Improving the quality of provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs Charlie Henry HMI National lead for disability and special educational needs NatSiP Working Day London October 2014

The inspection of provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs Local areas’ preparation for the disability and special educational needs reforms Curriculum Assessment of achievement Inspection findings: best practice   2

High aspirations and a focus on enabling children and young people to be as independent as possible led most reliably to the best achievement. (SEND Review, Ofsted (2010)   3

Local areas’ preparation for the disability and special educational needs reforms

Local areas’ preparation for the disability and special educational needs reforms This survey was undertaken jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission: to establish a baseline from which progress in implementing the reforms could be evaluated provide guidance to local authorities about the development of effective practice and advice about aspects requiring further development to consider how, if required, effective accountability could take place.     5

Local areas’ preparation for the disability and special educational needs reforms We found that a good start had been on preparation for the reforms. Preparations for publication of the local offer and the transition to education, health and care plans were well advanced. Local areas were involving parents and carers in discussions about developments, although communication about these developments had not always been as effective as it could be. While there was a range of good practice, there was variation between areas.   6

Local areas’ preparation for the disability and special educational needs reforms The study found less well developed practice in respect of: local authority level knowledge about the identification of special educational needs shared understanding and the means to recognise what constitutes ‘good progress’, particularly for the lowest attaining young people and in relation to personal and social skills the focus on good outcomes for health and social care provision the transition from children to adult services in social care and health.   7

Local areas’ preparation for the disability and special educational needs reforms We were encouraged to find that some areas were setting up routine self-evaluation reviews to develop further the effectiveness of their provision. We considered that local area self-evaluation that was focussed on ensuring needs were identified and outcomes were improving was a key element to the success of the reforms.     8

Curriculum

Curriculum When reporting on the quality of education, inspectors must evaluate evidence for each of the four key judgements and judge the extent to which the school meets the needs of the range of pupils on the school’s roll. They must take into account the destination of pupils when they leave school and consider how well they have been prepared for their next steps.     10

Curriculum Inspectors will consider how well: a suitably broad and balanced curriculum, and the system of assessment, sets out what pupils are expected to know, understand and do, and when the assessment system is linked to the school’s curriculum information about what is taught in the curriculum is shared with parents and carers, including meeting the statutory requirement to make curriculum information available on the school’s website   11

Curriculum the school uses detailed formative and summative assessment to ensure that pupils, teachers and parents know if pupils are achieving the expected standard or if they need to catch up assessment information, including test results, are used by leaders and governors to improve teaching and the curriculum for all pupils.   12

Curriculum Also, how the school: emphasises the necessary priorities for ensuring that all pupils make excellent progress in communication, reading, writing and mathematics promotes high levels of achievement and good behaviour promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all pupils, including through the extent to which schools engage their pupils in extra-curricular activity and volunteering within their local community   13

Curriculum is effectively planned and taught provides timely independent information, advice and guidance to assist pupils on their next steps in training, education or employment     14

Evaluation of achievement

Assessment of achievement In evaluating the accuracy of assessment, inspectors will consider how well: any baseline assessment, teacher assessment and testing are used to modify teaching so that pupils achieve the expected standards by the end of year or key stage assessment draws on a range of evidence of what pupils know, understand and can do in the different aspects of subjects in the curriculum teachers make consistent judgements and share them with each other; for example, within a subject, across a year group and between adjacent year groups     16

Assessment of achievement leaders ensure the accuracy of assessment through internal and external standardisation and moderation governors assure themselves of the rigour of the assessment process schools adopt the best practice of working together to moderate assessment for year groups and the end of key stages, and to develop common understanding of attainment and share records at points of transfer the way the school reports on the progress and attainment to parents and carers.     17

Best practice: Achievement Clear and detailed understanding of ‘next steps’ Focus on pupils’ starting points – expected and exceeding expected progress Progress and attainment data are evaluated thoroughly A wide range of data is evaluated and used effectively to improve standards/progress and improve provision Any analysis of robust progress data presented by the school, including information provided by external organisations Narrowing of the progress gaps between the pupils and all pupils nationally

Best practice: Achievement Analysis with reference to national data Moderation is rigorous and developmental Destinations/progression/accreditation Communication skills/literacy/numeracy – across the curriculum Achievement across a wide range of subjects Levels of independence Governing body role: knowledgeable and challenging

Assessment of achievement When looking at pupils’ achievements the following aspects are important: preparation for the next stage(s) in education, training and employment, and adult life identification of intended outcomes/targets involves the young person and parents/carers having high expectations, using national comparator information where this is available age and starting point of the young person taking into account the young person’s disability/special educational needs     20

Assessment of achievement Rigorous monitoring Being dynamic – i.e. can change as the aspirations/outlook for the young person develops Information about progress towards their achievement being used by leaders and managers to improve provision (’remove barriers’) A review of the usefulness of the outcomes being used post-placement by the school/college to review the effectiveness of the provision     21

How do you know? Are staff facilitating learning as well as they could? Is the purpose of the activity/session clear to all? Are the expectations challenging? Is the mix of consolidation and new work appropriate? How well are pupils included in their lessons?

How do you know? Is turn-taking used appropriately? Is sufficient time given for responses? Are the pupils being helped to become more independent? Is praise used effectively? Is there appropriate consideration of both attainment levels and age-appropriateness?

Best Practice Strong teaching and learning Accurate assessment and identification Well-designed curriculum Close tracking and rigorous monitoring of progress with intervention quickly put in place A thorough evaluation of the impact of additional provision (including alternative provision) Clear routes to gain specialist support AMBITION

Best practice: inspection findings

Best practice: Teaching Structured and managed according to the needs of the pupils and the learning objective A very strong focus on learning rather than on engagement and being busy Challenging and motivating activities – making effective use of knowledge about pupils’ attainments and interests at which pupils are working and the level of challenge then offered by staff Development of communication, literacy and mathematics

Best practice: Teaching Systematic and effective on-going assessment and evaluation that informs teaching and improves learning Knowledge of the pupils and the implications of their special needs The management and evaluation of additional support towards improving learning – increasing independence Effective feedback - development of advocacy, choice, decision making

Best practice: Behaviour and safety ‘Thirst for knowledge and a love of learning’ Equally high attitudes across subjects Attendance, exclusions, internal sanctions - show thorough evaluation of the impact of strategies in place over time Skilled and highly consistent behaviour management – excellent improvement in behaviour by those who have identified behavioural needs

Best practice: Behaviour and safety Rigorous consideration of all forms of bullying and the impact of interventions, including curriculum improvement Thorough investigation of seeking parents‘ views and the response to these to show improvements over time All feel safe – including those at Alternative Provision – and understand how to keep themselves safe

Best Practice: Leadership and management Pursuit of excellence – uncompromising and highly successful drive towards the highest levels of achievement Relentless drive to improve teaching - rigorous performance management Close tracking and rigorous monitoring of progress with intervention quickly put in place Any differences in subjects are effectively challenged Any dip in progress when teaching known to be meeting needs and of good quality quickly triggers further effective assessment, including involving parents and carers.

Best Practice: Leadership and management This in turn should lead to carefully matched intervention being put in place quickly. Curriculum – promotes the ‘love for learning’; contributes very positively to academic achievement, physical well-being and SMSC development English, literacy and mathematics A thorough evaluation of the impact of additional provision, including additional staff, in helping to improve students’ progress - and making adjustments to any provision accordingly

Best Practice: Leadership and management Highly effective engagement with parents – including those who find working with school to be difficult Safeguarding Governors are knowledgeable and challenge rigorously