Education & Schools
Children aged 5-11 go to a primary school and older children aged 11 - 18 go to secondary schools. Primary schools can be for children aged 5 -11 or may be infant schools (from ages 5-7) and junior schools (from ages 7-11). Special schools often cater for children from ages 3-16. Some special schools offer places for young people up to 19 years.
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Nearly all children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) go to a 'mainstream' early years setting or school. Many children and young people may need some extra help or support at some time. Very few children will have special educational needs (SEN) that are long-term or a disability or medical condition that significantly affects their learning. It is important to identify children who do have special educational needs and disability (SEND) as early as possible. This is known as early intervention and makes sure they get the help they need.
If you are worried about your child you should talk to their class teacher, school SENCO or early years setting. You could talk to another professional such as a health visitor, GP or childminder. They will be able to help find out whether your child may have special educational needs and disability.
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For further information please contact:
Inclusion, Learning & Achievement
Telephone: 020 8921 5560
Email: services-to-schools@royalgreenwich.gov.uk
Please select one of the drop down menus below
National strategies and policies
NATIONAL
Code of Practice 2014
Children have ‘special educational needs and disability’ if they have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age.
The government says that children have a learning difficulty if they:
- have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age
- or if they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age
This is the definition given in the Special educational needs and disability code of practice 0-25 years. The Department for Education has a guide that explains how the system that supports children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities works.
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Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years |
Easy Read - Changes to special educational needs and disability support |
PUBLIC SECTOR EQUALITY DUTY
The Public Sector Equality Duty, which came into force across Great Britain on 5 April 2011, requires schools to:
- Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people due to their disabilities.
- Take steps to meet the needs of people with disabilities where these are different from the needs of other people.
- Encourage people with disabilities to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.
These duties apply to inclusion within the school setting but also to trips out of school,
school journeys, shortened school days etc. Detailed information about the Equality Duty can be found here.
Local strategies and policies
LOCAL
SEND Partnership Strategy
At the heart of establishing this shared direction and ambition is our joint vision:
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'All children and young people with special needs and disabilities in Royal Greenwich, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have a happy and fulfilled childhood where they belong, grow and succeed so that they enter adulthood ready, willing and able to achieve their highest potential'
Send Admissions Policy
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At the Royal Borough of Greenwich, we aim to ensure that all children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) are in an education provision that can meet their needs. For a majority of children and young people with EHC Plans their needs will be met in mainstream schools. There are however a small number of children and young people that will require specialist provision.
In order to ensure equity of access and transparency the Royal Borough of Greenwich have developed this policy. This policy will set out how all requests for a specialist provision will be managed. This policy will give you:
• An overview of the Special School Provision and Designated Special Provision in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
• A description/designation for each provision/type of provision
• The admissions criteria and the admissions process.
It will also advise you of all the documentation that is required and how to make an application. All Admission Panel will meet termly. Dates for Admissions Panels will be widely circulated and available on the Local Offer every June for the proceeding academic year.
Special Provision available in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
Accessibility Strategy
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Guidance for schools on updating their school Accessibility Plan |
OUR VISION:
'Greenwich will be a great place for children and young people with special needs and disabilities to grow up. This means that all children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)1 will have access to inclusive learning and to be provided with the opportunities for realising aspirations, achieving potential and participating fully in education and the wider society'.
COMMITMENT:
'Royal Greenwich will work effectively with its partners to ensure that its vision for children and young people with SEND is realised and to help all educational settings identify and achieve their own aims'.
RBG SEND PANELS PROCESSES FOR SCHOOLS:
SEPT 2021Contains information about the following panels:
A. Needs Assessment Panels
B. SEND Admissions Panels
C. SEND Complex Case Panel
D. SEND Tribunal Panel
E. Travel Assistance Panels
SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITHOUT AN EHCP AT SEN SUPPORT
The Royal Borough of Greenwich Vision:
'All children and young people with SEND in Greenwich, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have a happy and fulfilled childhood where they belong, grow and succeed so that they enter adulthood ready, willing and able to achieve their highest potential.'