SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS / BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT ADVISORY TEAM (SEN/BST)

The Special Educational Needs / Behaviour Support Advisory Team is based at SEELB Headquarters at Grahamsbridge Road, Dundonald.

Special Educational Needs:

Behaviour Support :

Making a Request for Support:

Requests for support should be identified in the annual INSET needs procedure and should reflect the school development plan.

Requests for specific teacher / staff support which arise during the school year or for advice on issues related to SEN / behaviour management should be made by the Principal or relevant member of staff either in writing, by email or by telephone.

In emergency situations the Principal or relevant member of staff may contact the SEN /BST Advisory Team immediately for advice.

Support provided by the Special Education / Behaviour Support Advisory Team includes:

Ancillary Staff Training
A course of four one hour sessions is available for supervisory assistants. The sessions include Positive Behaviour Management, Communication, Dealing with Personalities and Situations and Anti – Bullying Awareness.

Anti Bullying Policy
Capacity building approach.

Assertive Discipline
All members of the team are accredited Assertive Discipline Trainers having completed Assertive Discipline Masterclass Training and training in the Succeeding with Difficult Students Course. Schools wishing to engage in the Assertive Discipline Programme will need either two days or four half days – times can be negotiated with the team.

Circle Time Development
Training is provided in Circle Time, along with resource packs developed by the team.

Classroom Assistant Training
A two day training course for classroom assistants working with pupils who present with challenging behaviour is offered in July.

Individual Teacher Support
For individual teachers when required, offering support in developing strategies to manage individual pupils or groups of pupils presenting with behaviour difficulties.

Managing Challenging Behaviour
This course is intended for schools that have had whole school training in positive behaviour management, e.g. Assertive Discipline, and who still require further training in managing challenging behaviour.

Playground Development
Support with ideas for developing the playground, linking in with the training for the supervisors. Schools may have support in training playground buddies and implementing a buddy system.

Positive Behaviour Policy
Capacity building approach – support for the school in engaging all members of the school community in policy development.

Positive Behaviour Schemes
Support with developing any Positive Behaviour Scheme, e.g. Reward System, School Council.

Promotion of Positive Behaviour
Whole school support or individual teacher support.

SEN Policy
Capacity building approach. Support for SENCOs in engaging all members of the school community in policy development.

SENCO Support
Support for SENCOs in managing and developing the role of SENCO.

Team Teach Training
All members of the team are accredited Team Teach Employers Tutors. Training in the Team Teach Model of addressing the issue of reasonable force / safe handling is delivered to the special schools. Advice and guidance will be offered to mainstream schools.

Working with Parents
As part of a whole school programme the team will speak about behaviour to groups of parents.

The team continually evaluates the programme of support to take cognisance of new developments. All support is tailored to meet the needs of individual schools following consultation. The team also links with other relevant units, e.g. CASS, EPS, EWS, Behaviour Outreach and Peripatetic Services to ensure that schools’ requests are followed up and that schools receive the most appropriate support to meet their needs.