The SEND Policy Suite provides a framework for our approach to:

• Identification and assessment: how SEND needs are identified and assessed, including the role of the school's ESRAC centre and the use of relevant external professional evidence.
  
  
• Individualised support: how Individualised Education Plans (IEPs), reasonable adjustments, aide support, therapy and assistive technology may be provided according to assessed need.
  
  
• Admissions and placement: the principles and procedures used when considering admission, placement and continuing provision for learners with SEND.
  
  
• Home-school partnership: the responsibilities and commitments of both the school and families in supporting the learner's education and wellbeing.
  
  
• Complaints and dispute resolution: a structured process through which families can raise concerns and seek review while ensuring that a complaint does not prejudice a learner's education or provision.
  
  
• Assessment and examination access: arrangements and evidence requirements relating to examination accommodations, including the applicable Cambridge International and NECTA processes.
  
  
• Positive Behaviour Support: our function-led approach to behaviour, including proactive support, de-escalation and the protection of learners from punitive approaches related to disability.
  
  
• Safeguarding and positive handling: the principles governing emergency protective physical intervention and the prohibition of corporal punishment and punitive seclusion.
  
  
• Data protection and records: the protection of personal and sensitive data associated with SEND provision, including educational, assessment, health, therapy and related records.

Josephian's SEND provision is based on the principle that support should respond to the learner's assessed needs.

Where appropriate, this may include an Individualised Education Plan, reasonable adjustments to curriculum and assessment, aide support, therapy, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), assistive technology and Positive Behaviour Support.

The policy establishes minimum service standards, including an IEP within six weeks of enrolment, termly review of IEPs, a named key contact for each family and appropriate communication regarding significant incidents.

The policy also makes clear that Josephian does not guarantee a particular academic, developmental or therapeutic outcome. Instead, our commitment is to provide appropriate processes, support and provision based on assessed need and available capacity.

We believe that families are partners in their child's education.

The SEND Policy Suite sets out commitments for both the school and parents or guardians, including regular communication, participation in IEP meetings, sharing relevant information and working together on agreed educational and behavioural strategies.

Where difficulties or disagreements arise, dialogue is encouraged first, with formal complaint and review procedures available where necessary. Importantly, the policy states that a complaint or disagreement with a parent must not be used as a reason to reduce a learner's education, provision or safeguarding protection.

Josephian follows a Positive Behaviour Support approach. We understand behaviour as communication and seek to understand the function or need behind behaviour rather than simply attempting to suppress it.

Our approach prioritises proactive environmental and sensory adaptations, predictable routines, individual Behaviour Support Plans and low-arousal de-escalation strategies. Punitive responses to behaviour arising from a learner's disability are prohibited.

Josephian Schools also prohibits corporal punishment for every learner and does not use punitive or isolating seclusion. Emergency protective physical intervention is restricted to genuine safety situations and must be necessary, proportionate and a last resort.

SEND provision may involve highly sensitive information, including disability, health, diagnostic, assessment, IEP and therapy records.

Josephian Schools recognises the importance of protecting this information and processes such data within the framework set out in the SEND Policy Suite's Data Protection and Records annex and the applicable data protection requirements.

Access to sensitive records is restricted to staff with a direct educational need to know, while parents have rights to request access to and correction of their child's records, subject to the applicable safeguards and legal requirements.

For more information about how Josephian Schools handles personal data generally, please see our Privacy Policy.

The SEND Policy Suite has been developed with reference to the Tanzanian legal and regulatory framework relevant to disability, education, child protection and data protection, together with applicable examination requirements and international principles concerning inclusive education.

The policy specifically references the Persons with Disabilities Act, the Education Act and its subsidiary legislation, the Law of the Child Act, the Personal Data Protection Act and Regulations, relevant ESRAC and SEN Unit requirements, NECTA requirements, applicable Cambridge International regulations and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The complete Josephian Schools SEND Policy Suite (JS-SEN-POL-01, Version 1.0) contains the full policy and its nine operational annexes, covering admissions and placement, provision, the home-school partnership, complaints, assessment and IEPs, data protection, examination access arrangements, behaviour and positive handling, and annual review.

The policy is the authoritative document for the school's SEND framework. The English version is the authoritative legal version; parent-facing materials may also be provided in Swahili in accordance with the policy's stated arrangements.

Our full policy framework for special educational needs and disabilities, including assessment, provision, inclusion, behaviour, complaints, examination access and data protection.

The signable agreement setting out the commitments of Josephian Schools and parents/guardians in supporting the learner.

Policy: Josephian Schools SEND Policy Suite
Reference: JS-SEN-POL-01
Version: 1.0 — Final for Adoption
Review: Annual, and following any serious incident
Issuing entity: Registered Trustees of Educate the Children, operating as Josephian Schools

For questions about SEND provision or the application of this policy, families should contact the school through the appropriate official school channels.

Josephian School
Address: Mbezi Beach Rafia (Next to JC Hall)
Email: info@stjosephs.co.tz
Phone: +255 756 615 256