1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Curriculum

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Evaluation of achievement

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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?

23. 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?

24. 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

25. Best practice: inspection findings

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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.

31. 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

32. 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