Running to stand still

As you can probably see it's been more than a week since my last post which probably gives some indication of what life has been like.  The IPM went well even though I hadn't prepared a code of practice (the list of all children on the SEN register) and we made good progress on detailing who, what & when things will happen.

I have now found out the truth about being a SENCO.  You begin a day with a list of things to do and by the end you realise that really all that's happened is that things on the list have not been done and more things have been added to the list!  The amount of meetings is enormous (but I realise necessary to get people and strategies in place) and then the workload from that meeting needs to be done. 

I am still in the process of writing up two annual reviews after being given some more pointers on my draft copies (and finding the corresponding documentation), beginning a proposed statement, finalising all the TA support and their corresponding work for afternoons to begin supporting children next week, chasing up parent paperwork before professionals can come in to observe and informing teachers of the things I have now put in place in the draft IEPs I have written in my head!! 

I would also like to say at this point I am also loving this role too.  Alleviating parents' concerns, worries, helping turn it around for children, be a campaigner for their concerns and needs does have its rewards and I do feel I am getting somewhere.  I'm also pleased that the many professionals I am meeting are also saying they're impressed with what I've done in such a short time.  So I'll just keep on running and report back when I have time to catch my breath!

Speech and Language

Today was my first meeting of the new year to talk through children on the books of speech and language.  I discovered that my new filing system is working as I could locate all the speech and language programs and letters regarding Sp & L.  A bit of a wobble when talking about a child whose surname I didn't recognise but realised is brother to another child in school just different surname and once that was sorted I realised I was pretty knowledgable and up to speed on all of the children on the books.  Have asked for some SMART targets on a couple ("to use learning strategies for classroom listening" was far too vague and woolly!!) and should be signing three children off by the end of the term.

My new enrolment details have been e-mailed to me to join the university for my SENCO course so I will be joining tomorrow I hope as well as getting on with the annual review forms for a couple of children.  I still have to find out a bit more about what information I am expected to produce and talk through at the IPM next Monday and have to get on with pulling together a statement for one and possibly two children over the next couple of weeks.  I think I'm going to be a busy bee!!

Dyslexia Multi-tasking

The suspension files arrived yesterday so I began the task of relocating from the SENCO filing cabinet in the admin office to the new SEN room.  I had also discovered other files in other drawers so these moved too.  Now all files are together but are yet to be meaningfully looked at and sorted into categories.

So far I have a drawer dedicated to children who have a "Cause for Concern" , SA, SA+, Statement, Medical and a drawer for LAC files, both of these I have sorted through so they contain the relevant material and children (some still contained files on children who had left more than three years ago!)but the other two drawers are filed with a miscellany of files.  If anyone has suggestions about the important categories then I'd love to know.

I also managed to sort out more of the room by putting things away into the desk and the filing cabinet of social and emotional support which was initially in the room.  The two tables and chairs are now in place and only a few more things to be put away (hopefully less than 1/2 an hour) and the room will be operational for teaching and meetings - hurray!

My role in school also extends this year to school librarian and the state of the library is something to behold!  Choosing three willing volunteers from my class for lunchtime library duty we set about trying to put some of the books back onto the shelves from the piles that have just been dumped around the library.  It soon became evident that one child who I have suspected of dyslexic tendancies (bright, interesting & out of the box ideas, bizarre spellings) could not use the alphabet without trying to recite from A each time (for filing books in the M-R sections) totally confused after F (H G K J!) and unable to say what came after M (even after two reminders).  This library exercise gave further evidence so I am really pleased with the multi-tasking involved and may use it with another two children who I also believe have dyslexic tendencies.  The atmosphere of laughing at the unbelievable mess of books and the bonding process of how much work we all had to do to sort just a few shelves meant no-one knew I was gathering information and certainly the child in question enjoyed the task because of the support given and the help they were giving me.

Filing Cabinets Arrive for Duty!

Yesterday, much to everyone's amazement the filing cabinets arrived (less than 24 hours signed, sealed, delivered!)  Our wonderful caretaker had put them into position in the room I am trying to turn into the S.E.N. Centre, so all that is left is for me to now transfer the S.E.N. files into them (I had hoped to do this yesterday during my SENCO morning but my time was taken up with other, more pressing issues) and await the delivery of a batch of suspension files to create my new filing system which hopefully will allow information on each child or targeted teaching group to be easily accessible.

I also had a meeting with a member of the behavioural team (privately we're renaming it "The Support Team") who brought and explained details of the various things they do.  As a class teacher I have had contact with certain people regarding children displaying really bad behaviour in class, as the SENCO I realised how much support is actually out there so why can't class teachers tap into it more?

Chasing up an urgent case via phone calls regarding panel occupied some of the morning as well as trying to contact people for the IPM - school e-mail system went down, so not much doing!  Reading the proposed statements for a couple of children that arrived in the post also took up more of my time.

I have begun to realise just how much work is involved and possibly why the filing is in the way it is! 

As class teachers have not yet had their review meetings about children who are falling behind, T.A. managed groups have not yet been set up nor one-to-one sessions & targeted teaching for me either, so I hope to make the SEN Centre ready this morning as I hope some groups will be able to start next week and I want somewhere for them. 

First Annual Review

First annual review done today as Senco, and I have to admit a steep learning curve - luckily our LA representative volunteered to chair as I said it would be my first - also I could not find the relevant blank forms so took copious notes to fill forms in for later.  Have also been told to schedule at least an hour per child for the review - as it was we speeded through to deal with two children who should have had reviews last school year but due to two cancellations by various important parties had failed to happen.  Therefore these have been done as late reviews and I should schedule this year's review for late in the school year 2012-2013.  At least I felt it had gone well with additional hours sought and two staff members not one to do the hours all agreed in principle by everyone.  Tomorrow I will write most of it up and get outreach support added when they come next week to assess ICT arrangements.

New filing cabinets arrived and are now installed in the room that I am to turn into the special needs and SENCO room.  No actual suspension files in them though so will have to order some of those before can actually sort and file vast quantitites of paperwork!!

Things are progressing, but slowly.

Tardebigge Flight & Elephant Hawk Moths

As it was sunny - hubby and I decided to go out - we were heading for the Kington Show but traffic conditions made us change our minds on route and we ended up parking at the Queen's Head pub at Stoke Pound, having lunch there and then walking up the Tardebbige Flight of locks to Tardebigge (where the Tardebigge Village Fete was going on - a complete surprise) and then after an ice-cream and drink there, heading back down the flight and back to the car at the pub to drive home.  It was funny to think that the flight had taken us about 6 hours to do in a canal boat one way!!

Unfortunately, I had forgotten to take my camera, but there were not many narrow boats cruising today (maybe a sign of the recession?).  I would have liked to have shown a photo of the elephant hawk moth caterpillar I came across but instead have found a photo http://www.wallwork.me.uk/garden.html that shows the approximate size (big aren't they?)

EUREKA!!

Finally, my diary turned up when looking tonight in my old laptop case - hurray I am saved.  Unfortunately, it does look like I booked an important meeting for this coming Monday - so tomorrow will be spent ringing round trying to see if people can come to it and I'll probably have to cancel those that have said yes because others can't at such short notice.  Not good.

 

Over the past two nights, as well as looking for my diary, I have also managed to get a small hook rug finished and two scarves completed.  I think I might post the blue scarf as my monthly make as it was mostly knitted during September, the red one had been started some time ago and just needed a few more rows to finish.  What do you think?

I am also posting the two photos I took on Tuesday night when the red sky was spectacular. Somehow it just didn't come out the same on the photos.