School ethos and leadership responsibilities

The senior leadership team should ensure that:

• The school has a policy on meeting the sensory, physical and medical needs of children within school that reflects the statutory requirements of the DfE document ‘ Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ (2015).  The policies are shared with all pupils, staff, parents and governors.
  
  
• Associated school policies such as Equality, SEND and Behaviour are implemented and regularly reviewed.  These policies should reflect the needs of hearing impaired pupils.
  
  
• The school has an Accessibility Plan which is regularly reviewed and includes a Building Audit.
  
  
• The senior leadership team ensures that all staff in school are aware of their individual responsibility with respect to supporting sensory needs in school.
  
  
• Where specific interventions are required, the senior leadership team will confirm arrangements with relevant members of staff in writing.
  
  
• The senior leadership team ensures that all staff in school are aware of the key content in the relevant documents, including:
  
  
  • Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (2015)
    
    
  • The SEND Code of Practice (2014)
    
    
  • Equality Act (2010)
    
    
  • Health and Safety: responsibilities and duties for schools (2018)
    
    
  • National Sensory Impaired Partnership Eligibility Framework
    
    
  • National Deaf Children Society:  Supporting the Achievement of Deaf Children in Primary/ Secondary Schools
    
    
  • NICE guidelines on specific conditions, where available

• Appropriate supervision, training and insurance arrangements are in place to enable staff to meet sensory needs. 
  
  
• There is a designated lead for supporting sensory needs in school (this may be the SENCo) who is responsible for:
  
  
  • provide support and guidance to all staff around hearing impairment
    
    
  • being one point of contact for external support services, e.g. HI services, health professionals and providers of specialist equipment
    
    
  • ensuring the maintenance and effective use of specialist equipment, ICT and other resources
    
    
  • engaging parents/carers in supporting children’s sensory needs
    
    
  • maintaining awareness of relevant research and policy updates in this area
    
    
  • identifying the potential risk factors within the vulnerable groups in school
    
    
  • ensuring that care plans are in place and reviewed when necessary
    
    
• There is a clear process for the dissemination of information regarding hearing impairment in school
  
  
• School systems are flexible enough to support the individual needs of all children/young people on roll at the school including those educated off-site and those with temporary hearing loss arising from illness or injury
  
  
• There is adequate time available for school staff to fulfil their statutory duties as required, for example liaising with health professionals.