Special Needs Assistance
Special Needs Assistant Policy
SNA of St Colman’s NS: Mrs.McManus
‘Special Needs Assistants are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities in an educational context’ (Guidelines on Special Needs Assistants, INTO)
The Special Needs Assistant works under the direction of the teacher. They provide support for the pupil, the teacher, the curriculum and the school.
Continue Reading 1. Support for the Pupil Although the SNA is employed with specific responsibilities for one pupil, the whole principle of inclusion means that a child who has a physical or learning disability should be helped to work in the company of other children. So, support for the pupil means support for all pupils with whom the SNA comes into contact. 2. Support for the Teacher This involves the SNA in being of general assistance to the class teacher, under the direction of the Principal in carrying out duties of a non-teaching nature. Support for the teacher will involve her carrying out a number of routine tasks such as escorting groups of young children to work areas outside the classroom, preparation and tidying up of classrooms, assisting children boarding and alighting from buses etc ( See Role and Responsibilities). 3. Support for the Curriculum This involves supporting teaching, to help give pupils access to all areas of the curriculum, including PE and IT. 4. Support for the School The SNA is not only part of the staff of the school, but are part of a team which is involved in translating policy into practice in order to further the aims of the school. The SNA always works under the direction of the class teacher. The teacher plans lessons and directs learning. The SNA provides support to the teacher, and through this to the pupils and to the teaching of the curriculum. She works under the direction of the teacher whether in the whole class situation, or on her own with a small group of pupils or an individual. For the SNA to work most effectively, it is important to define her responsibilities clearly. She also needs to be aware of the standards of behaviour expected and what the pupils are expected to learn in a given class. She needs to know what the school’s and class teacher’s expectations are in terms of pupil’s progress. She should be made fully aware of pupil’s Special Educational Needs and what they entail, if she is to be able to deal with them confidently and help give the pupil access to the curriculum. She should be given relevant information on the needs and attainments of her assigned pupil and on the special educational provision being made for him/her. Because the SNA often spends more time with the pupil than the teacher does, she may well have important contributions to make to IEPs and Reviews. The role of the SNA is Fostering the participation of pupils in the social and academic processes of the school This form of support for pupils is seen in Some children find it easier to confide in an SNA and he/she may be the first to be alerted to instances of bullying. All such information must be treated as serious and be notified to the class teacher straight away. She can do much to help the inclusion of children into their school and support individual children who for one reason or another find it difficult to form friendships and good relationships with others. Organising games on the yard is a particularly successful way to do this. Helping the child to maintain focus and bringing him/her back on task will enable them to become better learners. She can do this by explaining points quietly, and repeating teacher’s instructions. It is helpful to make notes for the pupil as the teacher is speaking. Children learn better if their efforts are appreciated and they feel valued. As they gain confidence, they will become more independent. SNAs can help pupils develop independence in their learning in several ways: It is important not to allow or encourage the child to ‘cling’ as this can be stultifying and demeaning for the pupil. It can also mean the child gets insufficient input from the teacher. The SNA needs to know when to stand back and enable the child to work with other pupils in a group. Even when working with individual pupils, the SNA is assisting with the others in the class as they are thereby free to progress at their own pace. Confidentiality Information received on children, and observations made in classrooms, need to be handled sensitively and carefully and are often only to be shared with particular members of staff. SNAs may be closer to parents than teachers, as they may themselves be from the immediate community, and may, or might have been, themselves parents of pupils in the school. Some parents may therefore consider them more approachable than teachers. It is very important therefore, that the SNA recognises the rules of confidentiality which govern her role as a member of the school staff. No discussion of the child, the teacher, the class or the events of the school day should take place without consultation and agreement with the class teacher. Parents with questions or issues about school policy or practice should be referred directly to the class teacher or the SEN co-ordinator. This applies to direct face-to-face communication or indirect telephone communication. (It is not always appropriate for parents to have a phone number of a member of staff). In St.Colman’s N.S, the SNA is deployed to work in classrooms under the direction of the SEN co-ordinator Mrs.Geraghty and Mr.Kinnarney. Regular meetings take place with the class teacher. An SNA may be employed to work with a particular pupil, but it is our policy, in the best interests of the pupil, to rotate support staff each year. The needs of the SNA have to be balanced with the needs of the pupil and the needs and resources of the school bearing in mind that the pupil should not develop dependence on the SNA. An SNA can be stimulated by working with different classes and year groups. Where SNAs have special skills, these can be put to good use throughout the school. Relevant training opportunities are provided, as is considered appropriate, and it is expected that all SNAs will take advantage of these opportunities. This plan was devised on the __________________________________________________ This plan will be reviewed on the _______________________________________________ This plan was ratified by_____________________________________________________ (Principal) This Plan was ratified by_____________________________________________________ (BOM)
The Role of the Class Teacher
The Role of the SNA and Responsibilities
Enabling Pupils to Become More Independent Learners
Help to Raise Standards of Achievement of all Pupils