Sounds like a simple question doesn’t it? To be on the SEND register, a student should have SEND.
In practice however, things are not always this black and white. As a SENCO, you need to manage a range of (often competing) demands and expectations around SEND – from parents, staff, governors and external professionals. In a lot of cases, this has led to schools and/or local authorities developing their own criteria and thresholds for SEND. The effect of this is that it has created a “postcode lottery” in that different areas will / won’t consider certain needs as SEND. Add to this the differing cultures of schools towards inclusion, parental perception of SEND provision in one school compared to another and it can all seem rather complicated.
For me when I worked as a SENCO, a really common scenario was around named needs. Most SENCOs will sooner or later come across a parent who expects a certain level of support and/or funding “because my child has a diagnosis”.
Did you know that a diagnosis does not always mean a student has to be added to the SEND register?
There are laws which provide a definition of SEND – these are covered in the Children and Families Act 2014 (CAFA) which described someone as having SEND as “A child or young person has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her”.
I want to help you break that down so that “who is on your SEND register” is a question that has an answer with clarity AND based on the law. Knowing the facts will enable you to have confidence in your decisions over who to add, remove or not include on your SEND register.
Join the online webinar to find out more using this link to reserve your space on Tuesday the 22nd October 2024, 4-5pm.
The CAFA law has had a significant impact on the SEND registers in a number of schools as the SENCOs, leadership teams and classroom staff have gained clarity over not just who but WHY a student is considered to have SEND or not. This knowledge is empowering, especially when having conversations with parents about whether or not a student will be included on your register and what types of support they will be receiving.
- I firmly believe that “one size does not fit all” so during the webinar, there will be opportunities for you to ask questions which are specific to you and your setting as we cover areas such as:
- The legal definitions of SEND / provision
- Does a diagnosis automatically equal SEND?
- Can I remove students from my SEND register?
Using the law to review your SEND register may mean that you will need to have some potentially challenging conversations. Preparation is key here and I’ll be sharing some of my top tips including the importance of choosing an appropriate time and place and how this increases the likelihood of a positive outcome.
It would be great if you would join me.
Start the new academic year with the knowledge of how to ensure your SEND register is accurate.
