EDClass is a remote learning application designed to help break barriers to learning. EDClass delivers online teaching through UK-qualified teachers and tutors using the personalised e-learning tools to promote a positive attitude towards learning especially for those learners with SEND and additional needs.

EDClass offers learners live tutorial support and distance learning provision through a robustly safeguarded and supervised online platform, purposefully built to be flexible in its approach to learners. While also supporting the learning needs, mental health and wellbeing of learners.

EDClass accommodates towards all types of learners including SEND learners and those struggling to acquire an EHCP. Schools can drastically reduce their workload and time spent searching for solutions for their learners who require support as EDClass can help in a quick and efficient manner. 

Introduction 

The EDClass SEND policy is designed to meet both statutory requirements with regard to SEND and the day to day needs of our learners and commissioning schools’ stakeholders (parents, elated agencies, staff and learners). At EDClass there are a number of key principles that underpin the approach to SEND through our provision and in our commissioning schools. These are being person centred; developing confidence and resilience; encouraging aspiration and achievement; with a strong focus on a fully safeguarded provision supporting learners to overcome barriers to learning; use of individual support strategies and learning tools whilst supporting, teaching and engaging online.

Our teachers take a trauma-informed approach when dealing with learners, and aim to make our learners aware that EDClass is a place to be used as an intervention, rather than a destination.

Our teachers aim to help with social, emotional and mental health needs, whilst setting high aspirations for our learners with SEND, helping to ensure that these learners have a smooth transition into their positive destination. Using the learner profile, which is provided by the learner’s school, our teachers are able to access relevant and important information, such as whether the learner has any SEND, an EHCP, is a LAC or is a learner with EAL.

Video interactions and instant chat communications between the teachers and learners, take into consideration the individual needs of the learner. If a learner has an EHCP, the teacher will make themselves aware of the best strategies to communicate and engage them in their learning.

The EDClass SEND Policy

This policy applies to EDClass, its employees, directors, teachers, vendors, contractors or our commissioning school and commissioning Multi Academy Trust who has a relationship with EDClass.

EDClass will:

• Comply with the SEND Code of Practice 2014.
• Ensure SEND provision is provided for learners with learning difficulties resulting from a range of needs, including communication and interaction, cognition and learning, social, emotional and mental health difficulties and sensory and/or physical needs. Provision will vary according to the severity of need.
• Enable every learner, including those with special educational needs, to fulfil his or her potential.
• Recognise its duty of care to all learners, including those with special educational needs.
• Ensure that every learner follows a curriculum that is suited to their ability and any particular needs they may have to enable them to enjoy learning and achieve.

EDClass has the following core values for SEND:

• Emphasise a ‘personalised and learner-centred approach’ which supports the well-being of our learners.
• Ensure that learners have a positive experience of learning and achieve positive outcomes.
• We value learner and parental engagement thereby sustaining a welcoming, effective and inclusive culture.
• We aim to provide an inclusive, supportive and positive learning environment.
• High quality teaching, engagement and communication for individual learners is the first step in responding to all learners on the platform including those that have SEND.
• We believe that additional intervention and support is key to all learners.

As an online education provider, we endeavour to maintain clear, high standards of support for all learners, including those with SEND, EHCPs, and looked after children.

Our teachers have high expectations of all learners and aim to be fully equipped with the skills, enthusiasm and supportive attitude that allows our learners to overcome any barriers to learning.

We use individual support strategies outlined on a SEND / EHCP / LAC / CIP / CIN area on the learner profile. Here the type of SEND is specified. Learners are provided with access to additional, targeted teacher input where needed, and the learner profile is all updated from the data provided by the commissioning schools. This enables our teachers and safeguarding teams to promptly implement effective targeted support and provision for learners identified as SEND, to improve the short and long-term outcomes for all our learners. 

Aims of the SEND Policy

This policy is produced in compliance with the SEND Code of Practice 2014 which provides statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures for educational providers. It relates to children and young people with SEND. The aim of the policy is to ensure that there are clear guidelines for all parties around SEND; that all learners are given equal opportunity to develop their talents and abilities to their full potential both inside the classroom and outside. At all stages, the wellbeing of the individual is paramount; and that additional support is met, when necessary, with those learners with SEND whilst on our learning platform are at the forefront of offering a personalised and tailored learning environment.

These aims are met by an approach to SEND provision, recognising that SEND is the responsibility of everyone. The EDClass teaching staff take responsibility for meeting individual needs and progress made towards outcomes, whilst teaching, engaging and interacting through the platform.

The policy outlines the actions that the staff at EDClass should take to meet their duties in relation to identifying and supporting all children with SEND, whether or not they have an Education, Health and Care (“EHC”) plan as outlined in Section 6 of the SEND Code of Practice 2014.

The SEND Code of Practice 2014

The SEND Code of Practice 2014 reflects the aims of the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated regulations that applies to children and young people with special educational needs and disabled children and young people. The associated regulations are:

• The SEND Regulations 2014
• The Special Educational Needs (Personal Budgets) Regulations 2014
• The SEND (Detained Persons) Regulations 2015
• The Children and Families Act 2014 (Transitional and Saving Provisions) (No 2) Order 2014

A ‘young person’ in this context is a person over compulsory School age and under 25. Compulsory School age ends on the last Friday of June in the academic year in which they become 16.

There is a clear focus in the SEND Code of Practice on the participation of children and young people and parents in decision-making at individual and strategic levels. It emphasizes high aspirations and a focus on improving outcomes for children and young people; and includes guidance on the joint planning and commissioning of services to ensure close co-operation between education, health and social care. There is also an emphasis on support that enables those with SEND to succeed in their education and make a successful transition to adulthood.

Definitions

Special Educational Needs (taken from the SEND Code of Practice 2014)

• A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special
• educational provision to be made for him or her.
• A child of compulsory Academy age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she has a significantly greater difficulty in accessing learning than the majority of others of the same age, or has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream school or mainstream post16 institutions
• Post-16 institutions often use the term learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD). The term SEND is

used in the new Code of Practice across the 0-25 age range but includes LLD.

Disabled children and young people

Many children and young people who have special educational needs may have a disability under the Equality Act 2010 – that is ‘…a physical or mental impairment which has a long term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. This definition provides a relatively low threshold and includes more children than many realise: ‘long term’ is defined as a ‘year or more’ and ‘substantial’ is defined as ‘more than minor or trivial’.

This definition includes sensory impairments such as those affecting sight or hearing, and long term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer. Children and young people with such conditions do not necessarily have special educational needs, but there is a significant overlap between disabled children and young people and those with SEN. Where a child or young person requires special educational provision over and above the adjustments, aids and services required by the Equality Act 2010 they will be additionally covered by the SEND definition.

Reasonable Adjustments

All educational providers have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage. These duties are anticipatory – they require thought to be given in advance to what disabled children and young people might require and what adjustments might need to be made to prevent that disadvantage.

Educational providers also have wider duties to prevent discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity and to foster good relations. Where a child or young person is covered by SEN and disability legislation, reasonable adjustments and access arrangements should be considered as part of SEND planning and review.

Broad areas of need

There are 4 broad categories of need outlined in the SEND Code of Practice 2014: 

Communication and interaction

Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (“SLCN”) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives.

Children and young people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, including Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication, social interaction and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others.

Cognition and learning

Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (“MLD”), severe learning difficulties (“SLD”), where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to profound and multiple learning difficulties (“PMLD”), where children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment.

Specific learning difficulties (“SpLD”), affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia, dysgraphia, developmental language disorder (“DLD”) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”).

Social, emotional and mental health difficulties

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. This behaviour may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Our behaviour sanctions document identifies clear processes to support children and young people, including how they will manage the effect of any disruptive behaviour whilst on the learning platform.

Sensory and/or physical needs

Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time. Many children and young people with vision impairment (“VI”), hearing impairment (“HI”) or a multi-sensory impairment (“MSI”) will require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning.

Children and young people with an MSI have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties, which makes it even more difficult for them to access the curriculum or study programme than for those with a single sensory impairment.

Some children and young people with a physical disability (“PD”) may require additional ongoing support, adjustments and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers.

Teacher Team: Supporting Learners

Our Teacher Team provides one-to-one academic and pastoral support to all learners throughout the school day, and is made up of teachers who have come from all levels across school settings: Classroom Teachers, Subject Leaders / Heads of Department, Senior Management and Headteachers. They bring to EDClass a wealth of experience of working with young people.

Integral to the work of this team is a clear understanding that our learners are acknowledging challenges that require them to access their learning remotely, whether that be for a short period or long-term. In many cases, our learners require support in addition to accessing the curriculum and we pride ourselves on the quality of that support, outlined in this policy. Our aims start with ‘the whole learner’ and their personal growth and wellbeing, before moving on to academic success.

In August 2023, all of our safeguarding staff, teaching team, school account managers and middle management have had further training and professional development on the following areas:

• Anxiety
• Autism
• ADHD
• Advanced Child Protection
• Online safety
• Trauma in Children
• Mental Health
• Bipolar
• Asperger's
• OCD
• Self-Harm
• LGBTQ+
• Eating Disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Sexual Harmful Behaviour
• Depression
• Phobias
• Suicide Awareness
• British Values
• Personality Disorder
• Downs Syndrome
• Dyslexia

Meeting the Needs of Learners:

Our Teacher Team provides live, one-to-one support to learners throughout the school day, and for learners who work with us for a few days or a matter of weeks, much of our support is focused on successful reintegration to school. Some learners may need reassurance, some may need support addressing behaviours or with understanding school expectations and with conversations around ‘softer skills’ and how they can impact relationships with others.

To meet the needs of the learners we have on the platform in association with our commissioning schools, we have the information required as set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 and must include information about:

• The kinds of SEND that are provided for.
• The EHCP plan if present on the platform.
• Their needs, including the name.
• Contact details of the commission school MPOC and SENCO.
• Arrangements for consulting parents of children with SEND and involving them in their child’s education and within our reviews.

Within EDClass we have adapted the learning resources and teaching styles to include the following:

• Lesson background colour can be changed for any visual needs.
• Font colour change.
• Font size change.
• Open dyslexia font available.
• Change learner pathways to address their need and build confidence.
• Allow learners extra time to think and offer answers.
• Give learners extra short breaks or activities to refocus them.
• Using the visualiser whilst on video chat.
• Slides readers in lessons (in development).
• Access arrangements met for progress assessments.
• Consistent, positive behaviour policy based on rights, rules, responsibilities and encouraging good choices.
• The use of pictorials/images to help with visualising.
• Use of equipment, models and images to aid understanding.
• Use whiteboard function to draw diagrams.

EDClass will:

• Ensure the SEND learner profile is made readily available to all staff to ensure that identified needs are met and that individuals have access to differentiated support to succeed whilst learning on the platform and maximize their potential.
• Maintain the highest standards of behaviour and that all learners are encouraged to develop independence with regard to their behaviour and will be signposted to the behaviour repair lessons and the behaviour sanctions document.
• Work in partnership with parents to ensure every learner with SEND is well supported in association with our commissioning school.
• Where appropriate, engage with external agencies to ensure the delivery of effective SEND provision.
• Provide training to all staff on special educational needs, both in relation to individual learners and particular types of needs. This training includes induction for new members of staff as well as on-going Continuing Professional Development (“CPD”).
• Comply with the Equality Act (2010) and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001) in addressing any learner’s SEND.
• Where appropriate, will make reasonable adjustments for a learner with special educational needs and liaise with pastoral staff at the commissioning school to ensure that all needs of SEND are addressed.
• Monitor and analyse cohort, attendance, behaviour and progress data for SEND as well as conducted reviews other areas of operation and practice.

Complaints

If a parent or commissioning school MPOC has a complaint about any matter, they should follow the procedures laid down in the EDClass Complaints Policy.

Links to other policies:

Safeguarding Policy

GDPR Policy

Admissions Policy

Attendance Policy

E-safety Policy

Behaviour Policy

Prevent Policy

Health and Safety Policy

Early Help Processing Policy

Call Recording Policy

Health and Safety Policy

Complaints Policy

Whistleblowing Policy

Data Protection Impact Assessment

RSE Policy