appendix A) and agree to the school’s terms of use.
Written notification will be issued to the parents/guardians of each student who is granted access to assistive technology. Permission to bring assistive technology off the school campus for the purpose of completing homework will be reviewed by the SEN Department and Management on an individual basis.
Students providing their own device(s) must show due care to have anti-virus software protection installed and updated as required.
Parents/Guardians will assume responsibility for downloading digital copies of books for their children. The SEN Dept will provide assistance if necessary.
The student who is allocated the assistive technology gets first priority use of the equipment. However, when that student is not using the technology it is at the discretion of the SEN Department to use it for the benefit of other students.
There is a limit to how much printing the school can provide for students using assistive technology and this is at the discretion of the SEN Department and School Management. No homework will be printed using the school’s resources.
Subject teachers will be notified by the SEN Department of all students using assistive technology so they can determine, in conjunction with the student, Special Needs Assistant (where applicable) and the SEN Department, how the technology can be used within their subject.

How laptops (assistive technology) are to be used

Permission for the student to use assistive technology will only be granted by the SEN Department on receipt of a signed copy of the Parental/Guardian Procedure for Use of Assistive Technology Form.
All school laptops must have anti-virus software installed. The school will undertake to update the anti-virus software when required. The students must not tamper with this, or any other, software installed by CPC. All students personal devices (e.g. Laptops or Ipads) must have anti-virus software installed.
Careful storage of all technology is required for safe keeping and due care must be show to prevent unnecessary damage to devices, e.g. laptop must be stored in a protective case and put into students locker when not being used.
The student must endeavour to do no untoward damage to the assistive technology. They should treat it safely and respectfully. No food or drink should be consumed when using the equipment. Similarly, the identifying labels for each piece of technology must not be removed.
When the device/equipment is not in use on the school property, the assistive technology should be stored in a locked locker or in a storage space designated by the SEN Department.
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that their laptop is charged at home and has a full battery while in school.
All assistive technology must be carried between classes and between school and home by the student in a suitable protective carry case. It is the responsibility of the student or their parents/guardians to fund the cost of a carry case if one was not granted with the technology by the DES.
Each student with access to a laptop must complete a one-to-one digital organisation class with a member of the SEN Department. This class will help the student to set up their digital subject folders in line with the specifications outlined by the SEN Department in CPC, they will be issued a username and password for typing.com and outline the general terms of use. Should there be a need additional classes will be given to students using additional supports such as Read and Write Gold and Dragon Naturally Speaking.
If students have access to a computer or laptop at home they should practise their ICT skills on typingclub.com, our recommended free online typing tutorial.
Laptop users must print at home any typed homework. This should then be stapled into the relevant subject copy. No loose printed pages will be accepted by subject teachers for correction.
Students who are allocated assistive technology may be entitled to use all or part of the equipment to complete their State Examinations. The relevant application to be allowed to do so will be made to the State Exams Commission by the SEN Department. Strong keyboard and typing skills are beneficial when using assistive technology in State Exams and students are advised to practice these in preparation.

Ratification and Communication

This revised policy was ratified by the Board of Management in March 2019 (26.03.19).

Implementation and Review

This policy will be implemented from 27.03.19. It will be reviewed in January 2020 by the SEN Team and all staff, pending a proposed review of the New SEN Allocation Model by the Department of Education and Skills in 2019.

Signed: (Chairperson)

Date: _

Appendices Appendix A

Cross and Passion College

USE OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY – PARENTAL/GUARDIAN AGREEMENT FORM

Date

Dear Parent / Guardian,

Name of Student: Class:

Your child has been granted access to the following assistive technology (laptop computer) by the Department of Education and Skills:

Your child has;

a) been given access to assistive technology for use at school and at home

b) been given access to assistive technology for use at school only

Assistive technology is expensive and there can be significant costs relating to upkeep, repair or replacement. Please read the following. If agreeing to it please sign and return it to the SEN Department. Access to the technology will be granted to your child on receipt of this completed form.

The assistive technology is the property of the school and remains so for the duration that your child is in the school. Should your child leave the school, the technology is returned to the possession of CPC. When the technology, specifically laptops, is returned to the school at the end of use, there should be no personal information stored on it. The school will take no responsibility for deleting personal files.
The cost of rectifying any damage of loss of the technology must be borne by Parent/Guardian. Please inform the school immediately if the technology is lost or damaged.
Repairs to assistive technology must be undertaken by the school’s IT provider. Parents/Guardians must not engage with any other IT service provider.
The technology should be solely used by the student and for the purposes of school work. No other individuals in the home should have cause to use it.
Homework, if completed on a laptop, must be printed at home. Each subject teacher will expect a printed copy and failure to have this will be deemed as not having homework completed. Likewise homework will not be accepted on USB. Printed homework must be stapled into the relevant subject copybook. Single typed sheets of paper will not be accepted.
All laptops must have antivirus software installed. The school will undertake to update the anti-virus software when required. The students must not tamper with this, or any other, software installed by CPC.
The identifier labels on the equipment should never be removed.
Specific classes will be dedicated to support students in the use of their assistive technology. However, parents and students are responsible for developing and maintaining typing skills. We recommend typingclub.com, a free online typing tutorial.
We ask that parents/guardians monitor carefully the use of laptops while in the home. They should be used mainly to enhance typing skills and assist with homework. Internet usage should be kept to a minimum and directly related to school activities.
When assistive technology is not in use on the school campus, it is to be securely stored and locked in the student’s locker or in a specific storage area designated by the SEN Department.
Laptops are to be charged every evening at home to ensure laptops can be used throughout the school day and avoid a student being without a laptop should it have to be charged.
If you need to supplement technology funded by the DES, you may be entitled to claim tax (VAT currently approx. 23%) back on assistive technology devices/software and the hardware required to use it. More information on the process is available at www.citizensinformation.ie

Please feel free to contact the school if you wish to discuss the use of assistive technology.

Please complete the agreement attached and return it to the Principal. Once the completed agreement is returned to the school, your son/ daughter will be granted access to the technology.

Yours sincerely,

Catherine Moynihan Madeline Scully & Aimee Kelly

Principal SEN Co-Ordinator(s)

Appendix B

Cross and Passion College

USE OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PARENTAL/GUARDIAN AGREEMENT FORM

I (parent/guardian) of (student name)

have read and agree to the procedures outlined in this letter regarding the use of laptops and other assistive technology by students attending Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.

Parent Signature Dated

General/Sport

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