SPECIAL NEEDS PROCEDURAL DOCUMENT

PR-2-34

PROCEDURAL DOCUMENT

Effective Date: 31-Aug-10

Rationale

Some students have special needs and therefore require differentiated opportunities for full engagement within the curriculum.  This occurs most effectively through addressing the whole student, including their learning, social and emotional needs.

Those with special needs come from all societal groups, regardless of culture, ethnicity, socio-economic status, or gender (learning, physical or behavioural).  Their needs may be evident in one or more areas.  The development of these needs is dependent upon a mix of the child’s personality and environment.

Purpose and Guidelines

• To identify students with special needs throughout the school as early as possible, whether social, emotional, academic, or physical.
• To develop integrated, differentiated and open-ended programmes for these students to meet their needs (this may include IEPs and/or outside agencies).
• The staff will meet once a term to discuss and evaluate programmes.
• A teacher will be responsible for overseeing the special needs register (SENCo).

Methods of Assessment and Identification

-School wide Assessment Data:

• 5 Year Nets
• JOST/ Oral Language Surveys
• 6 Year Observation Survey
• STAR tests
• Numeracy diagnostic testing
• Writing samples

-Behavioural checklists

-Work Samples / Performances

-Anecdotal observations

-Information from parents

Conclusion

Every effort needs to be made to meet individual needs, through differentiated opportunities that make appropriate adaptation to the content, process and products of learning in a range of appropriate learning environments.