SEN Code of Practice

Special educational needs (SEN) provision faces the biggest reform in over 30 years. With the publication of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) draft Code of Practice and the SEN regulations that sit alongside it set out the statutory guidance for all those working with and caring for children and young people with SEN. Lorraine Petersen (OBE), CEO of Nasen, the leading professional association embracing all special and additional educational needs and abilities, summarises the code ahead of a series of consultations with the sector.

Changes in the Code
The new code now covers the 0-25 age range and there is clearer focus on views of children and young people. It contains guidance on joint planning and commissioning of services to ensure close cooperation between education, health services and social care.
    
For those with more complex needs a coordinated assessment process and the new 0-25 Education Health and Care Plan (EHC) will replace statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs).
    
The Code contains new guidance of the support that children and young people should receive in education and training settings, and there is greater focus on support that enables pupils with SEN to succeed in education and make a successful transition to adulthood.
    
Embedded within this code is the key message for schools that every teacher is a teacher of every pupil, thus reinforcing Nasen’s Every Teacher campaign. This has wide implications for schools as they will need to offer high quality professional development and training to ensure that their workforce has the knowledge, skills and expertise to deliver personalised teaching for all pupils.

Issues to consider during the consultation
The code states: “Special educational provision is educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for others of the same age. This means provision that goes beyond the differentiated approaches and learning arrangements normally provided as part of high quality, personalised teacher.” During the consultation we need to consider what this will look like, alongside whole school issue around quality first teaching. The need to embed this across a school is central to quality provision and the Code must make this clear.
    
Nasen particularly welcomes the changes to the broad areas of SEN, with the removal of behaviour, social and emotional category and replacing it with social, mental and emotional health.

This puts much greater emphasis on the underlying needs of young people and removes the emphasis on behaviour. Teachers and a school’s wider workforce will need support in understanding this new category and, as with many areas, training on how to identify and support young people identified within this category of need is crucial in order to offer effective interventions. In addition, we have concerns that disabled children who do not have SEN are not covered by the Bill or this code of practice.

Training and the role of the SENCO
An overarching need for any reform is training and the sector needs to know where this is coming from to ensure that every teacher has the knowledge, skills and understanding to meet the needs of all pupils. The inclusion of the requirements for Early Years providers to have a member of staff acting as SENCO again have huge implications for training. The Code mentions Local Authority Area SENCOs but many of these posts have been lost through cuts so there will need to be more information on the funding to support these roles. The code also talks about implementing appropriate evidenced based interventions but this raises questions about where schools and practitioners will find this information and how outstanding practices can be shared across schools.
    
Nasen welcomes clarification on the role and responsibility of SENCOs, which are seen as far more strategic, with the Code stating that all SENCOs must have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and must undertake the National Award. Our concern is that from 2014 funding for the award will cease which once again places the financial burden on schools. In addition, this is outlined as a mandatory requirement but no mention is made of who will provide quality assurance for this.
    
Over recent months a great deal of discussion has taken place about what this Code of Practice would contain and we are delighted that the document is now out for consultation, giving every education professional the opportunity to feedback and influence the final document. We urge all colleagues working with or caring for children and young people with SEN to respond to the consultation in order to help drive SEN provision forward.
    
Visit Nasen.org.uk for more information on the consultation and how to make your views heard.

Further information
www.Nasen.org.uk