About Special Education

We at Knockbreda PS are aware that while school life can be exciting for most children, children with SEN will see the experience differently. We are therefore committed to ensuring that all children will receive a curriculum that is at a pace and quality that suits their learning needs, ensuring that each child with SEN will make progress in all aspects of learning both in the curriculum and life skills in order to reach their full potential.

What life in school looks like?

We currently have two Learning Support centres (LSC) to cater for children with statements. A junior LSC (P3-5) and a senior LSC (P6-7).

Within school support

The Engage Programme; targeting children who are identified as under-achieving. These children are identified using quantitative and qualitative assessment tools. These children are involved in small group, booster programmes for both literacy and numeracy.
Teachers and Classroom assistants who are regularly trained and committed to listening and working in partnership with parents.
Regular communication between teachers and SENCo in order to provide each individual child with the support that they need.
Sensory room – space for children to regulate their feelings and emotions.

Outside school support

RISE
EA literacy support
AAIS
Educational Psychology advice
SPACE Counselling sessions

SEN Parent Help Line 02895985960

This help line was set up initially to support the transition process of pupils with SEN, however there has been an increasing need for parental support with the demands of educating a child with SEN. If you feel your child needs additional support within school please do not hesitate to speak to us. Our SENCO is Mrs C Poole who would be happy to listen to your concerns.

What is SENCO?

SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) is a designated teacher responsible for the day to day operation of the school’s Special Educational Needs Policy.

This includes liaising with teachers, parents and other relevant professionals, maintaining the school’s Special Educational Needs Register, and ensuring that all teachers are trained to meet the special educational needs of pupils in the school.

Definition of SEN

Extracts from the 1996 Education (NI) Order 1996, Part II Children with SEN:

3(1) For the purposes of the Education Orders a child has “special educational needs” if they have a learning difficulty which calls for “special educational provision” to be made for them.

(2) For the purposes of this Part, subject to paragraph (3), a child has a “learning difficulty”if they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children their age,

(4) In the Education Orders, “special educational provision” means - – educational provision which is “additional to” or, “otherwise different from”, the educational provision made generally for other children of their age in an ordinary school.

The NI Code of Practice

Schools follow The Code of Practice which addresses the identification, assessment and provision made for all children who may have special educational needs at some time in their school careers, or even earlier. You can view an electronic version of the code of practice using the link below:

https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/code-practice-identification-and-assessment-special-educational-needs

Supplement to the code of practice

https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/code-practice-identification-and-assessment-special-educational-needs

Stages of the Code of Practice

The EA website explains each stage of the Code of Practice and these can be viewed in the link below.

https://www.eani.org.uk/parents/special-educational-needs-sen/stages-of-the-code-of-practice

Special Education Needs