Unveiling the Learning Landscape
Identifying the Needs of SEN Students in a New Department
Welcome back to this series on establishing a brand-new Special Educational Needs (SEN) department within a British Curriculum international school. In my previous article, "The Blank Canvas: Navigating the Unknown in a New SEN Department," I outlined key priorities for the initial phase. This week, we delve into what is arguably the most fundamental and immediate task: Identifying the needs of the SEN students.
Without a clear understanding of who our students are and the specific challenges they face, all subsequent planning and provision would be akin to building a house without a blueprint. This initial phase is about listening, observing, and meticulously gathering information to paint a comprehensive picture of each student's unique learning landscape.
So, how do you begin to identify the needs when you're starting from scratch?
The Power of Information Gathering: Beyond the Student Register
My first point of call was to engage with key stakeholders in the school. Be prepared for this to be merely a starting point, especially in a new department. You'll need to dig deeper, employing a multi-faceted approach:
1. Initial Steps: Engaging with Key Stakeholders within the School:
School Leaders: Depending on the size and structure of your school, engaging with Heads of School, Heads of Departments, and Heads of Grades is vital. These leaders often have a broader overview of student cohorts and may have been involved in previous discussions about students of concern. Regular meetings with them can reveal patterns, highlight students whose names consistently appear in discussions for various reasons (academic, behavioural, social-emotional), and provide historical context. If the same names keep surfacing across different leadership discussions, it's a strong indicator that deeper investigation into potential SEN is warranted.
Classroom Teachers: They are on the front lines! Schedule meetings with class teachers and subject specialists as early as possible. Ask them about students they have concerns about, observations they've made in the classroom, strategies they've already tried, what worked and what didn’t. Their insights into a student's day-to-day engagement, academic performance, and social interactions are crucial.
Parents/Guardians: This is paramount. As I highlighted in my first article, "Relationship Building" underpins everything we do. Schedule individual meetings or send out initial questionnaires to parents. They are the experts on their child. Ask about their child's developmental history, any previous assessments, external support, strengths, challenges, and their aspirations for their child's education. Be empathetic and create a safe space for open communication.
Students Themselves: Where age and developmental stage allow, speak directly with the students. What do they feel are their biggest challenges in learning? What helps them learn best? Their voice is essential for person-centred planning.
2. Delving Even Deeper: Review Existing Records:
Admission Files: These are invaluable. Look for any mention of previous diagnoses, external assessments, psychological reports, or even anecdotal notes about learning differences from previous schools. Pay close attention to medical records as well, as some medical conditions can significantly impact learning.
Previous School Reports: Academic attainment and progress reports, teacher notes on student behaviour, and teacher report comments can offer clues about areas where a student might be struggling or excelling, potentially indicating an unmet need.
Communication with Previous Schools (where possible and appropriate): With parental consent, reaching out to a student's former school can provide a wealth of context and historical data regarding their learning journey and any support they previously received. This is especially helpful for students transitioning directly into your school with a known SEN.
3. Initial Screening and Classroom Observation
While comprehensive specialist assessments will come later, initial screening and observation can help flag potential areas of need and provide context for referrals.
Classroom Observations: Spend time in classrooms observing students. Look for:
Engagement Levels: Are students participating? Are they easily distracted?
Work Completion and Quality: Are there significant discrepancies in written work, understanding of instructions, or pace of work?
Social Interactions: Are students struggling with peer relationships or group work?
Behavioural Patterns: Are there behaviours that are impacting their learning or the learning of others?
Response to Differentiated Instruction: How do students respond to different teaching approaches?
Teacher Checklists/Referral Forms: Develop a simple, clear referral form for teachers to complete if they have concerns about a student. This can help standardise the initial information gathering process and highlight specific areas of difficulty (e.g., reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, social communication, emotional regulation).
Informal Assessments: This might involve quick phonics checks, basic literacy or numeracy screeners, or observations during group activities to gauge understanding and participation. These are not diagnostic but can help pinpoint areas for further investigation.
4. Prioritising and Planning Next Steps
As you identify students with potential SEN, you'll need to prioritise. Some needs may be immediately apparent and require urgent attention, while others may necessitate further investigation.
Creating a Provisional SEN Register: Based on the initial information, you can begin to compile a provisional SEN register. This is not a static document but a working list that will evolve as more information is gathered and formal assessments are conducted.
Initial Support Strategies: For some students, you may be able to implement immediate, low-level support strategies based on the identified needs, even before formal diagnoses are made. This could include preferential seating, visual aids, or simplified instructions.
Planning for Further Assessment: For students whose needs are not immediately clear or where a formal diagnosis might be beneficial, you'll need to plan for further steps, which we will discuss in future articles. This might involve setting up meetings with parents to discuss external assessments or planning for in-house screening tools if available.
Conclusion: Laying the Foundation for Success
Identifying the needs of SEN students is the bedrock upon which your entire department will be built. It requires diligence, empathy, and a commitment to understanding each child as an individual. It's a continuous process, not a one-off event. By meticulously gathering information, observing, and collaborating with all stakeholders, you'll not only uncover the challenges but also illuminate the strengths and potential of every student. This comprehensive understanding then empowers you to move forward, to the next crucial step: Planning SEN Support, which will be the focus of our next article.