Special Learning Support

Students with Special Needs

Every student has the right to achieve success and make progress at school. Children with special needs require extra assistance, adapted programmes and resources to improve their learning opportunities.

Resources provided include specialist support, therapy, staffing, equipment and other materials, as well as advice and specialist support.

All aspects of special needs delivery are coordinated at the school. Teachers plan programmes and strategies to cater for the individual needs of the students in their class. Teachers who are responsible for students with special needs may receive relevant professional development. Deciding on the best approach to support the student's learning needs may include parents/caregivers.

Referrals from classroom teachers will be reviewed by the SENCO and appropriate levels of support considered.

The Special Education Grant (SEG) funds the support of other children regarded as needing extra support at school. These may be gifted and talented students, and English Language Learners (ELL/ ESOL). Support for students under this programme may include extra teacher time, teacher aide time, or other learning resources. Resourcing for special needs staffing and support is included in the annual budgeting process.

The SENCO, in consultation with the principal, budgets, prioritises, and allocates resources, and monitors the progress of students.

Special Needs Coordination

At Gorge Road school, the special needs coordinator is responsible for all special needs children, including the gifted and talented, and for all aspects of special needs delivery across the school.

The role is usually filled by the principal.

Funding is provided from different sources: Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS), Special Education Grant (SEG), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)... The coordinator develops an integrated approach to special needs support within existing class programmes.

The key tasks and responsibilities of this role may be to:

• coordinate applications for support from outside the school
• liaise with preschools, attend IEPs, and manage the transition to school
• liaise with teachers, teacher aides, consultants, speech language therapists (SLT), occupational therapists (OT), physiotherapists (PT), resource teachers of learning and behaviour (RTLBs), psychologists, parents
• monitor programme delivery
• timetable programmes, meetings, IEPs, and visits from outside agencies
• process and circulate completed IEPs
• maintain records on individual children
• oversee the school referral process
• chair meetings as required
• develop, monitor, and guide teacher aide staff development
• coordinate applications for funding for ESOL twice each year in terms 1 and 3
• manage the special needs budget
• develop, monitor, and guide teacher staff development relating to special needs
• regularly consult and review teacher aides' attitudes, opinions, and general work issues
• complete appraisal of teacher aides by the end of each year.
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Individual Education Plan (IEP)

An ongoing, collaborative, and monitored individual education plan IEP is a living document that details general and specific targets, strategies, plans, assessments, and resources for a student with special needs.

An IEP is intended to support planning for a student's needs. The IEP can represent:

• the complete cycle of assessment, planning, provision and evaluation
• the meeting at which the individual needs of a student are discussed
• a plan for an individual student, and/or
• a documented programme for an individual student