Planning for Special Needs Students as Part of School Development Planning

Regional Seminar

School Development Planning Initiative

Purpose of School PlanningPurpose of School Planning

The fundamental purpose of School Development Planning is to ensure that all students experience a quality education appropriate to their needs in a changing world. Its key focus is the enhancement of student learning.

(SDP Draft Guidelines Unit 9)

PROGRAMMEPROGRAMME

Special Needs – Links with whole school planning

First steps in planning for Special Needs Inclusion Special Needs Categories The Legislative Background Workshop – organising a special needs

planning session in the school Developing a Special Needs policy

Key QuestionsKey Questions

How do you put Special Needs on the planning agenda?

How do you promote effective strategies for teaching students with special educational needs at second level?

How do you develop a policy on special needs?

The School Plan: Two PartsThe School Plan: Two Parts

Part 1: Relatively Permanent Features School’s mission, vision, aims School profile School policies, curricular & non-curricular School practices re review & evaluation

Part 2: Development Section Factors governing development needs List of school’s development priorities Set of Action Plans to address priorities

School Improvement – SDP ProcessSchool Improvement – SDP Process

Adopt / adaptAdopt / adapt

EVALUATE – self

EVALUATE – self

MonitorMonitor

IMPLEMENTIMPLEMENT

Action Plans / Policies

Action Plans / Policies

DESIGNDESIGN

PrioritisePrioritise

REVIEWREVIEW

MISSIONVISION

AIMS

MISSIONVISION

AIMS

Desired Outcome of SDPDesired Outcome of SDP

School Improvement

Government policy

Human rights

Belief in equality

Parental rights

Lack of resources

Desire to help

Lack of knowledge

Concern for majority

Feeling put upon

Lack of time

How do you put special needs on the How do you put special needs on the planning agenda?planning agenda?

May emerge as a priority during school review

Board of Management may wish to respond to recent legislation

Differentiation may arise as an issue in subject department planning

Subject inspection may highlight the need to plan for students with special needs within ordinary classes

Mission StatementMission Statement

“Special needs students should attend a special school”

“Special needs students should attend a special school”

“Inclusion of students with special needs is government policy”

“Inclusion of students with special needs is government policy”

“The school is here to serve all students whether or not they have special needs.”

“The school is here to serve all students whether or not they have special needs.”

“Special needs students are the Learning Support Teacher’s responsibility.”

“Special needs students are the Learning Support Teacher’s responsibility.”

“I teach honours classes. I don’t have any special needs students”

“I teach honours classes. I don’t have any special needs students”

“Adaptable, well-prepared teaching is all that is required to teach my child.”

“Adaptable, well-prepared teaching is all that is required to teach my child.”

What can you do to advance planning What can you do to advance planning for special needs? for special needs?

Acknowledge the challenge that this poses for subject teachers

Identify current best practice in the school Raise awareness and provide information Explore legislation and the implications for schools Explore strategies that can be used by subject teachers Encourage teachers to plan at subject department level Establish a task group to develop a whole school policy Ensure that the school has a staff member trained in

learning support/resource

Identify Existing Good PracticeIdentify Existing Good Practice Explore the school’s tradition of support for students with

special educational needs Existence of Learning Support teacher/ Resource teacher Number of resource hours available Number of students who receive individual support (small

group + individual) Financial support from the BOM +Parents Association Facilities for Learning Support Record of acquiring Special Consideration in State Exams Links with NEPS psychologist Links with Primary Schools Exam results for students with special needs Pastoral Support/Counselling

8

Diagnostic WindowDiagnostic Window

WHAT IS WORKING WELL

EVIDENCE

WHAT IS NOT YET WORKING WELL

EVIDENCE

Raise Awareness and Provide Raise Awareness and Provide Information on…Information on…

Integration V Inclusion Categories of Special Needs Legislative Context Strategies for effective teaching Resources

Integration InclusionIntegration Inclusion

Supporting the child so that s/he can take part in the unchanged programmes and environment

Student adapts to suit the school:

A willingness to restructure their programmes and environments in response to the diverse needs of the pupils who attendSchool adapts to suit the student

(McCauley ‘04)

Inclusion Inclusion What is it?What is it?

Inclusive education means all children and young people with and without disabilities or other special needs, learning together in ordinary mainstream schools, with appropriate networks of support.

(Profexcel, 2001)

InclusionInclusion

Inclusion may take different forms: Full-time placement in mainstream class Placement in mainstream class with learning

support/resource services Part-time placement in special class and part-

time in mainstream Full-time placement in a special class in a

mainstream school

(Profexcel, 2001)

Categories of Special Needs 1Categories of Special Needs 1

Physical disability

Hearing impairment

Visual impairment

Emotional or behaviour disorder e.g ADD/ ADHD

Categories of Special Needs 2Categories of Special Needs 2

General Learning Disability

(Average IQ = 100) Borderline Mild GLD IQ 70-79 Mild GLD IQ 50-69 Moderate GLD IQ 35- 49 Severe/profound GLD IQ >35

Specific Learning Disability

IQ average but RA/MA/SA @ 2%

Categories of Special Needs 3Categories of Special Needs 3

Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Including Asperger Syndrome Assessed Syndromes Specific Speech /Language Disorder

The Legislative BackgroundThe Legislative Background

Inclusion and equity are the values driving Irish social policy, including educational legislation

Legislative ContextLegislative Context Education Act 1998

Section 9: A recognised school shall provide education to students which

is appropriate to their abilities and needs … it shall as far as resources permit

ensure that the educational needs of all students, including those with special needs, are identified and provided for.

Establish and maintain an admissions policy which provides for maximum accessibility

Section 15The BOM shall publish… the policy of the school concerning admission to and participation in the school and ensure that… principles of equality and the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents’ choice are respected

Legislative ContextLegislative Context

Equal Status Act 2000 Identifies the school as a service provider The school cannot discriminate on the

grounds of disability (one of nine grounds) This refers not only to admission but also to

access to any course, facility or benefit provided

Education of Persons with Special Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004Educational Needs Act 2004

Key Principles

Special Needs students have same rights as their peers

School should be an inclusive environment

Greater involvement of parents

National Council for Special Education

Education for Persons with Special Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs 2004Educational Needs 2004

Special needs child shall be educated in an inclusive environment

Exceptions: The best interests of the child as

determined in accordance with any assessment carried out under this Act , or

The effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated

Education of Persons with Special Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004Educational Needs Act 2004

The Bill lays down clear procedures for Arrangements for the referral by the school of a

student for assessment Involvement of the parents and the special needs

organiser Preparation of an individual educational plan Provision of services to a child to enable him or

her to participate in and benefit from education

Planning for InclusionPlanning for Inclusion Recognition of Individual and collective

responsibility Planning needed at every level for inclusion

Individual subject teacher Subject Department Level Whole school Level Parental and student involvement Development of policy

Policy areas which need to take cognisance of students with special needs: Curriculum, Assessment, Homework, Transition from Primary, Staff Development, Sports Policy, Field Trips/School Tours

3 Possible Workshops to Use:3 Possible Workshops to Use:

Exploration of strategies and structures for communication

Whole school response to special needs Subject teacher’s response to special

needs

Workshop on Developing Strategies Workshop on Developing Strategies for Effective Communicationfor Effective Communication

What are the current procedures for gathering information on students with special educational needs?

Who should have access to information re. individual students?

What structures should be in place to allow this to happen?

How should links with parents be established and maintained?

Whole School Response to Students Whole School Response to Students with Special Educational Needswith Special Educational Needs

What is your school currently doing to support students with special needs?

What strategies could be developed to enhance current provision?

What structures are needed to support these?

Subject Teacher’s Response to Subject Teacher’s Response to Inclusion of Special Needs StudentsInclusion of Special Needs Students

Think of a special needs student whom you have taught. How did you support his/her learning?

What can you as an individual subject teacher do to facilitate inclusion of students with special needs in your classroom?

What can be done at subject department level?

What can the school do to support you in this process?

Developing a Special Needs PolicyDeveloping a Special Needs PolicySome SignpostsSome Signposts

State the purposeLink to Mission/ethosRationaleLegal ContextDefinition of Special NeedsAimsObjectivesStrategy for Identification of students with Special Needs Learning Support currently availableSelection of students for learning support/resource

Roles: BOM, Principal/ D.P/subject teacher/ Learning Support/ Resource teacher/SENO Communication with parentsProvision for staff developmentRecord KeepingStrategies for Monitoring and EvaluationConsultation and appeals proceduresDevelopmental priorityLinks to other policies

General Principles Re. Policy General Principles Re. Policy DevelopmentDevelopment

Comply with legislation Align policy and core values Consider how the policy impacts on teaching and learning Consult stakeholders (Whatever group can be affected by the

policy, they, or a representative group, should be consulted about it)

Identify and state the reasons for the policy A policy is a guide to practice and is drafted to be

implemented. The language used should be understandable to those who

read it Don’t just import a policy from another school. Use samples

as a guide to the process of developing your own policy Publicise to all concerned stakeholders. Policy documents

must be adopted formally by a BOM Review and evaluate regularly

Whole School Supports NeededWhole School Supports Needed Trained personnel + on-going staff development Coordinated approach at subject department

level Time needed to facilitate a collaborative process Key person should be nominated to coordinate

and monitor the process Procedures re. development of IEPs Procedures re. communication of information

among partners On-going evaluation important Development of whole school policy

CoursesCourses

Higher Diploma in Special Educational Needs

Provided by UCD CICE St Angela’s Sligo UL

One year full time courses, supported by the DES

(i.e. paid substitution; subsistence and travel allowances) The year is divided into 12 weeks university based and remainder is school based

Masters in SEN in UCD (part time, self funded)