IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
(further information will also follow)

Each school allows each pupil to progress at his/her own rhythm using the formative assessment and the differentiated pedagogic.
- In mainstream education a pupil who has to do the second step of compulsory education in five years instead of four, can do this complementary year adapted to his/her needs in the same school. The school organises this five year period in the second step of compulsory education in such a way that this extra year will never be a year of repetition.
- In special education a pupil progresses with learning at their own pace, taking their level of maturity into consideration, and in agreement with the class council.

The basic competences have been created by the government who will propose them for approval in the Parliament. Works groups, where experts are permitted to participate, have been created to elaborate the basic competences which were devised by the inspectors and representatives of elementary and secondary education.

The basic competences prioritise not only reading, writing, oral communication and maths, but also the development of all sensory abilities. It defines communicative competences in other languages than French which are taken at the end of the first degree. The other educational activities aim also towards the general aims of compulsory education which are in the following fields and in common compulsory training: psycho-motor function and physical education, studies in history and geography, art, technology, science, environmental studies, media, social abilities and social studies.

The curriculum commission examine whether or not the study programme can be used in connection with the basic competences and special education and if it allows pupils with special educational needs to progress in an optimal way. The commission does not study the pedagogical methods.
 
A commission for the assessment tools has been created in relation to the basic competences according to the method decided on by the government. This commission develops tests for standardised assessment.

The project of educational establishment defines the set of pedagogical choices and particular concrete activities that the teaching team of the school employ for use in collaboration with all partners and to realise the educational and pedagogical plan of the government.
It is defined according to:
- Which school the children apply for, their cultural and social characteristics, special education needs and their ability to learn.
- The ambitions pupils and parents have regarding the pursuit of studies and vocational ambitions.
- The natural environment of the district, the city or the village, where the school is located.

In the case of a mainstream school the ‘project of educational establishment’ decides the pedagogical choices and actions required in promoting the inclusion of pupils from special schools.

Each school must have a protocol that describes which tools are implemented in order for the pupils to reach the general and the particular aims of the decree regarding basic competences.

In the elementary school the ‘project of educational establishment’ advises on how to promote communication between pupils, parents and members of the school team.

Each school must revise the project every three years in co-operation with the participation council.

The participation council is created in every school to:
- discuss the project of the school
- complete it
- to propose the project in agreement with the Minister
- to regularly assess the application
- to propose adaptation
- to give an opinion about the activities report
- to reflect on requests for funding during the school year, especially those concerning cultural and sport activities stated in the project
- to analyse and propose a system of solidarity between pupils to pay costs.

The participation council is composed of social, cultural and economical representatives, members of the school team elected by the team, parents, and members of the workers and administrative staff of the school.

The report of activities: must be handed in each year. It is written by the headteacher of the school and submitted to the participation council.

The report of activities review:
- the actions taken to reach the general aims in the framework of the pedagogical project of the Government
- the pedagogical innovations
- the support provided for pupils with difficulties
- the success rate and the repeat year rate
- the continual training of teachers
- the exchanges organised with external partners, especially in the field of artistic and cultural activities
- the initiatives taken concerning cultural experiences, social studies, media, health and environmental education
- the initiatives taken to promote sports activities , especially in collaboration with the sports associations located in the area
- the actions taken to promote the orientation of the pupils
- the initiatives taken to promote inclusion into mainstream schools for pupils from special schools
- the recourse against decisions taken by the class council and the results of the procedure
- the number of rejections regarding registration and the reasons why
- the actions taken to organise the 3 years of the first degree of secondary education
- working at home in the second step of the pedagogical continuum
-  reflections on informing the control commission about adapting the set of actions
The model of the report of activities is decided by the Government.

Registration: Before the registration of a pupil the principal gives the parents or guardian:
- the educational and pedagogical project of the Government
- the project of the school
- the regulations for studying
- the internal regulations of the school including disciplinary measures and the possible procedures regarding these measures
Registration at the school means the acceptance of the above.

The regulations for studying: For each level of education the Government has created the general regulations for studying.
It defines:
- the criterion for the quality of the school work.
- the procedure for assessment, decisions of the class council and the further communication of these decisions.

The quality of the school work required is described in as much detail as possible so that the tasks asked of the pupil are within the framework of the general and particular aim of the decree.

For that the regulations of the studies include, according to the level of education concerned, the following points:
- individual work
- group work
- research 
- group lessons
- homework
- time for formal assessment

The following are requirements:
- a sense of responsibility which will be visible by, expression, initiatives, careful work and paying attention
- the progressive acquisition of a personal and efficient method of work
- the ability to teamwork in order to achieve a task
- respect the rules
- taking care with presentation of work
- respecting deadlines

Homework: It is possible to work at home for each level of education except the first step of the pedagogical continuum.
During the first step of elementary school, working at home is not considered appropiate as activities such as reading, writing and oral presentations need to be done at school.

The work at home must be adapted to the applicable level of education and must always be done without the help of an adult. If the pupil needs information the school assures access to public libraries or information technology tools from the school which are freely available.
During the second step of the pedagogical continuum,
- homework is considered as a result of the achievements already realised during school time
- the work content is individualised taking into consideration the current level and pace of the pupil.
- homework is limited to 20 minutes a day in the first cycle of the second step and 30 minutes a day during the second cycle of this same second step.
- the assessment of homework is exclusively formative and never summative (or grading based)
- the pupil is given reasonable deadlines so as to help him/her in organising his/her schedule.

The decisions of the class council
The decision to graduate from one class, cycle or phase to another and the presentation of diplomas, certifications or attestations of success at school is the responsibility of the class council. The head teacher presides over the graduation and all the members of the teaching team who work with the pupils are present. Representatives from the psycho and medical social services assist the graduation as consultants.
In special education, when the class council confirms that the competences achieved are the same as those set by the decree, the certificate of basic studies is awarded to the pupil in the same way as in a mainstream school.

If pupils fail or receive poor results, parents can ask the head teacher to clarify this and both parents and pupils have the possibility of consulting the teacher responsible for the assessment. Test results are confidential.

An interne procedure has been created to deal with protests concerning the decisions made and to promote reconciliation regarding eventual disagreements. This procedure must be finished by 30th June and final results available by 5th September.

An appeal council has been created by the Government with the inspector and the members delegated by the Minister. The decisions are taken with a majority of 2/3. The members are in office for two years and are allowed to stand again; this is voluntary, only costs regarding travel and residence are covered. If the appeal concerns a pupil from special education, two members from the general council of concertation for special education assist the meeting.
Parents have 10 days to appeal if their child fails the test. The appeal must be justified and contain the information necessary to enlighten the Council. It cannot include details concerning another pupil.

The decisions of the appeal council are based on the achievements already acquired by the pupil and the accomplishments expected to be acquired, taking into consideration the level of the general assessment applied when evaluating the pupil.

If competences are not defined or the test for assessment is not created, the appeal council can make a decision based on the curriculum.

The complementary year
The new unit of school time is no longer one year, but one step. The basic competences have to be achieved by the end of a step and it is only at the end of a step that assessment is made.

What happens if a pupil does not achieve the basic competences?
Before the new decree the pupil would repeat the same year, but this was not efficient and created a feeling of failure. Therefore it was decided to create a complementary year with an individual programme based on the failures and successes of the pupil.

The certificate of basic studies is discerned by:
- the primary or secondary school body of education in mainstream or special education
- the examining body organised each year by the school district for pupils registered in the sixth year of primary school or each 11 year old pupil (with their date of birth being no later than 31st  December)
- the examining body created for people who have left compulsory education and who do not have the certificate of basic studies.
The model of this certificate is created by the Government.