Special Educational Needs (SEN) - Early Years Action

Early Years Action is when:

• teachers who work day to day with the children or the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) identify that a child has Special Educational Needs (SEN);
• together they devise/provide interventions and strategies that are additional to or different from those provided as part of the nursery/playgroup's usual curriculum;
• an Individual Education Plan is devised.

Eligibility

Children from 3 - 5 years with identified learning/behavioural needs who require support that is additional to or different from that provided as part of the school's differentiated curriculum.

Procedure

You can trigger intervention through Early Years Action if you are concerned that, despite receiving appropriate early intervention, your child:

• makes little or no progress even when teaching approaches are particularly targeted to improve the child's identified areas of weakness;
• continues working at levels significantly below those expected for children of a similar age in certain areas;
• presents persistent emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, which are not improved by the behaviour management techniques usually employed in the nursery/playgroup;
• has sensory or physical problems, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of personal aids and equipment;
• has communication and/or interaction difficulties, and requires specific individual interventions in order to access learning.

At this stage:

• the SENCO and colleagues collect all available information about your child and seek additional new information;
• the SENCO must seek your permission before requesting information from outside agencies;
• individual records should include an overall picture of your child's strengths and weaknesses, and, if appropriate, your child's own perception of any difficulties and how they might be addressed;
• a Diary of Intervention should be used to record all interventions for children with special educational needs from the outset of any expression of concern;
• once the need has been identified, the nursery/playgroup may ask for your signature as the first dated item in the diary to indicate that you agree to any subsequent activities;
• form SEN 2 (i & ii) should be completed (details of triggers for intervention; your child's views; your views; agreed action);
• the SENCO arranges further assessment; planning of future support, monitoring and subsequent reviewing of any action taken;
• the strategies employed to enable your child to make progress are recorded in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) SEN 6 (i & ii)
• speedy access to LEA support services for advice or equipment may provide effective intervention that eliminates the need for input from external agencies;
• if you are still worried about your child's progress, despite Early Years Action, additional action should be taken through Early Years Action Plus.

Opening Times/Locations

Monday to Friday
8.30am - 5.00pm

Barnsley Parent Partnership Service
The Old Infant Block
Worsbrough Common Primary School
Bruce Avenue
Worsbrough Common
Barnsley
S70 4EB

Email: cypf@barnsley.gov.uk

Application Form References

Diary of Intervention (SEN 1)
Early Years Action (SEN 2 i & ii)
Individual Education Plan (SEN 6 i & ii)
Individual Education Plan - Review of Progress (SEN 7)

Leaflets

• Special Educational Needs (SEN): A Guide for Parents and carers (DfES publication)
• The Assessment of Special Educational Needs in Barnsley: A Guide for those with Parental Responsibility

The following Parent Partnership information leaflets are available for parents and carers of children with special educational needs:

• A Statement of SEN
• Enabling Pupil Participation
• Transition Planning - Y9 to post-16
• Working in Partnership to put Children First
• Statutory Assessment
• The Role of Parents
• Independent Parental Supporters
• Parent Partnership Service

Legislation

Education Act 1996
SEN and Disability Act 2001
SEN Code of Practice Nov 2001

Websites

BMBC Education Policies and Plans

Additional Notes

Words you may see in reports:

SEN Code of Practice - this guide, issued by the Department for Education and Skills, tells LEAs and schools how to organise help for children and young people with SEN.

Individual Education Plan (IEP) - this specifies what your child's targets are for the next period (usually six months), and what will be done by the school, you and your child to meet those targets.

Related Links:

• Education and Skills