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• Behaviour difficulties

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Schools have a responsibility to make provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN).

We provide funding through normal school budgets to help schools to support pupils with special educational needs. In Derbyshire we have produced The Derbyshire Descriptors of Special Educational Needs (SEN) Provision.

The Descriptors offer guidance and advice to primary and secondary schools about the level and type of support they should provide for pupils with additional needs. They are used by us to monitor provision for pupils with SEN without a statement.

They outline how schools should:

• Assess, plan and review provision.

• Arrange teaching groups.

• Adjust the curriculum and teaching methods.

• Provide resources, such as access to additional support from a teaching assistant for up to three hours per week for pupils at School Action or up to eight hours a week for pupils at School Action Plus.

Your child may:

• Find it hard to concentrate.

• Get frustrated by classroom tasks and routines.

• Underachieve because of poor work habits and avoidance tactics.

• Be uncooperative, get into trouble and resist adult direction.

• Have difficulty recognising that their behaviour is inappropriate.

• Have difficulty controlling their temper and feel that school rules and disciplinary arrangements are unfair.

• Have difficulty making and keeping friends.

• Want their own way and be unable to share and take turns.

• Have difficulty seeing things from someone else’s point of view.

• Show lack of respect for school or other people’s property.

• Have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

• Suffer from mood swings.

• Be over anxious.

• Suffer from low self esteem.

What can your school do?

• Find out what situations your child finds difficult.

• Record examples of good and bad behaviour.

• Set targets to help your child’s behaviour to improve.

• Set firm boundaries and arrange sanctions and rewards.

• Reinforce positive behaviour.

• Explain to your child in simple consistent language what s/he is required to do.

• Provide some additional supervision at times when behaviour or anxiety causes concern.

• Take advice about your child from relevant professionals who visit the school.

• Arrange some small group support with a teaching assistant such as positive play/support, nurture group, anger management.

• Support your child’s self esteem by ensuring that they are aware of what they are good at.

• Work with you so that you feel involved and can use similar approaches at home.

Who else can help?

Schools have access to a range of professionals who advise on arrangements for supporting pupils with behaviour difficulties. These include:

• The County Behaviour Support Service

• The Educational Psychology Service

• The Local Inclusion Officer Service

• The Support Service for SEN

If your child has other difficulties as well as with behaviour, all schools have access to county services which can offer support and advice for pupils with:

• autistic spectrum difficulties

• hearing, physical and/or visual difficulties

• learning difficulties

Your GP can advise on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and voluntary services such as Barnardo's.

You or your child’s teacher (with your permission) can ask a speech and language therapist to see your child. Your GP can make a referral for physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

What other advice is available?

Derbyshire has published comprehensive files of advice and information on dyslexia, autism and speech and language difficulties.

Contact details

Derbyshire Educational Psychology Service
County Hall
Dale Road
Matlock
DE4 3AG
Tel: 01629 580000

Local Inclusion Officer Service
Chesterfield Area Education Office
Sheffield Road
Chesterfield
S41 7LU
Tel: 01246 204851

Derbyshire Parent Partnership
The Community Centre
School Board Lane
Chesterfield
S40 1DD
Tel: 01246 273154/5

The full version of the SEN Descriptors is available in every school.

If you require this and other local inclusion officer service leaflets in large print or another format, please contact the head of Local Inclusion Officer service listed above.