Definition of Special Educational Needs
A pupil is defined as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty which requires special educational provision to be made for them. At Mar Azul we ensure that all pupils with SEN have those needs addressed via a broad and balanced education. We believe that pupils with SEN should engage in all the regular activities of the school, so far as is reasonably practicable.
In meeting the needs of SEN children the school follows the guidance in the SEN Code of Practice. The school enjoys the benefits of a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) who is responsible for the day to day operation of the policy, deploying staff and resources in line with the school policy.

Children have a learning difficulty if they: -

• Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age
• Have a disability that prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age.

Categories of Need
Children will have needs and requirements which may fall into at least one of four areas, many children will have inter-related needs. The impact of these combinations on the child's ability to function, learn and succeed will be taken into account. The areas of need are: -

1. Communication and Interaction
2. Cognition and Learning
3. Behaviour, emotional and social development
4. Sensory and/or physical impairment.

Aims
We value all the children in our school equally and we recognise the entitlement of each child to have their needs addressed. Within a caring and mutually supportive environment we aim to :-

• Build upon the strengths of the child
• Foster a positive image
• Give equal access to all aspects of school life through academic, social and practical experiences. This will allow all children to experience success regardless of SEN, disability or any other factor that may affect their attainment.
• Ensure that effective channels of communication are sustained so that all persons including parents are aware of the implications of the Record of Pupil Progress and Concern (ROPPC) and Individual Education Plan( IEP)
• Comply with the regulations set out in the code of practice, disability act and human rights act in so far as it affects schools.
• Ensure all children are successful learners at a pace appropriate to their abilities and stage of development.

Admission Arrangements
All pupils are welcomed into the school and we will endeavour to seek appropriate support as necessary to ensure that individual needs are met.

Special Facilities and Provision
We currently have a team of teachers and support staff who have the responsibility of working alongside the class teacher in the area of special Educational Needs (SEN). We call this the SEN support team. The support teacher has the responsibility of the maintenance of the class SEN file that is kept within the classroom. They consult with the class teacher, keep the file up to date, ensuring that IEP's are written and reviews take place. Francine Turner is head of our special needs department and will be happy to meet with you

Partnership with Parents
We believe that parents play an essential role in enabling children with SEN to make progress, become successful learners, confident, self-assured and independent children. We recognise that children's learning is more effective if parents are fully involved. Parents will be informed directly if the school feels that the child may have SEN. The class teacher/support teacher and/or SENCO will hold termly reviews to discuss the child's progress and set targets. If any parent is unable to attend, a copy of the IEP will be sent home.

English as an Additional Language
The identification and assessment of the SEN needs of children whose first language is not English requires particular care. Where there is uncertainty about an individual child, teachers will look carefully at all aspects of a child's performance including their home language.

Graduated Response and Early Identification
The school is committed to early identification in order to meet the needs of children with SEN. Teachers' ongoing assessment will provide information about areas where a child is not progressing satisfactorily.

Inclusion and provision of support
We believe that children with SEN should generally take part in lessons in their classrooms with their peers (with group or individual support as appropriate) but separate provision may be necessary for specific purposes. This may include: -

• Small group withdrawal using individual programmes
• Targeted teaching to address concepts that have been only partially understood
• Teaching Assistants targeting specific individuals or groups within the class under the direction of the teacher

Strategies employed to enable the child to progress will be recorded within an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

Individual Education Plans
The IEP will include information about: -

• The short term targets set for the child
• The teaching strategies to be used
• The provision to be put in place
• Review date
• Outcomes

The IEP will record only that which is additional to, or different from, the differentiated curriculum that is in place for all pupils. The IEP will be reviewed three times a year and parent's views will be sought. Wherever possible, the child will also take part in the review process and be involved in setting targets