The Senco Survival Guide

The SENCO Survival Guide, Third Edition is an informative, accessible resource containing practical advice to help SENCOs manage their responsibilities and lead their school effectively towards a common goal. The book sets out a whole school approach to inclusion and supports SENCOs in mainstream or special schools at every key stage. This fully revised new edition features: a focus on high quality teaching, with ideas for classroom practice to include and engage all children and young people an introduction to SEN support and education, health and care plans, based on the Code of Practice graduated response strategies to break the cycle of SEND low achievement and guidance on how to create a SEND-friendly environment advice on the role of the modern SENCO, including assessment, provision mapping, preparing for OFSTED, disability discrimination and equality advice on training, managing and deploying teaching assistants effectively strategies to improve ‘pupil voice’ and independence ways in which the enhanced role of parents can be harnessed in order to achieve maximum success for learners with SEND conclusions from the author’s new ‘field research’ in mainstream, special and Post-16 settings This resource gives SENCOs the confidence, skills and knowledge to promote maximum achievement for learners with SEND and will help them develop and shape their schools’ policies and practices. It will also be of use to other members of staff looking for practical strategies to raise the attainment of pupils with SEN and disabilities.

Are you confused about Special Education Needs (SEN) and Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (LDD)? Are you unclear about how to identify and address the needs of your pupils in the context of the new Inclusion Development Programme? Do you need support to develop a great system that links together recent initiatives and government legislation? This book is intended for SENCOs and other staff, working from the Foundation stage to Key Stage 4 with management responsibility for SEN/LDD systems in schools. The book will: explore recent initiatives and terminology in the context of the ‘Inclusion Development Programme’ and ‘Narrowing the Gap' examine the implications for school policy and practice link together related SEN/LDD development help schools to develop co-ordinated systems that enable all learners with SEN/LDD to meet their potential and aspirations.

This positive, straightforward book offers kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) their own comprehensive resource for both understanding their condition and finding tools to cope with the challenges they face every day. Some children with ASDs are gifted; others struggle academically. Some are more introverted, while others try to be social. Some get "stuck" on things, have limited interests, or experience repeated motor movements like flapping or pacing ("stims"). The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders covers all of these areas, with an emphasis on helping children gain new self-understanding and self-acceptance. Meant to be read with a parent, the book addresses questions ("What’s an ASD?" "Why me?") and provides strategies for communicating, making and keeping friends, and succeeding in school. Body and brain basics highlight symptom management, exercise, diet, hygiene, relaxation, sleep, and toileting. Emphasis is placed on helping kids handle intense emotions and behaviors and get support from family and their team of helpers when needed. The book includes stories from real kids, fact boxes, helpful checklists, resources, and a glossary. Sections for parents offer more detailed information.

Helen Curran’s invaluable book aims to support new and experienced SENCOs with the task of developing and leading special educational needs provision and inclusive practice, through the exploration of practical strategies and approaches. This book takes a pragmatic approach to the issues which have historically been associated with the role of the SENCO; namely a lack of time, a lack of resources and often a lack of seniority. The book seeks to provide SENCOs with tried and tested ideas and strategies to support both the operational and strategic aspects of the role, to help SENCOs develop their role as a leader in school. The book covers the following areas: The SENCO role in policy and practice The SENCO as a leader Developing relationships with pupils and parents Challenges and opportunities within the role of SENCO A must read for any SENCO, this book draws upon case studies and real life examples, considering the ways in which SENCOs can shape and develop the status of not only their role, but also SEN and inclusive provision in their setting.

Still the best ‘all round’ guide for SENCOs on the market’ Pippa Whittaker, Curriculum Leader for Inclusion, City Academy, Bristol The SENCO Survival Guide is an informative resource, fully updated with the new 2014 SEND Code of Practice and containing practical advice to help SENCOs manage their responsibilities and lead their school effectively towards a common goal. In light of current developments, this resource sets out the government's fresh agenda for whole school discussion and helps SENCOs in mainstream or special schools at every stage to manage changes in SEND policy and practice. With up to date information on the changes taking place to support learners with SEN and disabilities, this fully revised new edition also includes: strategies to break the cycle of SEND low achievement advice on crucial aspects of the SENCO role, including assessment, provision mapping, preparing for OFSTED, disability discrimination and equality advice on training, managing and deploying teaching assistants effectively ways in which the enhanced role of parents can be harnessed in order to achieve maximum success for learners with SEND. This book will give SENCOs the confidence, skills and knowledge to promote maximum achievement for learners with SEND in all schools, across all key stages and will support them in their role to develop and shape their schools’ policies and practices on SEND. This book will also be of use to other members of staff looking for practical strategies to raise the attainment of all pupils with SEN and disabilities.

"A definite must for SENCOS." -- Urmston Junior School "A good insight into process of tribunal and what the Equality Act means." -- Team Leader, St Paul's CE Primary School 'A much needed resource in supporting schools, centres, day nurseries and community childcare provision to understand the complexity of the issues surrounding SEN... A valuable tool.’ -- Gerri Ross – Head of Old Moat Sure Start Children’s Centre, UK "Straightforward and easily accessible...I would recommend this book to undergraduates and professionals alike who have an interest in ensuring that the rights of disabled children are upheld." -- Dr Craig Blyth, School of Education, University of Manchester, UK Under the Equality Act (2010), all schools and service providers have a legal obligation to make provision for disabled pupils, staff and school users. If you’re feeling confused and concerned about the content and implications of the Disability Duty Act (1995) and the more recently released Equality Act (2010), and how it affects your setting, this essential book will help you unpick the issues in a user-friendly and easily accessible way. This highly practical resource: explains the main parts of Equality Act (2010) as it affects disability in a way that will encourage all members of staff within a school to feel confident that they are correctly implementing its requirements; discusses ‘reasonable adjustments’ and ‘less favourable treatment’ which are at the heart of the legislation; shows how ‘less favourable treatment’ and ‘reasonable adjustments’ apply to admissions, exclusions, handling of medicines and during school trips; uses examples and case studies throughout, and highlights the key factors for success in making reasonable adjustments; takes readers through the process of an alleged act of discrimination against the school, and how it may be resolved, up to and including the SEND tribunal process. The author brings a wealth of experience to this topic, both as a parent of a disabled child and as a trainer of professionals. She uses her unique insight to develop skills and awareness in anyone who follows her material, and shows through tried and tested concepts and methods, how schools and settings can avoid costly and stressful tribunals. Headteachers, teachers, SENCos, Sure Start Centre Managers and anyone who works in educational settings will find this book essential to their professional development and a fantastic source of support and help.

Accessibly written with the needs of trainee teachers and Higher Level Teaching Assistants in mind, this new edition of Wendy Spooner’s popular SEN Handbook provides an up-to-the-minute introduction to key issues. Student teachers and teaching assistants will find the case studies and vignettes invaluable as they bring these issues to life, and present important opportunities for reflection on how these issues relate to practice. Core standards for teachers, QTS and HLTA qualifications are highlighted enabling the reader to understand exactly what is expected of them – and how to achieve it. Coverage includes: self-assessment of your own attitudes towards SEN issues legal definitions and current legislation and guidance identification, assessment and support for children with SENs across the Key Stages issues of inclusion and exclusion a range of teaching approaches and strategies school-based training and SEN issues that may arise further reading, websites and resources lists. Practical and comprehensive, this is an invaluable resource for all teaching professionals working towards providing inclusive learning environments.

Playfulness is important; it creates an alternative space where emotional, cognitive and social dimensions can be explored and tested. This highly practical book explores the endless possibilities of using playful, creative and interactive activities to meaningfully engage with children with multiple learning difficulties or autistic spectrum disorders. The author presents playfulness as ‘an experimental frame of mind’, and encourages practitioners to play with roles, ideas, words, concepts and objects in order to enhance relationships and interventions. By providing accessible steps to playfulness, this text explores some of the contemporary issues surrounding the education of children with severe learning needs, in particular the use of ‘intensive interaction’. This text considers different areas of creative interactive work for practitioners to draw inspiration from, including: Music Interactive Musical Movement Finger Dance Story and Drama Artwork Reflective Circle. The varied array of tried and tested original activities have been devised to encourage the development of social interaction, cognition, play, experimentation and creativity, in particular but not exclusively, for children whose learning needs are more complex. The author also invites teachers working in mainstream, particularly early years and primary education, to investigate the creative possibilities inherent in playfulness and to use the activities in this book to enhance the learning environment. This text offers an abundance of advice, practical strategies and tips for teachers working in special and mainstream early years and primary education. Practitioners such as therapists, care workers, community musicians and creative arts specialists will also find this book useful.