Includ-ed, red europea de educación inclusiva

Summary

The UK with their system of inclusion support inspired Rytmus to offer the SENCO course “Learn to be a ‘Special Educational Needs Coordinator’" also in the Czech Republic. Three colleagues went to Nottingham invited by “Inclusion social”. They met SEN coordinators, discussed their role and their training course. Now, Rytmus offers the same course in Prague (with the support of the OSF) for ca. 20 people. The trained teachers committed themselves to use those methods in their schools: “Everything what happens in schools should be inclusive”. They will give tools and advice to teachers and take over a manager role, the main task of a SENCO.

Project object:

SENCO stands for "Special Educational Needs Coordinator". A SENCO is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school's SEN policy. All mainstream schools must in the UK appoint a teacher to be their SENCO.

Rytmus aimed to offer teachers in Prague a training course to learn how to become and work as a SENCO.

Methodology

- Study and exchange visit to Nottingham, UK, to meet with “Inclusion social” and SEN coordinators

- Discussion of the role of SEN coordinators and the presentation of the SENCO training course

• - Main question asked "WHAT DOES A SENCO DO?"
   

The SENCO will co-ordinate additional support for pupils with SEN and liaise with their parents, teachers and other professionals who are involved with them. The SENCO has responsibility for requesting the involvement of external services particularly for children receiving support (this also includes general SEN assessments, administration and parental support) as well as an Educational Psychologist who tackles problems encountered in a school environment by children who have learning difficulties and Behavioural, Emotional or Social difficulties. Educational Psychologists work with individual children and also assist teachers, parents and other professionals involved with the child. EPs also help the teachers, parents and other professionals to understand the child’s difficulties and support them in teaching and caring for the child.

The SENCO should have the support of the head teacher and other teachers to try and develop effective ways of overcoming barriers to a child's learning and ensuring that they receive effective teaching through assessing the child’s needs and setting targets for improvement. SENCOs also collaborate with curriculum coordinators at the school to make sure that the learning requirements of all children with SEN are given equal emphasis and priority.

A SENCO will work with the teacher to consider the child’s needs, and will take the lead role in getting further assessment of a child where necessary.

• - Main question asked: “What is the Role of the SENCO in Mainstream Schools”?

The SEN Coordinator (SENCO), in collaboration with the head teacher and governing body, plays a key role in determining the strategic development of the SEN policy and provision in the school in order to raise the achievement of children with SEN.

The SENCO takes day-to-day responsibility for the operation of the SEN policy and coordination of the provision made for individual children with SEN, working closely with staff, parents and carers, and other agencies. The SENCO also provides related professional guidance to colleagues with the aim of securing high quality teaching for children with SEN.

The SENCO, with the support of the head teacher and colleagues, seeks to develop effective ways of overcoming barriers to learning and sustaining effective teaching through the analysis and assessment of children’s needs, by monitoring the quality of teaching and standards of pupils’ achievements, and by setting targets for improvement. The SENCO should collaborate with curriculum coordinators so that the learning for all children is given equal priority, and available resources are used to maximum effect.

- In mainstream primary schools the key responsibilities of the SENCO may include:

• • overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school's SEN policy
• • coordinating provision for children with special educational needs
• • liaising with and advising fellow teachers
• • managing learning support assistants
• • overseeing the records of all children with special educational needs
• • liaising with parents of children with special educational needs
• • contributing to the in-service training of staff
• • liaising with external agencies and educational psychology services, health and social services, and voluntary bodies.
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- Time required for SEN coordination

Governing bodies and head teachers will need to give careful thought to the SENCO’s timetable in the light of the Code and in the context of the resources available to the school. Experience shows that SENCOs require time for: planning and coordination away from the classroom; maintaining appropriate records including a record of children; teaching pupils with SEN; observing pupils in class  without a teaching commitment; managing, supporting and training Learning

Support Assistants; liaising with colleagues and with early education settings and secondary schools. Access to a telephone and an interview room is also desirable where possible. In many schools the governing body has been able to allocate some administrative staff time to help the SENCO, thus releasing the SENCO to use their expertise more effectively.

In schools the SENCO duties will be a specific responsibility for one member of staff. The role is time consuming and therefore it is usually inappropriate for the SENCO to have other school-wide responsibilities. Many schools find it effective for the SENCO to be a member of the senior leadership team. However although in very small schools the head or deputy may need to take on the role of SENCO, such a decision should be considered very carefully.

It is good practice for the costs of the SENCO (or those parts of the post holder’s work devoted to SENCO duties) to be set against the core or base budget of the school rather than against additional funds delegated to the school for the purpose of meeting the particular needs of children with SEN.

Head teachers and governors should support the SENCO in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for SEN management systems and for preparing and recording IEPs. Head teachers should also ensure where possible that the SENCO is able to communicate with other SENCOs through, for example, a SENCO Forum.

Source: From the SEN code of Practice 2001. SENCO Handbook –Section 2 The role of the SENCO. The SENCO Forum can be found at www.becta.org.uk/senco/sources/senfor

Target

Teachers willing to become a SENCO

Good practice achievements

Today, Rytmus offers a SENCO course "Learn to be a 'Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator'" in Prague (with the support of the OSF) for ca. 20 people. The trained teachers committed themselves to use the methods learnt in their schools: “Everything what happens in schools should be inclusive”. Sencos will give tools and advice to teachers and take over a manager role - the main task of a SENCO.