Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the Training and Development Agency (TDA)
SENCOS
A key function of any school is addressing the
special educational needs (SEN) of pupils, whether the pupils
have statements of SEN or not. This means that special educational
needs has to have the right profile within a school and the person
or persons appointed to carry out SENCO functions have a central
and important role in this.
When appointing a SENCO, headteachers and governing
bodies must have regard to the SEN Code of Practice (2001).
As detailed in the Code, the SENCO should have
responsibility for:
— overseeing the day-to-day operation
of the school's SEN policy;
— liaising with the advising teachers;
— managing the SEN team of teachers
and learning support assistants;
— co-ordinating provision for pupils
with SEN;
— overseeing the records on all pupils
with SEN;
— liaising with parents of pupils with
SEN;
— contributing to the in-service training
of staff; and
— liaising with external agencies.
It would also normally be expected that the
SENCO is a member of the senior leadership team within a school,
thereby demonstrating the importance attached to SEN. In some
schools the SENCO function may be part of a broader "inclusion"
remit.
The actual decision as to which person or persons
to appoint to the SENCO role rests with the headteacher and governing
body. In making the appointment, the headteacher should take into
account factors such as:
— the skills and experience required
in connection with the role, and the extent to which the candidate
has demonstrated these or could acquire them;
— the range and complexity of SEN represented
within the school; and
— practical issues such as authority
(credibility) in relation to members of the teaching staff, parents
and external parties.
When the SEN Code was published in November
2001, the general assumption—albeit not explicitly stated—was
that the role of SENCO would normally fall to a teacher. Provided
that the school has had regard to the advice in the SEN Code of
Practice and given due consideration to the nature of the role
and the ability of the individual concerned to fulfil it there
is no legal obstacle that would prevent a headteacher giving elements,
or indeed all, of the SENCO role to teaching assistants (TA),
or other members of support staff.
The DfES have received a number of representations
on the question of whether TAs can be SENCOs. They have given
very careful consideration to these but are not persuaded that
there is a case for overruling the ability of headteachers to
make the appointments that they consider to be appropriate. As
part of our new remit for the whole school workforce, the DfES
have asked us to look at the role and training of SENCOs.
April 2006
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