Inclusion and SEND newsletter

Welcome

We hope that this newsletter finds you refreshed after the Easter break, as terms three and four were especially hard in schools. Let’s hope that better weather and the distant prospect of the summer holidays will sustain us through the coming terms.

SEND Review: Right support, right place, right time Government consultation on the SEND and alternative provision system in England was published on 29 March and this launches a thirteen week consultation on a comprehensive range of initiatives. It is really important that you take this opportunity to consider and respond to this consultation, as the following reforms have the potential to make a significant impact on the working lives of SENCOs and the children we work with. Much of the content appears positive and exciting, but as with all things, the devil is in the detail and so it is really vital that decisions made following the consultation are informed by the voices of those who are on the ground. To start you on your journey there is an overview in this newsletter.

Children from Ukraine

I know that many of you are preparing to welcome children whose families have fled the conflict in Ukraine. The LA guidance which was published in the recent Head Teacher Needs to Know bulletin is repeated in this newsletter.
 

Statutory processes training

We will be rolling out free statutory processes training for all SENCOs and head teachers, which will almost certainly be done on a cluster basis, so please keep an eye out for dates.

Jackie Muggleton, Special Needs Adviser, Integra Schools

Contents

• Message from Hugh Disley
• Dates for your diary
• Send and You (SENDIAS)
• South Glos news
  • Ukrainian settlement guidance
  • Radicalisation issue from Prevent
• National news
  • SEND Review Govt consultation
  • Supporting pupils with long Covid
  • Ambitious about Autism online launch
  • Introduction to SEND development pathways
  • Supporting learners with low-incidence SEND
  • College SEND review guide and website links
• Contact information

Message from Hugh Disley, Strategic Lead for Inclusion and SEND

March 2022

Hi everyone,

I am writing this on the cusp of what could be an intense period of change. The SEND Green Paper was published in the week of the 29 March. The Local Authority Cabinet met on 4 April and agreed the new banding top-up that the School Forum approved. We received the letter from the DfE regarding our latest Accelerated Progress Plan in March; there is still more to do, but improvements were noted and they will return in October. There has been a judicial review in another authority with regards to annual reviews that has repercussions for all of us. All of this is happening whilst we are still struggling personally and professionally with the Covid pandemic.

I hope that the Easter break helped you to recover and refresh. My approach to change has developed over the many years. At first it all seemed too much and long working hours, sleepless nights impacted on my mental and physical health, with deteriorating performance and getting things out of perspective. As I have got older, I have adopted the CIA principles, and change has become something I can now embrace. The ‘C’ is control; those things I can sort and organise and make happen. The ‘I’ is influence; there are those I work alongside, who line manage me who I have a relationship with and can influence. The ‘A’ is acceptance; these are the things I have no control or influence over; they happen and as I can do nothing about them, I let them go and focus purely on what I am in control of, or can influence. It’s a liberating feeling and has given me back my sleep, perspective and ability to maintain my energy for what is important. Amongst all this change are the lives of our special children, young people their parents and carers. Together we are improving their lives and chances in life. Together, we have greater influence on those that decide policy. Together we are stronger and able to work through the changes and find the right solutions.

Thank you for all you will do in the coming term.
Hugh
 

Dates for your diary 

SENCO Briefing

Secondary SENCO Briefing

Newly qualified SENCOs 

Leadership for experienced SENCOs

Whate every head teacher needs to know about SEND

Maximising the impact of TAs through strategic deployment

‘Making sense of Autism’ training
 

1. There will be no charge for the training as we have won a bid for NHS funding to deliver the ‘Making sense of Autism’ course to all schools in South Gloucestershire over the next year.
2. There are conditions around the delivery of the training attached to the agreed funding. 

• You may choose a three-hour session which will be a morning session between 9am and 12 noon
• The course is online and should be accessed by individual delegates on a single device, or if necessary a shared device between two or three people, as this allows the greatest opportunity for interaction, participation and ease of collecting individual accreditation and certificates. Some schools have opted to allow staff to train from home, whilst others have arranged for staff to be in small groups in classrooms on their own devices
• The whole school community is asked to attend for greatest impact, which includes all staff – SLT, teachers, TAs, lunchtime staff, office staff, governors, caretakers, to cover as far as possible please
• Short questionnaires to assess impact will be sent pre and post training to a sample of staff, pupils and families via Microsoft Forms. Samples to be arranged with the SENCo.

Making sense of Autism 

Post 16 SGPC sessions

SEND and You (SENDIAS)

SEND and you meetings
 

• Youth Matters group - For children and young people  Monday 9 May 7pm to
  register here
• Mental capacity and consent  Tuesday 17 May  10.30am - 11.30 am  or 7.30pm - 9.00 pm register here

South Gloucestershire news

Ukranian settlement guidance

Overview

• As a Council we are now welcoming Ukrainian children and young people and their families through two schemes that are there to support those fleeing war: the Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme. Information has been published by the DLUHC and the DfE to support local authorities, which includes where necessary, using the flexibilities to admit above published admission number (PAN) and exceed the infant class size limit, as well as using the in-year Fair Access Protocol where appropriate
• We are getting a number of enquiries from schools and sponsors in terms of initial signposting and support. We have created a dedicated webpage that could be useful to share with new arrivals and sponsors, as well as the wider community: Ukraine crisis help and support | BETA - South Gloucestershire Council (southglos.gov.uk)
• The British Red Cross has a range of support and information available for those who are already (or are arriving) in the UK. The information is available in both English and Ukrainian. This information will provide new families with information about how things work here in the UK once they have arrived.
  • Help for Ukrainian nationals
  • Information leaflet for Ukrainian nationals arriving in the UK - written in English
  • Information leaflet for Ukrainian nationals arriving in the UK - written in Ukrainian
  • Ukrainians who were in the UK when the war broke out and require legal assistance on immigration issues can contact the Ukraine Advice Project UK

Welcome and initial information

• It would be useful for pastoral leads in schools, and/or those responsible for admissions to familiarise themselves with the welcome guide: Welcome! A guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK (publishing.service.gov.uk)  In essence, having sight of this will help you in supporting the Ukrainian families themselves, but also the sponsors
• Under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme people will have access to public services, work and benefits. Every guest will be entitled to a £200 interim payment to help with subsistence costs which will be provided by the local council. In addition, sponsors will be given a £350 ‘thank you’ payment. More details are provided, with useful FAQs at: Homes for Ukraine scheme: frequently asked questions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• We are aware that many families will have experienced trauma. It will be important that sponsors support new arrivals in accessing local GP support. If you are asked about GP services by new starters, please signpost to the following website: How to register with a GP surgery - NHS (www.nhs.uk)  The welcome guide also includes information on national mental health support, which the guidance states is best arranged through making an appointment with the GP. If families are struggling but do not want to talk to a GP, there are a wide range of support organisations that offer helplines where you can talk in confidence to a trained advisor. These include:
  • Lifeline at: https://www.lifelinehelpline.info/ and telephone 0808 808 8000. Textphone:18001 0808 808 8000
  • Mind at:  https://www.mind.org.uk/
  • Further information on these and other support organisations and helpline services is available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/
  • To find support in your local area you can also use the Hub of Hope. You can access some services directly, without going to your GP for a referral first. Please go to: https://hubofhope.co.uk/
• Locally we also have the following organisations that are supporting wraparound support for families which could also provide useful contacts:
  • Julian House Julian House | Homeless Charity | South West
  • ACH – Ashley Community & Housing Refugee and migrant support services UK | ACH
  • The Care Forum Home - The Care Forum

Admissions

• As per the heads bulletin last week, we are keen to support any children and young people that are arriving from Ukraine and we want to ensure that we keep a track of in-year admissions so that we are well placed to support families. If you are a maintained school that is not voluntary aided, we will already receive information about your in-year admissions. If you are an academy trust or voluntary aided school, please be aware, that as we are not managing the process, we will not always receive the information immediately
• Our ask of MAT and VA schools is that you notify us, if you are either accepting children and young people onto the school roll, or if you have refused a place. We want to be able to provide as much guidance to families as possible. Therefore, if you are a VA school or Academy, please inform us as and when you accept Ukrainian families, or if a place has been refused: AdmissionsAndTransport@southglos.gov.uk
• Applications can be made through the citizen portal, or by downloading the in-year application from the website at: School admissions | South Gloucestershire Council (southglos.gov.uk)
• If the application comes from the parent / carer directly, this should be a relatively straightforward process, but we also appreciate that this may not always be the case. If the application comes from a relative/friend, we ask that a supporting statement (in English, Ukrainian or Russian) is provided in support of the application. This could take the form of an email or ‘photo of a written statement
• As a council we are committed to providing early help and support to both schools and families. With this in mind, we have linked in with a qualified teacher with an inclusion background from a Bristol school who has a working understanding of the Ukrainian language and would be able to support you in the following ways, depending on capacity and the level of need:
  • Supporting families settling and their first days in school
  • Supporting schools in understanding needs from written and verbal communication
  • Connecting families to other families that are settling with consent
• Our aim will be that once we have been notified that your school has offered a place, you will receive contact from the support teacher who will be able to provide some initial support.

Wider education support and information

• The welcome guidance is really useful in explaining to new arrivals and families how the education system works in the UK: Welcome! A guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK (publishing.service.gov.uk)
• As a way of context, education in Ukraine is compulsory from age six to age fifteen. The first four years are at primary school and introduces them to education. Lower secondary osnowna serednia shkola middle school is for students aged ten to fifteen, following which they may qualify for their lower secondary school leaving certificates. The curriculum includes the Ukrainian language and literature, a foreign language, algebra, biology, chemistry, geography, geometry, history, physics, music, art and physical education. Thereafter three years may be spent at starsha serednia shkola or upper secondary school, leading to a further school certificate. In the process, school students take a series of independent government tests, culminating in a final one that examines their knowledge of Ukrainian language and literature, English / German / French / Spanish, as well as biology, chemistry, geography, mathematics and physics. If students do not go on to upper secondary school, then they may opt to study further at a vocational secondary school. Programs take up to four years to complete, and result in a hierarchy of technical qualifications. It is worth noting the difference in the education systems, particularly in the pathways at secondary, but also the start of the primary phase. This is something where schools can help both sponsors and families 
• Additional resources to support schools are also available including a more general pack available through ‘Schools of Sanctuary’. The ethos of ‘Schools of Sanctuary’ is to foster a culture of welcome and safety for people seeking sanctuary, including asylum seeking and refugee families. Schools-of-Sanctuary-Resource-Pack.pdf (cityofsanctuary.org)  In addition City of Sanctuary have some more dedicated resources and information about the role of schools and sponsors in supporting Ukrainian families: Ukrainian Refugees: hosting, support & more (cityofsanctuary.org)
• Other information that may be relevant includes the following links: Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain - Home (augb.co.uk). The Home Office has set up dedicated outreach teams across the UK, in partnership with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, to provide face to face support in safety and confidence for Ukrainian nationals in the UK, British nationals and their family members. Information about the Ukrainian Community Centre in Reading is available here: http://www.rucc.uk/posts/3774383646185631468?hl=en-GB
• Please also note the role of our own support networks and partners: About Us - SARI (saricharity.org.uk) SARI employees are mostly engaged in casework, supporting victims of hate crime. But they also work with children, young people and schools and other education establishments, providing support to pupils facing racist and other hate incidents. They also deliver equality, diversity and inclusion, and cultural awareness sessions to pupils, staff and governors.

Radicalisation issue from Prevent

National news 

SEND Review: Right support, right place, right time - Government consultation on the SEND and alternative provision system in England

Key elements within the green paper

• The aim is to improve the EHCP plan process through creating a simplified education, health and care plan (EHCP) through digitising plans to make them more flexible and reduce bureaucracy
• Supporting parents to make informed choices via a list of appropriate placements tailored to their child's needs, meaning less time spent researching the right school
• A new legal requirement for councils to introduce ‘local inclusion plans’ that bring together early years, schools and post-16 education with health and care services
• To improve oversight and transparency through the production of new local inclusion dashboards
• A new national framework for councils for banding and tariffs of high needs, which the government claims will offer clarity on the level of support expected and put the system on a financially sustainable footing in the future
• Changing the culture and practice in mainstream education to be more inclusive and better at identifying and supporting needs, including through earlier intervention and improved targeted support
• Improving workforce training through the introduction of a new Sendco NPQ for school Sendcos and increasing the number of staff with an accredited level 3 qualification in early years settings
• A reformed and integrated role for alternative provision (AP) This will be achieved through:
  • A single, national SEND and alternative provision (AP) system
  • Establish new, nationally consistent standards across provision, process, and systems for how needs are identified and met at every stage
  • Establishing new local SEND partnerships across education, health, care, and local government to produce a local inclusion plan setting out how each area will meet the national standards.

• Review and update the SEND Code of Practice to ensure consistent systems
• Introduce a standardised and digitised EHCP process and template to minimise bureaucracy and deliver consistency
• Support parents and carers to make an informed preference for suitable placements for their child by providing a tailored list of settings, including mainstream, specialist and independent, that are appropriate to meet the child and young person's needs.
• Streamline the redress process, including through mandatory mediation, and retaining the tribunal for the most challenging cases
• Support from early years to adulthood
• Increase core schools' budgets by £7 billion by 2024-25, compared with 2021-22, as set out in the recent spending review
• Consult on the introduction of a new Sendco national professional qualification (NPQ) for school Sendcos and increase the number of staff with an accredited Level 3 Sendco qualification in early years
• Commission analysis to better understand the support needed from the health workforce by children and young people with SEND need to inform strategic planning
• By 2030, all children will benefit from being taught in a family of schools, with special and alternative provision part of a strong multi-academy trust
• Fund more than 10,000 additional respite placements and spend £82 million to create a network of family hubs
• Introduce common transfer files to improve transitions to further education.

Supporting pupils with medical conditions: Focus on Long Covid

Introduction to the SEND development pathways

Ambitious about Autism online platform launch

Supporting learners with low-incidence SEND

College SEND review guide

Links to relevant websites

Contact information