Role of primary school SENCO when would struggling child see them?

[Mizzeldrizzle]

I'm confused as to the role of primary school SENCO.

A child is struggling, 3 years into school ie year 2 and the child is not thriving really. School after meeting with worried dp says they will put child in sen register but nothing about the SENCO?

In my mind, surely SENCO would meet the child, worked with them, look at their work and try and see what's going wrong? Then decide a plan of action with the teachers and dp and go from there?

Ie it could be try x y and z and if in 6 months the child is not getting it, consider Ep?

could be try x y and z and if in 6 months the child is not getting it, consider Ep?

That is unlikely due to EP availability.

I would ring or email the school and ask to have a chat with the senco to see what the next steps are.

Fed up, I'm just casting about in the dark at the moment.

So it's for me to trigger SENCO by asking for it? I assumed the school would be pro active, maybe not then.

Haha never expect a school to be proactive. You will only be disappointed.

You have to fight for

every

little

thing.

Ok but I don't have the skills or primary knowledge to fight for it because I'm not sure what we need. At the very least however surely it's the SENCO who would be looking at my daughter?

Otherwise....

So it's for me to trigger SENCO by asking for it? I assumed the school would be pro active, maybe not then

Well no, usual practice is that they contact you. My point was suggesting that as they haven’t-you should contact them.

And would I expect to see them directly or should I go through the teacher?

Should a SENCO see my daughter, what's their actual role?

What areas is she struggling with?

Has there been discussion with you/teacher?

Ie so far the teacher has said, I'll ask the SENCO...

I’m a SENCO. Sadly, everything is down to the bare bones. I have 65 children on my register and 1day a week to see them. I teach a class of 30 on the other days.

As they are on the SEN register, ask what is being provided that is “different from and additional to” (that wording is important) the teaching that happens for everyone else. The class teacher should be able to tell you what they are doing. When are they checking again to see an impact? What will they do if there is no impact?

An EP will cost the school about £500. In an educational system where there is minimal money for day to day staff, you can imagine how easy that is to find.

In my mind, surely SENCO would meet the child, worked with them, look at their work and try and see what's going wrong? Then decide a plan of action with the teachers and dp and go from there?

It depends on the SENCO. I’ve worked in a few different schools - some SENCOS do what you describe and are fab, some I’ve known rarely left their office and spent no time with the children at all. You can easily guess which were better...

And would I expect to see them directly or should I go through the teacher?

As I said upthread, ring or email the school and ask for a chat with the senco.

@QueenofLouisiana

Without sounding too stupid could you specify what they are supposed to be doing.. Different from and in addition too?

Eg she is in an extra phonics group but should she be getting additional spellings if the spellings are too much?

If she has a learning issue at what point do the school inform us, will anyone there be automatically assessing her or do we need to ask?

Also queen... What do you do as SENCO?

Look at them in class? Their work... Talk to teacher? Work out what's wrong and suggest how teacher can help? What does SENCO do

Senco here.
I do many things. First and foremost I had to give up a year of weekends and holidays to complete my NASENCO qualification which nearly killed me! Liaise with teachers daily; carry out dyslexia screening; carry out standardised maths assessments; meet parents; attend external meetings; attend speech therapy appointments with children and their parent; complete referral forms to external agencies; liaise with medical professionals; meet with school nurse/EP/LA Senco forums; manage 15 TAs; submit applications for EHCPs; hold Annual Reviews; research resources for specific need; complete HCPs where needed; implement transition meetings for leavers in Y6; advise teachers on behaviour strategies for those with SEMH needs; support children who may go into crisis in a daily basis (and have the bruises to prove it);
I.E. I do lots!
The teacher may well have already spoken to the Senco before speaking to you.

To the pp who said Sencos who don't do enough may be rubbish, unfortunately some schools don't actually give their Senco any additional time or money to do what can be a very challenging job.

@soontobe60

But what will the SENCO do for us, for my child!
What should I expect!

Also our SENCO doesn't test for dyslexia.

But what will the SENCO do for us, for my child!What should I expect!

Look at your school’s SEN information report and Local Offer which will be on their website-they will tell your exactly what they offer.

I’m a SENCo as well but it’s pointless asking me what I do in my school. What I can provide can be very different to a SENCO who works double the time in a different LEA. Talk to your senco.

Also our SENCO doesn't test for dyslexia.

No, SENCOs don’t test for Dyslexia as that is only done by EPs or Specialist dyslexia assessors with a specific dyslexia diagnostic qualification.

I wouldn’t recommend anyone be tested for dyslexia in Year 2 anyway.

Thanks fed up, surely there must be a basic bottom line job somewhere?

I'm just at a loss trying understand what they are there for?

I think for instance pastoral support is quite clear?

Help children with friend issues, talk to dc who need chats for whatever reason? Be aware and help dc who have family issues, death, divorce etc... I get that role.. I know what to expect of pastoral support.

Ie I'm sure pastoral support has different roles in different schools but that is their role.

I'm just at a loss trying understand what they are there for?

Really?!

Hi OP

I have a child on the SEN register now - it’s been a long process. I think what has surprised me is how much I have had to work things out myself, research and push things forward. I also thought the school would be very proactive and that there was some ‘system’ that would click into place - unfortunately there isn’t, particularly if your child’s SEN is relatively non disruptive and/or you don’t have an EHCP.

Also I didn’t realise that many SENCO’s - whilst having some training - are not specialists who can diagnose your child. They can help provide adjustments in school, sometimes help liaising with specialists who can diagnose/ help your child but they are not the ‘experts’ who can tell you what SEN your child has. Apologies you may be aware of this already but I hadn’t really realised this/thought about the implications. They are a coordinator in many ways ( I don’t mean that as an insult to those great SENCOs out there).

Take a look on your schools website and there should be the schools SEN policy. This is a good starting point that may help guide you re your school and it’s approach.

I would then ask for a meeting with the SENCO. You could ask if your school has individualised education plans for each child on the SEN register. If so ask to talk through your childs. Ask what adjustments they are putting in place for your child, when they will be reviewed etc.

The other thing I have found is that you often need to chase whether things that are said are being done actually are - again there may be schools where thy is isn’t a problem!

The “different from and additional to” statement is the stuff they should be doing specifically for your child to support their learning. So “completing 5 questions when everyone else does 8” or “doing the easiest challenge in maths” isn’t enough. A child on the SEN register should be doing something to support their own needs. So “fine motor skills group and handwriting support” would be fine (if only a few need it, not the whole class) or “a phonics program to strengthen spelling skills” (1:1 or small group, not everyone).

What do I do? Last week I filled in a referral to the special school system in my LA, reviewed the progress in reading of all children in SEN register in KS2, assessed the receptive language age (using a standardised test) of 2 children- advised 1 teacher of resources to support one of those children, wrote an EP referral, met 2 parents, talked through transition process. Reviewed an EHCP. Met the family support worker about children who are on both caseloads. Read reports from SALT. Emailed social care several times. Dealt with a safeguarding issue from my own class, did a lunchtime duty. That was 1 day out of class and my time after school.

Sorry that should have read ‘isn’t always’ as as with so much it depends on the school.

You also might want to post this on the SEN boards

Another senco here. It may be that conversations between your child’s teacher and the senco are already happening. The senco may be advising the teacher about different interventions or strategies to try in class. As a general rule of thumb you have to try something for 12 weeks before deeming it successful or unsuccessful, then you try something else. At my school these strategies would be documented in some way (used to be IEP, some schools still use this but changed the name to something similar). The senco should be liaising with the teacher to see how progress is going. If things have reached a point where a child is still not making progress the senco may go into observe or liaise with external professionals about next steps (this differs from each local authority). Conversations with parents should always start with the Teachers, the senco getting involved when the feel it is necessary.

However as previous posters have said, it varies in school to school, local authority to local authority. I can tell you what I do, but your child isn’t in my school (I assume) so it may not be accurate. I would contact the school and say you would like a meeting with the senco and ask them directly these questions. Good luck.

Big mouse little house 🙏 this is what I'm trying to work out.

I find the whole school system so confusing! I just got the hang of levels then it's all been changed, it's not an area I feel comfortable in at all.

If my dh and I divorce I totally understand the pastoral support role is to help my sdc

I'm at a loss to know what the school SENCO should be doing now my dc is put on the sen register.

What am I supposed to be asking the teacher about the SENCO?

It's baffling. I've just looked at send policy and it's around disabled children, children who need large letters, signs, wheelchair acess. I can't see anything about learning '' difficulties '' what the SENCO does.. What to expect?

Should I expect her to meet my child. I understand they are busy. She's been falling behind for 3 years, now she's on sen register. Should she meet my dc? If so what will she do?

They don't test for dyslexia (although someone up thread said they do and are one), so... What will they do?.. Or will they not meet her? Are they only for disabled dc?

😂😂😂😂

The mystery!!