Number of children in Jersey issued with a Record of Need 2010 to 2014 (FOI)

​​​​​Request

A.

How many children in Jersey were issued with a statement of special need in the years 2010-2014, broken down into individual years?

B.

How many children were there in Jersey’s education system with English as an additional language in the years 2010-2014, broken down into individual years?

C.

What was the cost of Special Educational Needs provision and EAL (English as an Additional Language) provision in Jersey in the years 2010-2014, broken down into individual years?

Response

A.

In Jersey we issue Records of Need rather than Statements of Special Educational Need. A Record of Need describes a pupil’s special educational needs and the arrangements that will be made in order for them to make progress at school. Typically, pupils in receipt of a Record of Need represent 1 to 2% of the population. The nature and complexity of these pupils’ needs and the educational provision required to meet them would be additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of the child’s age in mainstream schools.

Records of Need differ to Statements of Special Educational Need issued in England in two main regards:

i. Statements make non-educational as well as educational provision and

ii. Statements are statutory.

Statements of Special Educational Need along with Learning Disability Assessments have recently been replaced in England with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. This change brings the work of schools, doctors and social services together for the first time in a co-ordinated package of help which is supported by new legislation brought in in 2014.

Data in the following table reflect pupils from pre-school to Year 14 in all schools and colleges:

B.

A pupil’s first language is defined as ‘the language that a child was exposed to during early development and continues to be exposed to in the home or community’. Many children start life with more than one language during early development (which may include English). Where a language other than English is recorded, the child is deemed to have English as an Additional Language (EAL). This is recorded irrespective of the child’s proficiency in English.

Data in the following table reflect all pupils in years 0 (reception) to 13 in States schools, States fee-paying schools and States special schools. Coverage excludes private fee-paying schools. Please note that numbers are accurate as at September of each year (two weeks after the beginning of the Autumn term). 

C.

Please note that the following figures do not include central administration costs.

Mont a L’abbe School provides for children with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties.

D’Hautree House School provides for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

The Education Support Team consists of the following specialist areas:

• educational psychologists: educational psychologists provide pre-schools and schools with support, advice and training in all areas of child development and learning (0-19 years). Every school has a link Educational Psychologist.

• Special Educational Needs Team: the team is made up of specialist teachers and teaching assistants who provide advice, support and training in systems and processes relating to Special Educational Needs and  in the areas of cognition and learning, sensory and physical Needs, and communication and interaction needs.

• English as an Additional Language Team: the team provides advice for teachers and INSET training if requested, as well as 1:1 and small group EAL tuition for pupils who have been on the island for less than two years and/or who are unable to access the curriculum due to a lack of English skills. The service is delivered peripatetically across the island’s non fee-paying primary and secondary schools.

• Education Welfare Service: the service works with schools, children, families and other agencies to ensure regular school attendance. Every States-maintained school has a link Educational Welfare Officer.

• transition support: this is provided for children moving from primary to secondary school where additional support has been identified as being required through this transition period.