Personalised Learning Policy

ARIS Core Purpose

“We are a diverse community of learners that are committed to inspire, empower and transform for a better world.”



ARIS Core Values

  • Greatness in Everyone
  • Learning with Everyone
  • Creativity and Innovation by Everyone
  • Service to Everyone
  • Change for Everyone

 

ARIS Characteristics

  • Responsibility and Respect
  • Passion and Mindfulness
  • Collaboration and Communication
  • Reflection and Action

 

IB Mission Statement 

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. 

To this end, the organization works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. 

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. 

ARIS offers the following programmes:

  • The International Baccalaureate  Primary  Years Programme (PYP)
  • The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP)
  • The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. (IBDP)
  • The International Baccalaureate Career Programme. (IBCP)







TABLE OF CONTENT



PHILOSOPHY 7

OUR DUTY 8

AIMS & OBJECTIVES 8

DEFINITION OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION NEED 9

GIFTED & TALENTED STUDENTS & ADVANCED LEARNING STUDENTS 10

ADMISSION POLICY 11

EARLY IDENTIFICATION & INTERVENTION PROCESS 13

INCLUSION POLICY 14

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES 15

Director of School 15

Head of School 15

Heads of Department will: 15

The SENCO/PLC will: 15

The SEN/PL teachers will: 16

ARIS Teachers will: 16

Teacher Assistants (TAs) will: 17

The Student: 17

Parents/caregivers: 17

ARIS RESOURCES 17

LIAISON WITH EXTERNAL AGENCIES 18

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (PLP) 18

SEN Emergency Action Plan 19

Prevention 19

Implementation During A Disaster 21

Lockdown 21

Fire 21

Flood 22

Post-event 22

Policy Communication 22

Policy Review 22

APPENDIX A : 23

Go Pack Emergency Card 23

RESOURCES 23





“...schools with an inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discrimination, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all”

 

(Salamanca Statement, Art 2)




PHILOSOPHY

 

Al-Rayan International School (ARIS) provides inclusive education, embracing the uniqueness and potential of all students. Based on the philosophy of the IB and the ARIS driving principles of respect, collaboration, honesty, and compassion, we believe the mainstream classroom is the most appropriate and beneficial environment for all students. We believe that an inclusive educational programme has a value that enriches the whole community and that inclusion is a careful and thoughtful blend of educational excellence and equity.

 

The purpose of an inclusive Special Education Needs (SEN) programme is to provide children with social, emotional, and/or learning needs with a meaningful and respectful learning experience that builds their self-confidence and creates a sense of belonging. We strive to individualize teaching and learning strategies to meet each student’s distinct learning goals and are actively promoting every ARIS teacher is an SEN teacher. 

 

We embrace the challenge of serving the whole family and believe the parents/caregivers are an essential piece to our SEN programme. As a community, we work to develop every student to his or her full potential.





OUR DUTY

The ARIS duty is to support all students, staff, parents, caregivers and other members of the school community by:

  • Promoting equal opportunity 
  • Eliminating discrimination 
  • Eliminating harassment 
  • Promoting healthy attitudes and language 
  • Encouraging equal and equitable participation 
  • Taking proactive steps to meet all people’s individual and holistic needs 




AIMS & OBJECTIVES

 

  • To provide a climate of warmth and support in which students’ self-confidence and self-esteem can grow
  • To provide a school culture in which all students feel valued and are able to risk making mistakes without fear
  • To embrace a shared responsibility by all ARIS staff to support the SEN policy at every level of education.
  • To encourage access and ensure that a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum is taught in the classroom according to their capability and maximizing their potential 
  • To ensure that the support provided is appropriate, effective, and individualized for the students’ needs. 
  • To ensure that the needed support for students with SEN is communicated with all stakeholders. -
  • To identify, assess and provide support for families with a student with SEN. 
  • To regularly update the SEN policy to reflect modern and inclusive practices as the field dictates 
  • To develop contacts with outside professional agencies or skilled individuals (speech therapists, occupational therapist, psychomotor therapists etc) to enhance internal service delivery. 
  • To ensure that all members of the ARIS team are adequately trained and have opportunities for ongoing professional development related to supporting students with SEN.
  • To have a multidisciplinary team of therapists including, but not limited to, dyslexic specialist, numeracy specialists, drama and dance specialist etc.
  • To develop training modules for new staff, both the Personalised Learning Department (PLD) and Teaching staff 





DEFINITION OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION NEED

  • A student has an SEN if they have: 
    • A significant challenge (social, emotional, behavioural, physical and/or academic) which is becoming a barrier to their learning. 
    • Significantly greater difficulty in learning in comparison to the majority of his/her same-age peers causes challenges with keeping up with the class curriculum 
    • An impediment which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age 
  • The four areas of SEN are: 
    • Communication and interaction challenges
    • Cognition and learning challenges
    • Social, mental and emotional health challenges
    • Sensory and/or physical challenges
  • Students are not regarded as having significant learning challenges solely because their language or home language is different from that in which they are taught. Identifying and assessing SEN for students whose first language is not English requires particular care. We look carefully at all aspects of a student’s performance in different areas of learning and development to establish whether lack of progress is due to limitations in their command of English or if it arises from a Special Education Need. Some examples of screening and testing tools used for our students whose first language is not English and may require some EAL support are WIDA and Rosetta stone.






 

GIFTED & TALENTED STUDENTS & ADVANCED LEARNING STUDENTS  

All our students at Al-Rayan International School are valued for their individual strengths and abilities. We encourage students and teachers to embody the IB learner profile of risk-takers and take on advanced and challenging learning programmes. 

In our context students regarded as gifted and talented are those who may be exceptionally ahead of their peers in one of the following areas: 

  •  music, sport, creative imagination and leadership roles
  • Those who possess exceptional general academic skills   or specific aptitude in one or two subjects  
  •  Some students might have two exceptionalities.



At Al-Rayan International School students who are identified as gifted and talented may be educated with differentiated learning tasks and a challenging curriculum to enable them to reach their full potential. The identification procedure is as follows:

  • Stakeholders such as teachers and enrichment facilitators are invited to submit the names of pupils they view as potentially gifted and talented. 
  • Stakeholders will also be asked to fill in an inventory – ‘The Scales of Identifying Gifted students’  (SIGS) this inventory should be returned to the administrator.

 

  • A meeting is then set by the Gifted and Talented /Advanced learning committee for stakeholders to justify the perceived area /areas of strength for the students using evidence such as  CAT and GL assessments and other cognitive assessment that take into account the needs of non-verbal learners, those who have deficits in language and communication and English as second language learners.

 

  • Al-Rayan students identified as gifted and talented will be educated with differentiated learning tasks in line with the Early Years Programmes (EYP), Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma and Career related Programme (DP/CP).

 

  • They will also be provided with appropriate advanced learning opportunities to enhance their learning to meet their academic, social and cognitive needs.

 

ADMISSION POLICY

All children will be treated according to their needs in line with the school’s policy for equality of opportunity. No child will be denied admission because of his or her faith, race, physical ability or academic attainment. Every student interested in enrolling to ARIS will undergo an admissions interview and potentially an age-appropriate cognitive ability admissions assessment (GL Assessment). During this meeting, we encourage members of staff to join, including but not limited to the head of the Support Department and/or the SENCO. 

 

We require that parents inform the school of any previous testing. Previously identified special needs or previously received support must be communicated at the time of application. In some cases, parents may be asked to commit to providing extra support for their child, which may include a financial contribution. The extra support may take the form of one-on-one and pull-out support. Out of school provisions can also be arranged. If the need for an educational psychological evaluation and/or the introduction of additional support is identified after enrolment is completed, the school will require full parental cooperation and collaboration in order to provide a programme that is in the best educational interests of the student.

 

The ARIS team reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of all potential students’ enrollment.

 

Below is an outline of the stages we follow  to manage information at various transition points from admissions: 



Stage 1 From Admissions:

  • Head of School
  • Head of Counselling and Support Department 
  • PLSD Coordinators

 

 Stage 2:  After Admissions

  • PLSD Coordinators
  • PLSD Team
  • Staff (teachers, emotional counsellor, career counsellors, school nurse and TA’s)

 

Stage 3: Exiting the school

  • Admissions transfer relevant information to another school. 









EARLY IDENTIFICATION & INTERVENTION PROCESS 

(Also see SEN Manual pg. 7)

 

Learning difficulties can arise at any time as a result of new curriculum demands, changed rates of learning, absence from school, settling into a new educational environment or a specific learning or language difficulty. 

  • ARIS believes in the benefits of Early Intervention and will ensure all students who display signs of  SEN are identified and assessed. 

 

  • Students who are displaying challenges will be provided internal support and accommodations to the extent they are available. If the student continues to have challenges despite support measures, the parents/caregivers will be requested to seek external assessments. 

 

  • SEN identification assessments may consist of: 
    • Meeting with parents/caregivers
    • Advice from previous schools
    • Advice from external professionals 
    • Standardized formal assessments 
    • Specialized assessments 
    • Observations or informal assessments 

 

  • If/when a student receives a formal assessment from an outside professional, a meeting is arranged by the PLD team together with the heads of school, communications, the assessor and the family. During this meeting, the assessor presents the findings and shares the recommendations with the school team. After the meeting, the PLD team reviews the report and schedules a meeting with the parents to discuss how the team can implement the recommendations from the report. An opt-in form is sent for the parents to complete. Students who opt-in for support receive direct services from the staff of the department. On the other hand, students who opt out receive support (differentiated tasks) from their teachers based on the recommendations from their assessment under the supervision of the PLD coordinator.



Some other services the PLD provide are:

 

  • The ARIS PLD team conducts regular assessments and maintain records of progress for all students on their register

 

  • A Special Education Needs Personalised Learning  Plan (SEN PLP) is developed by the ARIS PLD team and implemented for all students with diagnosed or suspected disabilities. The PLP is reviewed and updated every six weeks by the PLD team in collaboration with the homeroom teachers.

 

  • When significant progress is being made, the ARIS team and the student’s parents/caregivers can decide to decrease support levels and/or end the use of a PLP.  

 

  • There may be a need to challenge able students and stimulate a higher level of achievement, in a particular area, or across subject areas. The term ‘Gifted and Talented’ (G&T) is used to describe those students who are achieving or who have the potential to achieve a level substantially beyond the rest of their peer group. G&T students may also present with a learning difficulty.



INCLUSION POLICY  

Teachers are expected to make every effort to ensure that children with SEN are fully involved in the life of the class. For some children, it will be necessary for them to spend some time in small groups or being pulled out from the classroom for specific, timed activities related to the needs identified. This may be delivered by the teacher, teaching assistant, SEN Teacher, or SEN Coordinator (SENCO), and will complement classroom work so that the skills, knowledge and understanding will be transferred to the classroom. 

  • ARIS believes in the “whole child” approach to education, which involves all the staff adhering to a model of good practice. 
  • ARIS staff are committed to identifying and providing for the needs of all children in a wholly inclusive environment. 
  • ARIS works to make all school building and facilities physically accessible 
  • Access to the curriculum: 
    • ARIS will make necessary provisions for all students with SEN to match their individual needs by developing a Personalised Learning Plan (PLP) in collaboration with Personalised Leaning Department (PLD) staff and Homeroom Teachers. Every student's PLP will be reviewed in collaboration with Homeroom teachers.
    • The classroom teacher, SEN teacher, and SENCO will keep regular records of the student’s needs, any extra provision that is implemented, and individual progress. 
    • There will be a flexible grouping of students so that learning and social needs may be met in individual, small groups, and whole-class contexts
    • The curriculum will be differentiated to meet the needs of individual students. Teaching styles and flexible grouping will reflect this approach. 




ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Director of School

  • Ensure all Senior Management Team (SMT) members are in full support and actively implementing the ARIS SEN policy 
  • Ensure all SMT are actively promoting and implementing the inclusion of students with SEN. 
  • Champion inclusive education by ensuring adequate SEN resources, SEN professional development opportunities, and serve as an advocate for the Support Department as a whole. 

 

Head of School 

  • Promoting and implementing routine evaluations of teacher’s inclusive teaching and learning methods, including differentiated assignments and assessments 
  • Facilitating and/or coordinating regular SEN-related professional development opportunities for all ARIS staff
  • Actively participate in the SEN PLP process, including overseeing individual goals and attending parent meetings
  • Systematically ensuring the wellbeing of the SEN team. 

  

 

Heads of Department will:

  • Keep up to date with the students of concern list and ensure new members of the department are familiar with the SEN Policy
  • Ensure that practice and procedures within the department promote learning and teaching which is relevant and accessible to all students.
  • Support subject teachers to enable them to provide an appropriate and differentiated curriculum.
  • Ensure appropriate resources are available.
  • Discuss issues with subject teachers through departmental meetings 

 

The SENCO/PLC will: 

  • Update the SEN policy, procedures, and SEN Department development plans on an annual basis 
  • Communicate the school SEN policy and procedures to parents and the importance of parental involvement in their child’s learning.
  • Monitor the identification and assessment of students with a variety of needs
  • Maintain internal SEN resources and advocate for any additionally needed resources 
  • Maintain current student SEN records and keep all stakeholders informed to any pertinent updates
  • Develop, implement and continuously updated SEN Individual Education Plans 
  • Develop and facilitate SEN-related professional development opportunities for ARIS community
  • Develop and maintain contacts with outside professional services where available

 

The SEN/PL teachers will:

  • Act as advocates for their individual students.
  • Promote and support implementation of differentiated lessons by taking into account the learning styles, which encourage students with special needs to participate fully.
  • Provide professional support to colleagues, especially when discussing SEN-related teaching and learning 
  • Be an active piece to the community chain regarding specific students needs  
  • Encourage staff to continue to develop a healthy campus attitude to all students with learning differences.
  • Teach individuals and groups of students as appropriate.
  • Give students the opportunity to articulate their concerns regarding the challenges they face in their academic and social life.
  • Keep documentation of student progress up to date. 
  • Keep up to date professionally regarding new information about special education needs topics.

 

ARIS Teachers will:

  • Be informed on the ARIS SEN Policy and procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for students with a variety of needs. 
  • Be able to gather and document information through observation and assessments when necessary 
  • Keep up to date with any students of concern
  • Effectively communicate to Head of Department and/or SENCO if any SEN-related or suspected SEN-related concerns arise amongst any of their students 
  • Be responsible for devising strategies and identifying appropriate methods for ensuring access to the curriculum. This includes strategies for providing differentiated teaching.
  • Regularly examine their strategies and methods to see if they can make improvements that will help students to access the curriculum.
  • Work closely with and involve classroom assistants as part of the learning team.
  • Contribute to, manage and regularly review SEN PLPs with the support team 
  • Liaise with Heads of Department and SENCO in order to ensure student progress 




Teacher Assistants (TAs) will:

  • Support SEN students based on their SEN PLPs and differentiated teaching and learning
  • Work under the guidance of the classroom teacher in the classroom, one-on-one, or small groups.
  • Be involved in planning, keeping records, and attending meeting when possible and/or necessary
  • Regularly assess and communicate student strengths and areas of challenge 
  • Be an advocate for students with SEN
  • Create learning materials or resources as necessary 

 

The Student: 

  • S/he will see themselves as equal partners in their education, involved in making decisions and reviewing progress as much as needed and/or appropriate
  • Work to their highest potential, showing dedication to all areas of development
  • Adhering to all school policies and procedures as they apply to them

 

Parents/caregivers: 

  • To stay informed regarding the ARIS SEN Policy and procedures 
  • Be an active part of their student’s education including collaboration with ARIS team on student support programmes
  • Ensure any outside assessments are conducted in a timely manner and reports formally communicated to the ARIS team
  • Embrace IB philosophy on child-centred curriculum and achievement, especially in regards to students with SEN and their unique displays of knowledge acquisition. 

ARIS RESOURCES  

  • ARIS specialist support provision available: 
  • Medical and/or physical support
  • Curriculum adaptations 
  • Literacy support
  • Numeracy support
  • Social, mental, and/or emotional support
  • EAL support 

 

  • Types of ARIS support available: 
    • Mainstream and SEN Individualized Education Plans (PLPs)
    • One-on-one support by SEN teacher
    • In-class support by teacher, teaching assistant, and/or SEN teacher 
    • Pull-out support for individual/small group work and/or counseling 
    • Behaviour modification programmes
    • Use of specialist equipment and/or resources 
    • Access to external support and/or assessments 
    • Specially tailored home programmes




LIAISON WITH EXTERNAL AGENCIES

Where it is necessary to contact outside agencies, the SENCO will make the necessary arrangements and discuss with parents/caregivers accordingly. These agencies normally include work with Neurodevelopmental Pediatricians, Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, visual, hearing, and physical impairment specialists. Any or all of these agencies may be involved in the provision map and/or construction, delivery or review of targets set in children’s PLPs in order to ensure a student’s maximum achievement.

 

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (PLP)

Students who have been identified with a SEN will have an PLP describing their needs and any additional provisions. 

 

  • PLPs can include:
  • A summary of the student, i.e. age, class, teacher, parents/caregiver, etc. 
  • A summary of the pupil’s strengths
  • A summary of the student’s learning needs based on formal and informal assessments
  • Teaching and learning recommendations based on formal and informal assessments 
  • Subject-specific targets, updated every eight weeks and as targets are achieved  
  • Input from the student and his/her parents/caregivers
  • Description of the additional/different provision planned, i.e. any transition plans or homework support 
  • Description of achievement and exit criteria, enabling a focused review of progress

 

SEN Emergency Action Plan 

For the purpose of this plan, students with Special Education Needs (SEN) are those who cannot comfortably or safely access and use the standard resources in an emergency situation. 

 

Children with disabilities generally have specific “triggers”—words, images, sounds, etc.-- that can signal danger or disruption to their feelings of safety and security. If adults miss these cues, children may escalate their behavior(s) to a point where they completely lose control. It is essential that all the ARIS team, including parents/caregivers, work together to share information about these triggers, in order to ensure the health and safety of all of our students. 

 

Prevention 

  1. Survey all Students
  • Review how an emergency may impact the daily routine of each student 
  • Know the students with an SEN (and/or EAL) 
  • Make a list of students on medication, those with allergies, and/or history of Epilepsy 
  • Assess all potential hazards or areas of concern in the child’s immediate environment 
  • Develop individualized accommodations to keep them calm and safe in disaster situations

 

  1. For every student, it is important to consider all aspects of their unique needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, there are key practices that should be considered for certain students with Special Education Needs: 

 

  • Cognitive/Developmental Needs: Some students may not comprehend the nature of the emergency and could become disoriented or confused about the proper way to react. Students with dyslexia or learning disabilities will have difficulty reading complicated directions for evacuation or response plans. Simple diagrams or pictures will give non-reading or overstressed students sufficient information to get to safety. Check that evacuation routes have directional signs that are easy to follow. Practice evacuation route(s) with students regularly. 

 

  • Mobility Needs: Limited mobility may impair a student’s ability to exit in an emergency situation and/or access a safe location. Arrange and secure furniture and other items to provide barrier-free paths of travel. Disaster debris may obstruct evacuation. Train the staff the proper way to move an individual with mobility needs, either using partial or full assistance. Students with mobility challenges should practice covering their heads with a book or with their arms or hands. 

 

  • Speech/Auditory Needs Determine in advance the best way for the student to communicate with others during an emergency. Provide visual emergency and evacuation instructions on a card carried at all times and placed in an easy to see location. Remember that even students without diagnosed speech or auditory needs may shut down in emergency situations and also need these simplified and visual instructions to best understand the situation and instructions. 

 

  • Respiratory Challenges: Students with asthma or other respiratory impairments may have difficulty breathing when walking distances or descending stairs. Smoke, dust, fumes, chemicals, and other odours often exacerbate such limitations. For these students, include emergency evacuation masks and respirators in classrooms. Students and staff should practise putting on and removing this equipment as part of an emergency drill.

 

  • Visual Needs: Those with visual impairments, or those who have lost their ability to navigate visually, may have to depend on others to lead them to safety during a disaster. In this situation, the individual with visual needs may be reluctant to leave familiar surroundings. Establishing a buddy system can help aid in building trust in peers before a disaster might occur. Emergency back-up lighting systems, especially in stairwells and other dark areas, will benefit those students with limited visual acuity. Mark emergency supplies and exits with large print. Students should know where the nearest telephones and alarm boxes are located.

 

  1. Classrooms that are used for teaching students with Special Education Needs should store disability-related supplies, assistive equipment and tools that may be required in an emergency. Classroom emergency boxes may include: 
  • Batteries in different sizes, for adaptive equipment
  • Lockdown kit, including portable toilet, privacy screen, toilet paper, toilet bowl liners disinfectant, and plastic bag for disposal
  • Bottled water
  • Water for hygiene purposes
  • Copies of all students’ emergency contact forms
  • Hand tools (e.g., screwdriver, wrench, pliers)
  • Gloves 
  • Tarp
  • Solar/crank/battery radio
  • Flashlight 
  • First aid kit
  • Nonperishable foods
  • Antibacterial soap
  • Facial tissues
  • Whistle/noisemaker
  • Pen and paper 

 

  1. Individualized emergency supplies will be provided for SEN students in their ARIS Go Packs. These may include, but are not limited to: 
  • Student profile with pictures, including name, date of birth, parents information, contact information, medical information, likes, dislikes, possible ways the child will react under high-stress situations, and useful intervention ideas (See Appendix A)
  • Individualized calming activities, i.e. paper and crayons, books, puzzles, Legos, special stuffed animals, etc. 
  • ARIS Go Packs will be stored in the students’ homerooms. 

 

Implementation During A Disaster 

During a disaster event, if an SEN student is under your supervision it is essential to understand his or her unique needs. Panicking by teachers and other students, may lead to the rise in the SEN student’s anxiety and uncontrolled behaviour. Consider the triggers and cues for students with Special Education Needs. Anticipate rather than react. Prepare students for changes in routine. Some students may need to be more protected or isolated to minimize distractions and sources of agitation during the height of a crisis. Adult supervision may need to be intensified to ensure health and safety of all the students. Staff who are not in direct contact with students during the onset of a disaster should ensure their safety first and then check on the safety of others. 

 

Lockdown 

  1. All students and staff are to remain where they are, unless the immediate environment is unsafe (i.e. in the canteen, on the football pitch, etc.). 
  2. If you have an SEN student under your supervision during this time, you are to consider and act according to his or her unique needs. 
  3. If the lockdown occurs within the student’s homeroom, they will have their own ARIS Go Pack available. In this pack, there will be vital information regarding how to best manage the student’s behaviour, emergency contact information, any essential medical needs, and a visual communication card. 
  4. When possible, one adult must be assigned specifically to the SEN student in order to assist in any instructions or actions that are necessary. 
  5. In an extended lockdown situation, SEN students may resist being held within a confined space. They may exhibit high levels of anxiety, fear, and sadness. These emotions can lead to a violent outburst or extreme behaviour, which may put them or others in danger. It is advisable to try all methods of de-escalation before interacting physically with a student. 
  6. ARIS staff responsible for the SEN student(s), are to stay in communication with the SENCO throughout the situation as much as possible. 

 

Fire 

  1. Once an alarm has been sounded, ARIS staff are to first survey the area that they are in to assess immediate danger. If the area is clear of danger, they are to quietly line up students and calmly walk to their designated assembly point. 
  2. Provide clear, simplified instructions throughout the moving process. 
  3. If the student needs physical assistance in moving to a safe space, ARIS staff are to consider safe lifting techniques. In all situations, it is vital to explain to the child that you will be partially or fully supporting their mobility. If they do not trust you, their resistance will increase. 
  4. Once in a safe space, check-in with the student regularly, assessing their emotional and physical status. 
  5. ARIS staff responsible for the SEN student(s), are to stay in communication with the SENCO throughout the situation as much as possible. 

 

Flood 

  1. In the event of a flood, younger children in the lower level classrooms will need to be moved up to higher ground. In some cases this may require crossing open flowing water, in which students might need partial or full assistance to ensure their safety. 
  2. Ensure that all communication is clear and simplified. 
  3. When possible, a teacher should bring the SEN student’s ARIS Go Pack with them in order to help calm the student once at a safe destination. 

 

Post-event

Children with Special Education Needs are likely to respond to any form of stress with more extreme reactions. Some students with special needs will need more time to comprehend the emergency. When necessary, allow extra time for them to emotionally process what has happened. Allow time for discussion of the traumatic events in a safe and familiar setting; provide choices in activities to give students some sense of control over even a small part of their lives. 

 

Policy Communication

This policy is communicated on the school website. At the beginning of each academic year, the Programme coordinators and Head of School communicates the possible access arrangements available to support students with learning needs during orientation programs for parents, students and staff.



Policy Review

As an institution, we believe in growth through reflection and continuous improvement, and we recognize our role as life-long learners. We are therefore committed to reviewing this policy on a yearly basis during the months of October - November, with the aim of ensuring that our policies are aligned with that of the International Baccalaureate

APPENDIX A :

Go Pack Emergency Card

 

                       






RESOURCES

Emergency Plan for Students with Special Needs for Marin County School District. Mary Jane Burke, Marin County Superintendent of Schools. April 2010.