No plans to replace the SENCO at my dc's junior school...

[BogeyNights]

Should every school have access to a SENCO? The one at my children's school retired recently and has not been replaced. Apparently there are no plans to fill this vacancy in the foreseeable future.

Does your children's school have a SENCO??

Yes. She was useless, but yes.

Ask them (e.g. write to the Chair of Governors) what they are spending the money on.

And where their Pupil Premium is going.

I say 'was' because the DCs are in secondary now. As far as I know she is still there answering every query and concern with, 'Well, it's the Council's fault, you see, there's nothing I can do.'

They are just becoming an academy. I wonder who she'll blame then.

I could be wrong but I was under the impression that they HAD to have someone doing the role, however it doesn't have to be a member of staff who is only doing that. It could just be a teacher who also has responsibility for SENCO. Could it be someone else is doing the job alongside their other role? Inclusion officer or something?

Short answer:yes.

It's in the Code of Practice for SEN (DofE, available on-line). There must be someone appointed to this responsibility. It need not be a full-time specialist, but there must be someone clearly appointed to be responsible for the function (eg in small schools it might be the head). The Governors have a duty to ensure SEN provision.

There should be a named governor for SEN.

This might be useful background: DofE guidance note on Role of Senco, written as a resource for academies.

And it has nothing to do with Pupil Premium. Eligibility for pupil premium does not equal SEN or vice versa.

I know that, Books, sorry if I wasn't clear. What I am thinking is that a school that is not reappointing a SENCO for some reason probably needs to explain its budget strategy overall to parents.

My DS's school is very good at explaining where the Pupil Premium money is going. (It actually is being spent on extra staffing for those pupils most in need of a particular type of support.) My DD's school - like a state secret. My DD's school was also very poor on SEN support.

Asking about the Pupil Premium is a good technique for finding out about transparency at any school, I reckon.

Thank you for your replies. It may well be that the teachers are the first port of call for SEN. But I shall ask today at pick up. My youngest is officially on 'school action' but we've not had any communication about any intervention that he now does or doesn't receive since the SENCOs departure...

Fair enough.

Ds's (old) primary had no children on fsm so no pupil premium but they still had a SENCO (and three children with statements for autism in a very small school). Senco is just one teacher with a half a day per fortnight off timetable, though.

Yeah, there will also be an SEN governor, too, so maybe contact them if you are not happy with the answers you get.

A SEN governor is one of the statutory duties of a governing body, and they in turn should be ensuring SEN issues are being appropriately managed by the school staff. So you could contact the Head or the Chair of Governors if you don't get an answer at school pick up.

At the school DD is starting in September, the Senco is only in school 1 day a week...

There will be no School Action or School Action plus under the new SEN Code of Practice

I'm SENCO and a full time class teacher

Mrz can i ask what happens to those children on SAP if its being scrapped?

Thats very worrying.

There is going to be a new category ...

Oh Dear, changes are always a worry! Thanks Mrz.

BogeyNights ds's school is in a similar position, last (excellent) SENCO has retired, deputy head is currently filling the role, he is worse than shite.

Did you get the information? It's my understanding that, as others have said, there only needs to be someone designated as being responsible, I'd be surprised if any decent HT hadn't already decided who would take on the responsibility if the designated person leaves.

I have DC at two different schools and at neither is it anyone's whole job. Are you talking about someone who does the role exclusively?

Mrs it's possibly going to be called Additional Sen Support.

specialneedsjungle.com/2013/03/15/rough-draft-sen-code-of-practice-is-out/

Well, I got sidetracked tonight by a friend, but funnily enough the conversation we had was on this very subject. My friend had already asked the SEN Governor what was going on with special needs within the school, and she'd got a rather sniffy response. Which was along the lines of 'why would you want to know? and it's in discussion with the Governors at the mo, so I can't tell you anything'.
Nice open policy at our school...not.

I will speak to class teacher tomorrow morning - definitely not going to get distracted this time! Class teacher and I are on good terms so I hope she'll give me some useful info.

BTW... the previous SENCO was only part time before they left, but it was pretty much their sole responsibility. I'm guessing that someone is responsible for the role now, but again only part time.
My query was whether or not a school has to have someone who is a named SENCO. The answer to which appears to be "yes".

Yes, all mainstream schools must appoint someone to undertake the SENCO function. Anyone newly appointed to the role must undergo training.