Effective practice in the use of teaching/support assistants to support pupils with SEN in mainstream schools Ways Forward?

Key Issues 1.Understanding/support from Leadership Teams/Senior Management Teams 2.Whole school awareness re. effective use of additional adults. 3.Clear school policy for above, which is implemented! 4.Specialist teachers and specialist TAs 5.Class/Subject teacher responsibilities. 6.Clear expected outcomes as a result of additional support. 7.Shared planning and assessment 8.Performance management\appraisal for TAs 9.Monitoring of TA practice 10. CPD for teachers and TAs.

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change Whole School Review Using the evidence from research undertake a whole school review of the use of additional adults for support. Consider a long-term plan to re-balance specialist teacher input and TA input. Develop, agree and implement a clear school policy for the effective use of additional adults.

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change Specialist teachers and specialist TAs –What constitutes a specialist teacher? A Changing Role for SENCOs Specialist teachers –SpLD –ASD –Speech and Language –SEBD –Sensory Specialist TAs? –Pairs/Teams –Literacy/Numeracy/SEBD/Speech and Language/ASD/Sensory

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change Class/Subject Teacher Responsibilities Responsibility for ALL Planning for inclusive quality first teaching Planning for learning not ‘busy work’ CPD/Support/Advice available Joint planning and assessment Clear expected outcomes for pupils with SEN which relate to pupils achieving independently

Draft Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice for 0 to 25 years October 2013 High quality teaching, differentiated, for different pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching. The majority of pupils can make progress through such teaching. Schools should regularly and carefully review the quality of teaching for pupils at risk of underachievement.

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change Clear expected outcomes as a result of additional support All support is time-limited/no support for life Specific areas – literacy, numeracy, speech and language, SEBD Through withdrawal/in-class support In-class support to increase access leading to increased progress and achievement in terms of pupil outcomes (NC levels/sub-levels).

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change Shared planning and assessment No time – make time! Reduce contact hours to allow for planning/assessment time Increase overall hours to allow for planning/assessment time Access to short term planning which clearly indicates the role of the TA and the learning outcomes for pupils. Whole school approaches to enable joint planning/assessment time –Dedicated time for joint planning /assessment –Non-contact time for TAs –PPA time –Assembly time –PE time –Story time –TAs placed within subject /key stages/year groups/departments No TA support without joint planning/assessment time

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change Performance Management for TAs Is there a policy? Is it effective? Does it focus on pupil progress? Does it focus on developing pupil independence? Does it focus on what the pupils did? Does it focus on what the TA did to improve outcomes? Job Descriptions

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change Monitoring of TA Practice Does it only happen as part of an observation of teachers’ practice? If TAs are taking responsibility for direct teaching and support of pupils with SEN then this must be regularly supervised/monitored. TAs receive feedback and targets for improved practice which is followed up at the next monitoring session. Continuing issues re. quality of practice must be followed up with a time limited ‘support’ programme and targets for change. Issues of capability must be addressed.

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change CPD for teachers Inclusive planning/Quality first Teaching Raising awareness/whole class/school strategies for different areas of need. How to work effectively with TAs How to manage TAs effectively

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Change CPD for TAs The role and responsibilities of the TA Recognise different forms of CPD: Modelling/observation of good practice Partnership working Courses –In-school –Out of school –Distance Learning