Governing Boards, Head Teachers and staff should be aware of:
- their statutory responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010
- their health and safety responsibilities for staff undertaking the moving and handling of learners with physical disabilities
The senior leadership team should ensure that:
- Staff skills are routinely and regularly audited and further training is offered to staff groups and individual staff when required e.g. using the AET Autism Competency Framework, Speech, Language and Communication Framework
- There are systems in place to disseminate training to the wider school staff
- All staff have access to the free SLCN Communication Friendly Setting training via SISS/SaLT
- Staff have received training in youth mental health and understand the impact of poor mental health on pupils' well-being and engagement
- Staff are trained in nurturing approaches, attachment and trauma informed approaches, emotion coaching, managing relationships and restorative practice, as well as training to help staff understand the functions and causes of behaviour and classroom management approaches
- Staff are trained in emotional regulation strategies and there is whole school approach e.g. Zones of Regulation
- All staff have accessed the free 'Making Sense of Autism (MSA) Training' via the SISS Autism Team
- Staff who work predominantly with autistic children access AET Good Autism Practice (GAP) training, as best practice in secondary schools a member of every department is trained at this level
- All senior leaders have accessed AET training for senior leaders - old tier 3.as best practice.
- All staff are trained in SEND, identification of specific learning difficulties in relation to literacy, maths, fine and gross motor skills including dyslexia, dyscalculia and developmental coordination difficulties
- Training is planned for specific sensory and physical impairments and the use of hearing aids when required (this may be requested through the SISS Sensory and Physical Impairment Team, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
- Staff understand how a young person with physical and/or medical needs may have additional needs and require support in other areas
- All staff understand the need for a flexible approach to the management of young people's responses, in line with school policy. This includes an awareness of the communicative intent of behaviour and the use of Functional Behavioural Analysis to understand responses
- School staff know how to provide a nurturing, communication friendly classroom
- School staff value talking for: living, learning, life, fun and success for the future
- School leaders ensure that the curriculum plans for, and values, discussion and debate and teaches respect for all voices and contributions
- School staff understand how a range of special educational needs may be a barrier to learning and can impact on mental health and well-being
- Know that autism can vary in its presentation and awareness that some young people, particularly girls, may mask their difficulties in some environments
- Other conditions which often co-occur with social communication difficulties and autism and awareness of the impact that these conditions may have on young people
- Understand that social communication needs can be associated with high levels of stress and anxiety, identification of the early signs of this occurring, and the likely triggers
- Know that young people with autism often have disturbed and erratic eating, sleeping and toileting routines which have significant effects on their physical well-being and may affect their actions and learning
- Have a broad perspective on autism e.g. by reading or listening to accounts from people with autism and parents and other family members
- Listen to the voice of the young person, and their family, and identify strategies to ensure that communication systems are not just used to inform and instruct
- Know that young people with autism are much more likely to be teased and bullied and take steps to prevent and manage bullying
- Are aware of the importance of building on strengths and interests to motivate and encourage young people with social communication difficulties (including autism) in their learning
- Knowledge of alternative forms of communication, other than speech (e.g. objects, photos, symbols, pictures) and how a young person may benefit from being taught to use them
- Know that predictability for all young people is supported by clear routines and expectations and the use of visual prompts and resources to clarify these
- Know how to differentiate positive reinforcement to consider the young person's social communication needs
- Understand reasonable adjustments are a statutory obligation in disability law
- Staff are given encouragement and opportunities to discuss concerns, problem solve and provide support both practically and emotionally to each other
- There are planned opportunities for key staff to share good practice with staff from other schools. Senior staff actively promote and facilitate these networking and mentoring opportunities
- There are processes in place in school for sharing information with all staff regarding individual young people's SEN needs, for example One Page Profiles
- Staff mental health needs are monitored and supported
- Support systems form a coherent continuum which allows graduated provision to be matched to the needs of individuals or groups
- Education off site
- Access to Nurture groups
- Small group and individual teaching
- Access to interventions / counselling
- Curriculum and timetable modification
- Adaptations to transport for school trips and visits
- Proactive planning for non-routine situations to inform individual adaptation or preparation
- Access to low distraction areas and workstations
- Opportunities for sensory regulation activities