Special Educational Needs teams
The Assessment and Placement Team
The SEN Panel, the LEA's decision making body decides on SEN issues and allocates resources. The team request and collates information required for the statutory assessment of pupils with SEN to ensure the LEA completes statutory assessments on time and that draft statements are issued within 18 weeks.
This team should be contacted about the following:
- Information on the Statutory Assessment process
- Whether or not a child is being assessed
- How a case is progressing
- The outcome of the SEN Panel
- SEN Panel decisions in relation to statutory assessment and proposed Statements
The Statement Management Team
The main role of the Statement Management Team is to ensure the files of the children with Statements are kept in good order and that the details relating to pupils are accurate. In doing so the team ensures the SEN section’s manual and computer database are regularly updated.
This team should be contacted about:
- whether a signed Statement is being maintained for an individual pupil
- Details of provision in the final statement
- Any change in the circumstances or details regarding a child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs
- Information about 11+ transfers
The Statement Monitoring Team
The main role of the Statement Monitoring Service is to represent the Local Authority at annual reviews and transitional meetings. They also monitor the use of resources that have been devolved to schools in relation to pupils with a statement of SEN.
The team is also responsible for arranging the formal ceasing of statements Where these lapse as pupils leave school and co-ordinates application to the Learning Skills Council for Specialist College for Specialist College Placement.
Reviewing Statements of Special Educational Needs
The aim of the Annual Review of statements is to assess a child’s progress towards meeting the objectives in the statements and to record information that the school and other professionals can use to plan their support for the child. The pupil’s own views are taken into account in this process.
Extensive preparation is needed for the review meeting. All parties involved in reviewing a pupil’s progress must have access to important/relevant information at least two weeks before the meeting.
Lambeth statements set out the monitoring arrangements and are reviewed annually. The LEA will advise schools when they are required to plan reviews. Schools will think about how they involve the pupil and look at access for parent or carers who need support, such as translation and interpretation. Social Services should be informed when reviewing looked-after pupils, to enable effective collaboration and joint plans to be developed.
Annual reviews
Annual Reviews of pupils with statements within and outside the borough will be attended by an LEA representative according to priority. The first annual review must be held within 12 months of the final statement or earlier if specified.
The school, parent or statement monitoring team can request early reviews if there are serious concerns about pupil progress. An early review must be held where a pupil is in danger of exclusion. These reviews are additional and do not replace the annual review.
Early reviews should focus on the areas of concern and do not have to follow the same process. Where transfer may be a consideration, careful thought and advance planning is essential for all pupils. The year five reviews will consider secondary transfer and become a high priority for schools, carers, LEAs and outside agencies.