Special Educational Needs (SEN): Inclusion panel

Inclusion panel

The panel provides inclusion support for pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools.

Who can have support

Inclusion support is agreed when evidence presented to the inclusion panel suggests that the child has learning difficulties and that they need additional special educational support which cannot reasonably be provided within the resources normally available to mainstream schools.

How to apply

Applications for support should be made on the inclusion panel form and returned to Pupil Services. This form should explain the child's difficulties, what the school has done to try to assist the child from delegated school resources and explain the level of support required and how the support would be used to best support the child.

How the support is organised

Support can be arranged and co-ordinated by the special schools or the council will finance support staff identified by the school.

Each child is considered for support individually and the amount of support/support funding they receive is determined by:

  • Their needs
  • The amount of support given by the school
  • The amount and type of support requested

Monitoring

Monitoring the progress of a child receiving support is carried out by support staff writing monthly reports for the SEN monitoring officer or the special school outreach co-ordinator, and by the 6 monthly review meetings.

The amount of support provided

As a general rule pupils with moderate learning difficulties receive 5 hours of support each week. Children with complex needs could receive 15 hours of support each week. In exceptional cases higher levels of support are available. Inclusion support is additional to the support provided by the child's school.

Other information

  • 180 pupils across the borough receive inclusion support.
  • Inclusion support has been provided for 4 years.  Some pupils have had inclusion support for 4 years.
  • Numbers of referrals are significantly lower than in previous years and the panel is now held less frequently, half-termly rather than fortnightly.

Useful documents

See also