Special education needs, Special needs education

Special educational needs and disability

It is the ambition of the special educational needs (SEN) and disability division that every child with special educational needs reaches their full potential in school, and can make a successful transition to adulthood and the world of further and higher education, training or work.

To promote the welfare and interests of disabled children, and to improve the support they receive, this area of the site provides a wide range of SEN and disability advice and materials for teachers, parents and others working with children with SEN in England.

You will find information about implementing disability discrimination legislation in schools and about Aiming High for Disabled Children here.

Among others, this site may prove valuable for parents, carers, schools, SEN governors, teachers, professionals and learning assistants.

Latest news

Quality Standards for SEN Support and Outreach Services.
These standards are intended to be used by all those offering SEN support and outreach services, including local authorities, school clusters and special schools, early year settings and other provision. Read more.

The Special Educational Needs: A guide for parents and carers
This guide has been updated and the revised version replaces that published in 2001. It sets out the main points of the Code of Practice, explaining procedures and informing parents of their rights. Hard copies are available from our Publications Centre on 0845 602 2260 or by email. Quote reference number DCSF-00639-2008BKT-EN. You can read or download it here.

The TDA is seeking views on its proposal for nationally accredited training for teachers new to the role of special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).
SENCOs lead the coordination of provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in schools. The consultation should be completed by all those who have an interest in the role of the SENCO. Access the consultation here. (Closes 15 October 2008)

Sir Jim Rose invited to make recommendations on the identification and teaching of children with dyslexia
On 6 May 2008, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families announced that the DCSF has asked Sir Jim Rose, in the light of evidence, to make recommendations on the identification and teaching of children with dyslexia, and on how best to take forward the commitment in the Children's Plan to establish a pilot scheme in which children with dyslexia will receive Reading Recovery support or one-to-one tuition from specialist dyslexia teachers.

On 14 July the DCSF issued a press notice explaining there is now a website supporting the work that Sir Jim is doing on dyslexia, and that he is inviting people to send him their personal accounts and experiences on what works with improving outcomes and progression for children with dyslexia — as well as details of published research — to help inform his development of recommendations. The deadline for responses expired on 10 October and Jim is thankful to all those who made time to send him evidence, views and experiences. He will consider an analysis of responses as part of developing recommendations, which he is planning to publish early in 2009.

The Department is aware that schools are using a number of different interventions to accelerate the progress of children with dyslexia and Sir Jim has received a range of views on their impact, along with research evidence. Consideration is currently being given to the many responses received to the recently closed call for evidence. The DCSF would not wish schools to interpret Sir Jim's work as a sign to stop using any particular approaches that may already be in place, or may be under consideration for particular children, (e.g. specialist dyslexia teaching).

Read the Press Notice here.
Visit the website here.
Find out more about the No to Failure project, which is being funded by the DCSF to trailblaze specialist dyslexia teaching in schools here.
Find out more about supporting children in the classroom who are experiencing dyspraxia here.
Contact the British Dyslexia Association helpline on 0845 251 9002 or by email.
Further information about Dyslexia Action's specialist training and Partnership for Literacy project can be found here.

May 2008: Revised guidance on the education of children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) as a special educational need is now available. It is intended to help schools and local authorities consider what support and provision are most likely to help remove barriers to the achievement, health and emotional well-being of children and young people with BESD.

April 2007: Please take our user-survey and help improve this website. Thank you.

March 2007: Promoting disability equality in schools: workshops for primary schools, special schools and pupil referral units

Promoting disability equality in schools is a new section of Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings. It explains to schools how to develop their Disability Equality Schemes.

In the summer term, the DCSF is holding a series of workshops for primary schools, special schools and pupil referral units. Attendees should include members of schools' senior management teams, governors and officers in local authorities with responsibility for supporting schools in meeting the Disability Equality Duty (DED).

The workshops are free and lunch will be provided, but delegates will need to meet all other expenses themselves such as travel.

Delegates will benefit most from the event by bringing their current accessibility plans with them and details of any early work on their disability equality schemes. During the workshops, delegates will have the opportunity to use criteria to assess the extent to which they are meeting the requirements of a scheme. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions during the day. Clips from the DVDs in the resource Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings will also be shown.

To register for an event follow the link www.pauljamesassociates.co.uk/login.htm.

Use conference code: 975837 and password: pdes.

Alternatively, email the conference organisers at pdes@pauljamesassociates.co.uk or phone 0115 943 5589.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Joining instructions, including an outline programme and location map, will be sent prior to the event.

Workshop dates

8/06/07 East Midlands: Holiday Inn City, Leicester
11/06/07 South West: Holiday Inn, Taunton
18/06/07 East of England: Newmarket Race Course, Newmarket
26/06/07 Yorkshire and the Humber: Holiday Inn, Harrogate
2/07/07 North East: Marriott Gosforth Park Hotel, Newcastle
11/07/07 West Midlands: Aston Villa Football Club, Birmingham
18/07/07 London: Paddington Hilton Hotel, London.

Carol Foster-Middleton from the Department for Work and Pensions will attend some of the events to talk about research she is doing for a PhD. She intends to do a small case study of around six primary schools looking at how they are implementing the new public sector duty and developing their disability equality schemes. Carol is keen to talk to people at the event about any issues they have in relation to the new duty. The study will last three to four years, starting from this year.Carol can be contacted at the event, by email: carol.foster-middleton@dwp.gsi.gov.uk, or by phone on 020 7712 2157.

Members of the DCSF with an interest in workforce issues will be attending the first London event and the events in Manchester, Birmingham and Harrogate to discuss the collection of disability data on the school workforce.

Jan 2007: Disability Equality Duty guidance

New guidance materials explain how the Disability Equality Duty (DED) can be implemented by schools. The guidance is available here.

All schools that have ordered their copy of Implementing the Disability and Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings resource were sent a copy of the DED guidance in December 2006. Subsequently, anyone who orders the DDA resource will receive this new DED section with it.

The materials can help schools to:

Understand their duties under the different Parts of the DDA
Raise awareness of the Duty
Develop their scheme through a staged approach
Develop their accessibility plan to meet the requirements of a scheme
Provide training and development activities on the Duty

Jan 2007: The Implementation Review Unit's (IRU) statement on SEN and disability — meeting need, minimising bureaucracy

The Implementation Review Unit (IRU) is the first ever independent scrutiny unit with a remit to cut red tape and reduce bureaucracy in schools. A report issued by the IRU examines ways in which schools and local authorities can fulfil their legal obligations in supporting children with SEN, while minimising paperwork and bureaucracy.

The report explains:

The legal obligations on schools in relation to children with SEN and disability
The flexibilities available to schools and local authorities

It makes clear that schools and local authorities can adopt working practices which:

Avoid the need for schools to write and review Individual Education Plans
Avoid local authorities asking schools to provide information which has been previously provided, where a school can confirm it remains valid
Combine planning, funding, delivery and accountability processes that maximise the range, quality and relevance of local provision while reducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

The IRU advice for schools is that legally compliant practice on SEN and disability varies. Some is more effective and less bureaucratic than others. If you best practice is not used in your area discuss the matter with your local authority.

Oct 2006: The Government's response to the Education and Skills Select Committee report on Special Educational Needs

The Government's response to the Education and Skills Select Committee report on special educational needs was published on October 11 2006. A copy of the response can be found here.

Links

Contact the SEN team at the DCSF by email.

Last updated: 09 October 2008