Ballyoran Primary School promotes an inclusive ethos; all pupils are offered access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum and given every opportunity to develop to their full potential while being educated alongside their peers.
A child has special educational needs if he or she has a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made. A learning difficulty means significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age or a disability, which makes it difficult for the child to use the same educational facilities as other children. Classroom activities are organised and differentiated to ensure that all pupils receive work at their level and are suitably challenged. More able children are offered extension activities while children with learning difficulties have access to a comprehensive programme of remediation, including in-class and withdrawal support, Reading Partnership and, if necessary, Peripatetic Support.
The school complies with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs and we believe in a policy of early intervention. All pupils who require Learning Support are listed on an SEN Register. Initially, teachers keep Records of Concern on pupils before they formally go on to the Register. Education Plans are formulated in consultation between the class teacher and the SENCO, for all pupils at Stages 2-5 on the register. These are then discussed with and signed by parents. We believe that the SEN register should not be a static document and that pupils should be constantly moving either up or down the stages.
Mrs McGuire is the SENCO and Mrs Barkley plans, teaches and monitors our Intensive Support Programme in Literacy and Numeracy.
