So, we nearly have a new Code. Many would argue however, that with only the summer term to go, a lot of planning for September 2014 will already be in place.
The key message from the DfE is that all guidance for schools (section 6) is not up for further consultation and schools can be confident that this is in fact the final version to enable them to get on with of preparing for change.
Although a period of three years for a ‘hand over’ for Education, Health and Care Plans will be available there are other significant changes to curriculum and appraisal that add even further demands on schools at this key time.
The parts of the revised code which are up for consultation (again) largely refer to sections covering how ‘disability’ relates to the local offer and the guidance on the needs of young offenders.
The revised Code purports to address concerns that there was insufficient focus on disabled children and on post-16 arrangements, particularly the transition to adulthood. There were also calls for more explicit involvement of children and young people and their parents in the design of services, in particular the local offer, which have been reflected in the Code.
The revised Code has also been restructured to make it easier to navigate – what do you think? New chapters have been added to make it clearer regarding information for early years, schools and post-16 practitioners and on preparation for adulthood.
From an initial read through I will consider some elements that I feel are important for schools in my next post.