The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), the deputy headteacher responsible for student support, together with the Headteacher and Governing Body, undertake a key role in developing the Additional Educational Needs (AEN) policy and arrangements within school to raise the achievement of all children with AEN, including those with special educational needs.

Mrs J Rowland, SENCO, is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the AEN policy and organising the provision made for pupils with AEN, working closely with staff, parents/carers and outside agencies. These include educational psychology services, Connexions, health, Social Services, voluntary organisations, and welfare agencies.

Pupils will additional educational needs are diverse and include the following:

• Giftet and Talented (G & T)
• Looked after children (LAC)
• Pupils with special educational needs (SEN)
• Children at risk
• Teenage mothers
• Refugees

At King Ethelbert School, we recognise the importance of supporting and including all pupils, including those who are disaffected from learning.

At various times throughout the year members of staff will be involved with the process of placing or withdrawing pupils from the school’s SEN register. Year groups will be audited at different times, but if at anytime a pupil is giving cause for concern they may be placed on the register, in order that the necessary support may be provided.

• School Action happens when a subject teacher, and/or member of the pastoral team sees that a child has a special educational need, and requires work/time which is additional to or different from the school’s normal differentiated curriculum. All information known about the pupil is collated and this information acts as the foundation on which to plan appropriate support.
• School Action Plus happens when it is the professional judgement of the SENCO that additional help is required from outside agencies. Outside specialists may then give advice on strategies, provide additional specialist assessments or be involved in teaching the pupil directly.
• Statement of Special Educational Needs.  Pupils with a statement of special educational need have varying levels of support. Objectives, provision and strategies are acted upon by teaching staff and teaching assistants. Pupils with statements have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to help a pupil to make progress. The IEP is brief and will usually have specific targets in the areas of: 
  • Communication
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Behaviour and Social Skills

Regular review of provision for statemented pupils is undertaken, and parents/carers and pupils with a statement of special educational need are involved in the discussion of an IEP.

"Provision mapping" is in place for all tutor groups throughout the school. Provision maps detail the specific strategies required within a tutor group to support pupils’ individual needs within the classroom.

Gifted and Talented:

Since 2004, the school has identified pupils on an annual basis to be placed on a Gifted and Talented register. DCSF requires that each school identifies between 5 – 10% of its pupil population and classifies them as gifted/talented or both. Pupils are identified through both assessment and nomination. At King Ethelbert School we have pupils whose abilities cover a wide spectrum. These are celebrated on our gifted and talented notice board.