SEN Support and the Graduated Approach Developed by Kate Browning – nasen presented by Pat Bullen- nasen

What will I get from this workshop? Step by step guide to the Graduated Approach Key questions for reflection on your practice Focus on the shift in the SENCO role within the Graduated Approach Suggested tools to support implementation of the Graduated Approach. A lot to pack in an hour Code catching up with where best practice has been developing over a number of years in schools

The Zone of Influence and Accountability Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, even where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff (SEND Code of Practice 2014) External support e.g: Local Authority Nasen - Gateway Academy trust Teaching Schools Local SENCo networks Voluntary organisations Early Years The child’s key person, remains responsible for working with the child on a daily basis CoP p. 76 Child Child Family Tools and CPD SENCo Teacher Success of GA – predicated on a clear understanding of teacher’s role. This is likely to be shift / recalibration of roles and responsibilities in many schools but is echoed in Ofsted framework and Teachers Standards. How GA ‘works’ will vary from school to school, depending on size and structure but key principles are the same. The Zone of Influence and Accountability

The Graduated Approach Where a pupil is identified as having SEN, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place. This SEN support should take the form of a four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This is known as the graduated approach. Pg 89 Quote from the Code – as SENCos may not have read the latest draft of the CoP (think we may assume that most wont have at this stage)

REVISIT REVISE REFRESH REFINE Growing Understanding of what approaches secure better outcomes Growing Understanding of Pupil’s Needs REVISE Assess Plan Do Review More frequent reviews More detailed & specialist approaches The GA expanded – taking its key components projected it visually here. All the elements are what we do for all children and young people – lead into next slide Growing Understanding of what teaching approaches work REFRESH Growing Understanding of effective support REFINE

Identifying needs – the trigger SEND Code of Practice Class teachers, supported by the senior leadership team, should make regular assessments of progress for all pupils. These should seek to identify pupils making less than expected progress given their age and individual circumstances. This can be characterised by progress which: • is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline • fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress • fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers • widens the attainment gap It can include progress in areas other than attainment – for instance where a pupil needs to make additional progress with wider development or social needs in order to make a successful transition to adult life

Profile of Needs SEND Code of Practice In deciding whether to make special educational provision, the teacher and SENCO should consider all of the information gathered from within the school about the pupil’s progress, alongside national data and expectations of progress. This should include high quality and accurate formative assessment, using effective tools and early assessment materials. For higher levels of need, schools should have arrangements in place to draw on more specialised assessments from external agencies and professionals

Whole School Approach to Assessing and Identifying Need FOR ALL FOR SOME FOR A FEW standardised tests criterion referenced assessments checklists profiling tools e.g. for behaviour, SLCN observation schedules and prompt sheets questionnaires for parents questionnaires for pupils screening assessments What assessments do we use to identify a child’s gaps in and barriers to learning? Consider the ‘spiral’ at the widest point and then drill down – consider your practice in this area in terms of a continuum of assessment.

Legal definition of SEN Assess SEND Code of Practice Legal definition of SEN A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she: • has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or • has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions For children aged two or more, SEN provision is educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age by mainstream schools, maintained nursery schools..

Four Broad Areas of Need 1. Communication and interaction 2. Cognition and learning 3. Social, emotional and mental health difficulties 4. Sensory and/or physical needs Warning over labels / pupils needs often falling across these areas – some aspects emerging over time / fluctuating over time – be open to areas of need emerging. 3. However consistent disruptive or withdrawn behaviours can be an indication of unmet SEN, and where there are concerns about behaviour, there should be an assessment to determine whether there are any causal factors such as undiagnosed learning difficulties, difficulties with communication or mental health issues. Draft SEN Code of Practice

Reflection and Readiness How are we ensuring we are identifying pupils’ needs as early as possible? Can we improve our liaison with pre-school / feeder schools to prepare for pupils with additional needs as soon as they arrive? Do we have systems, tools and expertise to support identification and assessment? Do class / subject teachers make effective use of these tools to identify pupils’ gaps and barriers to learning, adapting their core teaching in the light of these findings? Do we call on the support of a range of external specialists as and when we need? Are there any areas that our staff need training on, to support identification? Time for delegates to reflect on one or two of these questions – the rest they could take back and discuss with SLT / departments etc.

Review your SEN Register 1. Agree whole school identification of SEN 2. With teachers, review pupils currently on register Do they need SEN Support? Do you have a clear analysis of a pupil’s needs? Does the plan for a pupil’s SEN Support need to be refined? 3. Remove SA and SA+ categories and change to SEN Support 4. Note where external agencies have been involved with a child 5. Identify pupils with EHC plan and those continuing on statement (this could go elsewhere on in the presentation…) A note on the SEN Record / Register

Planning Provision 1. High Quality Teaching High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have SEN. Teacher and SENCO should agree in consultation with the parent and the pupil the adjustments, interventions and support to be put in place, as well as the expected impact on progress, development or behaviour, along with a clear date for review 2. Targeted Provision Focus of planning – 2 areas: QFT and Targeted Provision Traditionally, more focus on TP than on QFT. Need at least equal focus on both. Implications for the focus of SENCo’s conversations with teachers and departments and also the increased expectation on teachers? – next slide

Plan Reliable Evidence www.interventionsforliteracy.org.uk/ www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/whatworks http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/ http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/ Where SEN Support - make good use of the above (GATEWAY link too) 14

Planning for targeted provision: Staff read and understand statement/EHC plan and any specialist reports Range of strategies and approaches to support class differentiation agreed Co-production of plan to address needs with agreed outcomes produced Additional training for teaching and support staff arranged Teacher monitors progress towards outcomes regularly, adjusting planning SENCO monitors progress termly with all relevant staff, parents and pupil High need pupils – key conisderations. Rather than focusing on the ‘hours’ outlined on a statement/EHC plan, do schools focus first on the agreed outcomes it is aiming for. The plan of support for this pupil, co-produced with parents and child, should then focus on how the allocated ‘hours’ are being used to reach the agreed outcomes.

Reflection and Readiness Do teachers plan effectively to meet the needs of the pupils with SEN in their class? Do teachers understand what is written in specialist reports and what that means in terms of high quality teaching? Are there professional development opportunities for teachers to have pedagogical discussions around high quality teaching and targeted provision? Is our school utilising the most recent research around ‘What Works’ for pupils? Have teachers planned in how they will regularly monitor the progress pupils are making within targeted provision for whom they are responsible and accountable? Time for delegates to reflect on one or two of these questions – the rest they could take back and discuss with SLT / departments etc.

Roles and Responsibilities Class /Subject Teacher Do Roles and Responsibilities Class /Subject Teacher SENCO SENCO should support the class or subject teacher in the further assessment of the child’s particular strengths and weaknesses, in problem solving and advising on the effective implementation of the support. The class or subject teacher should remain responsible for working with the child on a daily basis. Where the interventions involve group or one-to-one teaching away from the main class or subject teacher, they should still retain responsibility for the pupil. FE p. 105 Named person with oversight of SEN provision. Contribute to Strategic / Operational management. Who staff can go to when identifying SEN are concerned about progress or need further advice. Responsibility and accountability on a day to day basis. Is this practice that we recognise?

Reflection and Readiness Is the SENCO supporting the development of staff skills, confidence and expertise in this area? Do teachers monitor the progress of pupils, within targeted provision for whom they are accountable? How can we ensure that the skills being taught and practised within targeted provision are improving the outcomes in class? Are additional adults being used effectively? Are pupils’ developing independence?

Reviewing progress towards outcomes Usually led by the class / form teacher, supported by the SENCo Views of the pupil should be included in discussions Sufficient time to explore views and plan effectively Where a pupil is receiving SEN support, schools should talk to parents regularly to set clear outcomes and review progress towards them, discuss the activities and support that will help achieve them, and identify the responsibilities of the parent, the pupil and the school. Schools should meet parents at least three times each year. Consider the Ladder of Participation – is our ‘consultation’ with parents and pupils as meaningful as it could be? How do you as SENCo ‘work with’ teachers / departments? Professional development to manage conversations Record of discussion made and given to parents Where possible aligned with normal cycle of discussions 19

Evidence for Review Achievement Assessment through use of: Observation Work scrutiny APP or similar Tests, where appropriate Predicted grades / NC / P level they can achieve independently and consistently Pupils, parents, staff views Targeted Provision Have they achieved progress? What is the evidence? Has there been a generalisation of skills transferring back into class work? What are the views of support staff, parents, child? Is there now a renewed view of pupil’s needs? Reviewing the progress of pupils on the SEN register will involve drawing on a range of quantitative and qualitative information. The review is a crucial part of the process, providing an opportunity to formally evaluate the success of teaching and learning in class as well as the impact of targeted provision. Again, should be driven by the class teacher. Finding time to implement a comprehensive termly review will always pay dividends in enabling an ever sharpening focus on the nature of pupil’s needs, increasingly well targeted support leading to improved outcomes. 20

Reflection and Readiness Are all key people meaningfully involved in the review process (parents, child / young person / support staff / specialists /peer advocates)? Are teachers driving the process of reviewing the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEN for whom they are responsible and accountable? How can we provide opportunities for liaison with parents at least termly? Are we supporting parents in understanding the difference they can make in supporting their child’s learning at home and in how they can confidently do this? Opportunity to reflect on your school’s SEND review process – utilising the whole school systems wherever possible. 21

REVISIT REVISE REFRESH REFINE Assess Plan Do Review REVISE More frequent reviews More detailed & specialist approaches The GA expanded – taking its key components projected it visually here. All the elements are what we do for all children and young people – lead into next slide REFRESH REFINE 22

Key features of an effective Graduated Approach to SEN Support Rooted in a Whole School Approach SENCO role to support teachers Emphasis on teacher’s role in driving the Graduated Approach Meaningful participation with parents and pupils Summary of key points to take away and consider… Relentless drive to improve teachers’ abilities to adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils Ethos and values that promote high expectations and drive for inclusivity driven by the leadership of the school

Further support and guidance nasen SEND Gateway – now LIVE nasen Everyone Included – more detailed guidance for SENCos nasen - guidance on redrafting SEN Policy SENCo Net termly meetings around the county –book via Forest Way TSA Letter from Edward Timson for teachers and one for parents: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational-needs-and- disabilities-send-reform-letters New duties and guidance: Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions Feb 2014 New Guidance: Mental Health and Behaviour Departmental Advice June 2014