1

SEN Governors Meetings

Jackie Hibbert, School Development Adviser, SEN and Inclusion

David Herd, School Development Adviser, SEN and Inclusion Charlie Palmer, Head of Specialist Education Services

Summer 2009

2

Contents

• New OFSTED Framework

• Inclusion Development Programme

• Progression Guidance

• Parental Confidence in Special Educational Needs Support

• Steer Report on Behaviour in Schools

• Discussion Time

3

Summary: SEN Governors Mtg May 09

• New OFSTED Framework– Increased focus on progress of vulnerable groups

• Inclusion Development Programme– Speech & Lang, Dyslexia last year, Autism coming

• Progression Guidance– Benchmark info on progress made by CYP with SEN

• Parental Confidence in Special Educational Needs Support– Lamb Inquiry: Information; Transparency;

Assessment; Participation; Feedback• Steer Report on Behaviour in Schools

– Effective schools, SEAL, School Partnerships• Discussion Time

4

New Ofsted Framework

• From September 2009.

• Focus on the progress of vulnerable groups of pupils.

• So - SEN/LDD!

• How will the school demonstrate the impact of the provision made to the pupils having SEN?

5

Inclusion Development Programme

2008/9 SLCN and Dyslexia• Have evaluations of staff confidence and expertise been

undertaken?• Have schools planned to use the resources?• Are they using the resources to build confidence and

expertise with whole staff groups, smaller groups and individual teachers or members of the support staff?

• What difference is this having on:-– Quality First Teaching?– Staff confidence and expertise?– Pupil Progress?– Parental confidence?

6

Inclusion Development Programme

2009/10 Autistic Spectrum (ASD)

• Confidence and expertise

• Quality first teaching

• Early years and mainstream schools

• Cross service team

• Evaluation, action planning, use of resources

• Impact

7

Inclusion Development Programme

Resources available online at:

• EYFS Inclusion Development Programme (IDP): Supporting children on the autism spectrum

• www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies/node/168117

• Primary and Secondary Inclusion Development Programme (IDP): Supporting pupils on the autism spectrum

• www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies/node/165037

• There is a simple URL to the IDP content on the National Strategies area of the Standards site:

• www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies/idp

8

Inclusion Development Programme

Questions Governors could ask:-• What proportions of pupils have SLCN,

Dyslexia, Autistic Spectrum Disorders?• How does the school meet their needs?• How can their progress be described?• What is different in classrooms to ensure

that they are included?• How is the school planning to use/using

the IDP?

9

Progression Guidance

• Comparative data on the progress of children and young people working below expected levels over a key stage.

• A web-based training package on using data to support self-evaluation, target setting and school improvement.

• Available early/mid July – LA briefings Autumn Term.

• Booklet will be ordered by LA for all schools.

10

Parental Confidence in SEN System

• Oct 07: Education and Skills Committee report parent confidence in the SEN system is very low

• Feb 2008: DCSF respond by setting up the Lamb enquiry with a brief to look at ways of improving it

• Enquiry has:– Commissioned a series of LA projects around planning/procedures/info

sharing– Identified lack of compliance by LAs and schools on info and procedures

as an issue– Found a lack of focus on outcomes and high expectations for SEN

pupils– Also found bullying and harassment of SEN pupils, most support from

least qualified, growing numbers of pupils at School Action– Agreed to consult widely on this early 2009

• SEN Information Act 2008: sharper requirements on data publication on LAs and schools to address variability of provision

www.dcsf.gov.uk/lambinquiry/

11

Lamb Inquiry Recommendations

• Communication and engagement with parents rather than standard information;

• Reduction in the specific SEN requirements in favour of covering SEN and disability in information for all children;

• Increased focus on outcomes for disabled pupils and pupils with SEN;

• Tighter quality assurance and accountability for meeting streamlined requirements.

12

Detailed Lamb Recommendations

1. I recommend that the principles of the core offer developed through Aiming High for Disabled Children are extended to provide a framework for engagement by schools and children’s services with parents of children with special educational needs.

2. I recommend that current policy developments in parent engagement should take full account of disabled children and children with SEN.

3. I recommend the reduction in the required content of schools’ SEN policies.

4. I recommend that the requirements on SEN policies are extended to pupil referral units.

5. I recommend that annual review meetings for children with a statement include a consideration of information needs of parents and children and young people.

6. I recommend that:

– local authorities publish on their website SEN policies and disability equality schemes from all schools in their area;

– the National Strategies report to the DCSF on which local authorities have complied with the publication of the required disability equality scheme and SEN information and on the extent of the compliance of schools in the area;

– the DCSF should publish the report from the National Strategies.

7. I recommend the development of training for working with parents of disabled children and children with SEN across the workforce. This should build on existing materials.

8. I recommend that school self-evaluation should be explicit about compliance with the statutory requirements on SEN and disability.

9. I recommend that the judgements on the outcomes for disabled pupils and pupils with SEN are always considered in a limiting judgment for overall school effectiveness.

10. I recommend that Ofsted’s parent questionnaire includes questions for parents of disabled pupils and pupils with SEN about access to information, about provision for their child and about outcomes.

11. I recommend that:

– all SIPs working with mainstream schools should receive training in SEN and disability;

– in reporting to the school governing body, the head teacher and the local authority, school improvement partners report on the extent to which the school has promoted good outcomes and good progress for disabled pupils and pupils with SEN.

13

Implications

• Pressure to comply with existing SEN and Disability frameworks

• Link to OFSTED review of SEN this year• Higher expectations linked to new guidance on

good progress• Likely focus on improving relationships with

parents, and involving them in planning• Extension of Aiming High Themes:

– Information; Transparency; Assessment; Participation; Feedback

14

Steer Report

• Practitioners’ Group 2005 Report: Learning Behaviour

• Effective schools improve behaviour of all• Right to discipline enshrined in legislation (Education Act

2006)• Changes to exclusions procedures• Consolidation of SEAL programme (Social and emotional

Aspects of Learning)• School partnerships for behaviour• Fair admissions• Greater school control over resources and focus on primary

for early intervention• Parent Support Advisers to support behaviour programmes• Promoting high standards of Learning and teaching

15

Steer Group Core Beliefs

• The quality of learning, teaching and behaviour in schools are inseparable issues, and the responsibility of all staff;

• Poor behaviour cannot be tolerated as it is a denial of the right of pupils to learn and teachers to teach. To enable learning to take place preventative action is the most effective, but where this fails schools must have clear, firm and intelligent strategies in place to help pupils manage their behaviour;

• There is no single solution to the problem of poor behaviour, but all schools have the

potential to raise standards if they are consistent in implementing good practice in learning, teaching and behaviour management;

• Respect has to be given in order to be received. Parents, carers, pupils and teachers

all need to operate in a culture of mutual regard;

• The support of parents is essential for the maintenance of good behaviour. Parents and schools each need to have a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities;

• School leaders have a critical role in establishing high standards of learning, teaching and behaviour.

16

School Partnerships

17

Time for discussion in small groups

Thank you for coming!