When pupils are attaining at a level significantly below age-related expectations or their progress is at a very slow rate it may result in an increasing gap between them and their peers. Class teachers alongside the SENCo may decide that interventions ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ the usual approaches to teaching and learning through Quality First Teaching are needed.

If your child has been identified as needing additional support the teacher who works with you and your child will start to develop a plan with you about your child's needs and how your child can be supported. This is called a One Plan.

What is a One Plan?

A One Plan is person centred and contains information written from the perspective of your child and your family and monitors the support provided for your child to meet their outcomes.

'The aim is to ensure the genuine involvement of parents, children and young people in decision-making, through a process of person-centred planning. This approach is characterised by the principle that planning should start with the individual and take account of their wishes and aspirations, the outcomes they seek and the support they need to achieve them (draft SEN Code of Practice, 2013, Section 3.2)'.

At the initial meeting staff and family can discuss what’s working well both at home and school and decide what needs to change. This information can then be used to set SMART targets, introduce more personalised support systems in school and may require referral for further specialist advice.

The child is always involved in the planning process. They may attend the meetings but will, with support from home or school, complete a One Page Profile which gives them the opportunity to express their views. It is a child friendly form made up of three sections:

1. What people like and admire about me,

2. Who is important to me,

3. What my teacher needs to know to best support me.

The One Plan is based on a 4 part cycle: Assess, Plan, Do, Review. It will be reviewed termly to review progress, provide an opportunity to acknowledge what is working well and highlight what needs to be different, to build into next step targets e.g.

1. What have we tried?

2. What have we learned?

3. What are we pleased about?

4. What are we concerned about?

All One Plans will be closely monitored by the SENCo.

Effective One Plans will:

• focus on the child or young person as an individual, not their SEN label

• enable children and young people and their parents to express their views, wishes and feelings and be part of the decision-making process

• be easy for children, young people and their parents or carers to understand,

• highlight the child or young person’s strengths and capabilities

• tailor support to the needs of the individual using SMART targets

• bring together relevant professionals to discuss and agree together the overall approach,

• follow a termly cycle of assessment, planning, intervention and review

Interventions

Where Additional School Intervention has been identified and a One Plan agreed interventions are based on pupils’ specific needs and may be delivered individually or as a group. Below is a brief overview of the professionals that may be involved and the interventions that may be provided. Many of the interventions mentioned within Quality First Teaching may still apply. (link to Quality First teaching page 2)

Specialist Teachers

When further professional advice is required the SENCo may apply to Essex County Council for specialist support. There are six departments with teachers specialising in differing areas:

• Autism and Social Communication Difficulties

• Learning Difficulties and Disabilities

• Physical and Neurological Impairment

• Sensory Impairment (Visual, Hearing, Multi-sensory)

• Social and Emotional Difficulties (formerly Behaviour Support)

• Speech, Language and Communication needs

If further support is agreed, these specialist teachers will visit the school, talk to staff, observe and talk to the individual pupil and provide personalised advice on how best to support each child through teaching strategies and/or resources. If appropriate, training may be offered to the class teacher and/or learning support assistant.

Occupational Therapy

Children may be referred by medical professionals to be assessed by the Occupational Therapy team at The Lighthouse Centre. If appropriate, following the assessment, they provide parents and the school with recommendations for gross/fine motor skills or visual perception activities that can be undertaken at home and at school.

Educational Psychologist

Within the Rochford Extended Services team there is an Educational Psychologist who offers regular consultations to our SENCos and school staff as well as providing opportunities for assessment & intervention advice.

Speech Therapy

Children may be referred by medical professionals to be assessed by the Speech Therapy team at The Lighthouse Centre. If appropriate, following the assessment, they provide parents and the school with recommendations for activities that can be undertaken at home and at school.