Md.Shihab ul islam:

What are Special Educational Needs?

Some children have barriers to learning that mean they have special needs and require particular action by the school. They may be for a short period or throughout a child’s educational life. They may be identified before a child has even entered school or they may come to be recognised at a specific point in their education.

They may have difficulties with:

Reading, writing, number work or understanding information

All of the work in school

Expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying

Speech and/or language

Making friends or relating to adults

Behaving appropriately in school

Organising themselves

Sensory or physical needs

Emotional needs

★How do we support our child?★

The Cornerstone Trust is proud of the work it does with all its pupils and it has significant strengths working with children with special needs. We build self-esteem with positive learning experiences and successfully involve children with whole school life. Broadclyst endeavours to make every effort to achieve maximum inclusion of all pupils (including those with SEND) whilst meeting pupils’ individual needs. Teachers provide learning opportunities for all the pupils within the school environment and provide materials appropriate to pupils’ interests and abilities. This ensures that all pupils have full access to learning opportunities within a broad and balanced curriculum. We apply the Assess, Plan, Do, Review approach and use Devon’s Graduated Response Tool to guide our high quality Universal, Targeted and Specialist provision.

When providing more targeted and specialist support, we use the appropriate internal specialists, including the School Nurse (social and emotional, health and wellbeing), Speech& Language Therapist and Educational Psychologist and where necessary, make referrals to external services.

★Understanding SENDand getting support★

All children and young people may experience learning difficulties at some point. This is not unusual. For most children the difficulties are temporary and are soon overcome with help and encouragement from home and school.

The term ‘Special Educational Needs’ is used to describe learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for children to learn than most children of the same age. Children with Special Educational Needs (SEND) are likely to need extra or different help from that given to other children their age. This help is known as special educational provision.

Children are not considered to have SEND just because their first language is not English, although some children for whom English is not a second language may also have learning difficulties.

★What types of difficulties are covered by the term SEND?★

Children may have difficulties in one or more areas. Here are some examples:

Thinking, understanding and learning: these children may find all learning activities difficult, or have particular difficulties with some learning activities such as reading and spelling.

Emotional and behavioural difficulties: these children may have very low self-esteem and lack confidence. They may find it difficult to follow rules or settle down and behave properly in school.

Speech, language and communication: these children may have difficulty in expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying to them. They may find it hard to make friends or relate to others. They may find it difficult to make sense of the world around them or to organise themselves.

Physical or sensory difficulties: these children may have a disability or a medical condition that has an impact upon their learning. They may have a visual or hearing impairment.

What happens if a child has SEND?

The first and most important thing to remember is that all children with SEND are entitled to receive a broad, balanced and suitable education which includes the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (for children aged 3 to 5) or the National Curriculum (for children aged 5 to 16).

Most children with SEND have their needs met in a mainstream school or early settings, although some children with more complex needs benefit from the more specialist help offered in a ‘special’ school.

You should be told if the school thinks your child has or may have SEND and how the school will be helping your child. Your views are very important and so are your child’s own views. The school should make sure that you are involved in all decisions that affect your child because you have a vital role in supporting your child’s education.

★What does special educational needs mean★

Children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) often need extra help and support to learn.

Writer:The writer is the Assistant teacher, 50 no. mazila girls government primary school,  Kushtia sadar kushtia, Mobile:01716659003, Email: shirinshihab4@gmail.com