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Home Children, families and education Somerset’s SEND Local Offer Headteachers’ responsibilities

Headteachers’ responsibilities

Sets out the responsibilities of headteachers in identifying and meeting the needs of all children and young people

Part of
Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool: Step by step

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Part of
Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool: Step by step

The purpose of this pathway is to ensure every child and young person in a Somerset school receives the support they are entitled to

1Statutory Special Educational Needs (SEN) information

  1. Statutory Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) information

2Understanding the Graduated Response

  1. Somerset Inclusion Tool (SIT)
  2. What is the Graduated Response?
  3. The Assess, Plan, Do, Review Cycle
  4. Screening and Assessment Tools as part of the APDR process
  5. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHC plans)

3Funding

  1. Funding
  2. Available funding for SEN

4Expectations for Teachers, Governors, SENCOs and Headteachers

  1. What different people in schools should do
  2. School Governors’ responsibilities
  3. Headteachers’ responsibilities
  4. Teachers’ responsibilities
  5. SENCOs’ responsibilities

5Expectations for Whole School Inclusion

  1. Expectations for Whole School Inclusion

6Quick checkers

  1. Quick Checker – Cognition and Learning
  2. Quick Checker – Communication and Interaction
  3. Quick Checker – Sensory and Physical
  4. Quick Checker – Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)

7Inclusion for each Broad Area of Need

Information about the four areas of need set out in the Code of Practice

  1. Inclusion for each Broad Area of Need

8Cognition and Learning

  1. Universal – Cognition and Learning
  2. SEN support – Cognition and Learning
  3. How can I find out more? – Cognition and Learning

9Communication and Interaction

  1. Universal – Communication and Interaction
  2. SEN Support – Communication and Interaction
  3. How can I find out more? – Communication and Interaction

10Sensory and Physical

  1. Universal – Sensory and Physical
  2. SEN Support – Sensory and Physical
  3. How can I find out more? – Sensory and Physical

11Social, Emotional and Mental Health

  1. Universal – Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
  2. SEN support – Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
  3. How can I find out more? – Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)

12Graduated Response Tool – Complex Medical Needs

  1. Graduated Response Tool – Complex Medical Needs

13Supporting tools, documents and signposting

  1. Supporting tools, documents and signposting

Overview

Headteachers must:

  • ensure the school holds ambitious expectations for all children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
  • establish and sustain culture and practices that allows children and young people to access the curriculum and learn effectively
  • ensure the school works effectively in partnership with parent carers and professionals to identify the additional needs andSENof children and young people. They must provide support and adaptation where appropriate
  • make sure the school fulfils its statutory duties concerning theSENDCode of Practice 2015
  • promote positive and respectful relationships across the school community and a safe, orderly and inclusive environment
  • ensure that responsibilities are met under the Equality Act (2010) concerning reasonable adjustments and access arrangements
  • ensure a suitably qualified and experienced teacher is designated asSENCOand allowed sufficient non-teaching time to carry out their duties
  • have a clear approach to early identification of SENand response to identified needs
  • ensure the schoolSENInformation Report is produced and published online following section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014
  • ensure theSENCOcan support and advise you and the governing body in determining the strategic development ofSENpolicy and provision – this is achieved most effectively by theSENCObeing a member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • ensure theSENCOand governors are aware of theSENbudget and how it is being used and that value for money is secured

information

Did you know?

You must accept school applications from children and young people with SEN(and Looked After Children) and make reasonable adjustments for children and young people with disabilities.

Last updated: November 13, 2024

Next review due: May 13, 2025

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