SENCo resolutions for 2016

Gareth D Morewood takes a look at what resolutions SENCos can set in order to achieve effective whole-school provision for SEND

Happy New Year!

As we start 2016 I am reminded of one of the first articles I had published about the role of the SENCo. After achieving some decent down-time over the festive break I was able to reflect again about the SENCo role and the changes over the last decade.

 

Disclaimer: I promise this isn’t a depressing first blog post of the year and I do finish with optimism so please read on!

I often re-visit the key SENCo skills (Cheminais, 2005) that I quoted then:

• a lead professional
• an advocate and knowledge/information manager
• a commissioner and broker
• a resource manager
• a partnership manager
• a quality assurer
• a facilitator
• a solution assembler.

I feel that today these skills are not only still valid, but carry even greater importance. The increasing need to commission and broker solutions outside of traditional local authority systems is a vital element of the current role. Yet time and time again SENCo colleagues are bogged down with other whole school responsibilities, access arrangements, for example. Despite regular discussions about workload generally, and specifically for SENCos, the challenges we face are still sometimes not directly to do with the SENCo role, but additional responsibilities and whole-school structures/systems.

Taking a look back

It has always been important for the SENCo to be able to take a lead role with regard to several areas of inclusion and the wider access for students. Historically the key features for new SENCos were identified as:

• contributing to strategic development of SEN provision
• overseeing the operation of the school’s SEN policy
• coordinating provision for pupils with SEND
• liaising with and advising other teachers
• managing, deploying and liaising with teaching assistants
• overseeing the keeping of records for pupils with SEN
• liaising with parents and carers
• contributing to the professional development of all staff
• liaising with external agencies.

However, the new Code (2014) sets out and clarifies responsibilities for teachers and the whole-school response which should, in essence, ensure a corporate responsibility for ALL students and diminish the abdicating of responsibility to the SENCo alone. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case across all schools and settings.

Effective whole school provision is characterised by:

• high aspirations for the achievement of all pupils
• good teaching and learning for all pupils
• provision based on careful analysis of need, close monitoring of each individual’s progress and a shared perception of desired outcomes
• evaluation of the effectiveness of provision at all levels  in helping to improve opportunities and progress
• leaders who looked to improve general provision to meet a wider range of need rather than always increasing additional provision
• swift changes to provision, in and by individual providers and local areas, as a result of evaluating achievement and well-being.

Ofsted (2010)

Setting your resolutions

Whilst I really don’t want the first SENCology post of 2016 to be depressing and set a negative tone – I do think it is important, when we are refreshed to take time to reflect and consider what we should have as priorities – if you like, our SENCo Resolutions!

Some useful questions to start the New Year:

1. Do we have high aspirations for all of our pupils?
2. Do we provide inclusive quality teaching for all our pupils?
3. Is our provision for pupils based on a careful analysis of needs and a monitoring of their progress in relation opportunities and outcomes?
4. Do we evaluate the effectiveness of all our provision to meet a wide range of pupil needs?
5. Does our school leadership team consider how to make the best provision for a wide range of pupils needs?
6. Do we make timely changes to provision for pupils where evaluation indicates this is required?
7. Do we effectively communicate and liaise with parents/carers?

In addition you may wish to set your own goals and resolutions – take a moment to think and consider how things match against the start of the academic year. Whatever your priorities for the year ahead, it is important to remember to keep solution-focused and seek support from SENCo colleagues – for example the senco-forum.  SENCology will continue to offer support through the blog posts and associated links – very best wishes for the new year.

References

• Cheminais, R. (2005) Every Child Matters: a new role for SENCos. London: David Fulton Publishers
• Morewood, G. D. (2008) The 21st Century SENCo. Optimus Publishing: SENCO UPDATE, 100: 8-9
• Ofsted (2010) The Special Educational Needs and Disability Review; A Statement is Not Enough

What to read next from Optimus Education

• 5 ways to improve the parent/SENCO relationship
• TA and teacher formal agreement
• SEND year planner

No Ofsted worries with a strong SEND strategy

With the new Ofsted Inspection Framework now in force, there are some simple steps SENCos can follow to demonstrate effective leadership, planning and processes. Evie Prysor-Jones explains.

Gareth Morewood has been SENCo at Priestnall School for almost 15 years, so has seen his fair share of Ofsted inspections, which he mentions ‘have changed a lot’.

New changes to the Ofsted Inspection Framework

‘I try and stay away from supporting SENCo colleagues in developing provision specifically for inspections,’ Gareth says. ‘It is always important to ensure SEND provision is appropriate for the young people and their families at your school or setting – the focus should be on getting that right and inspection outcomes will follow!’

Throughout the new Ofsted documentation and commentaries there is an increased emphasis on developing and sustaining an ambitious culture and vision.  A culture that looks to promote independence and clear positive pathways into adulthood for all young people will include academic successes, but not at the expense of whole-child outcomes.

What can help

However, it is important to have an understanding of how the new arrangements will be undertaken; after all, if you are selling your house you tidy up and put on a fresh pot of coffee, if you are selling your car then you give it a wash etc.

In our webinar, SEND Provision and the Sept 2015 Ofsted Inspection Framework, on Tuesday 15^th September, expert Anita Devi and SENCo Louise Colvin explained:

• what Ofsted are expecting to see regarding your SEN provision
• what key documents you could present and how
• what the SENCo’s role is in creating, implementing and evaluating effective systems.

Louise Colvin has been SENCo at Priory Rise Primary School for three years and has seen two Ofsted inspections in that time. During the webinar Louise explained how the inspections were organised, what questions she was asked and what helped her stay calm and make a great impression.

Download the resources and presentation

So whatever the year ahead holds, Gareth’s advice is to keep to your plan, create appropriate provision for young people with SEND, maintain positive engagements with parents/carers and work on developing self-awareness and understanding to help individuals with their preparation for adulthood.

Relevant content

• The new inspection documents (including a short film)
• Webinar: SEND reforms year 2 (2015-16): what are the implications?
• SEND year planner

Having trouble accessing the resources above? Why not find out how Optimus supports schools with their CPD provision and request a demo of In-House Training and Knowledge Centre or take a free trial.

5 steps to a successful SENCo year

At this time of year there is the usual proliferation of back to school advice through blogs, articles and tweets. I thought it may be useful to consider what the SENCo year is all about and what our priorities should be in this ever changing and challenging world of education.

There are some really useful summaries of the SENCo role, for example this from Special Needs Jungle and a webinar from Natalie Packer from when the new SEND code of practice came into force.

You can also find some of my own writing on my website, under publications. Indeed, reading back over my first book – The Role of the SENCo: an insider’s guide – although written five years ago, many key elements of the strategic nature of the role of the SENCo are still very much part of the current requirements.

‘A SENCo is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy. All mainstream schools must appoint a teacher to be their SENCo. The SENCo will co-ordinate additional support for pupils with SEN and liaise with their parents, teachers and other professionals who are involved with them.’

(www.specialeducationalneeds.co.uk/senco.html)

I think taking time to reflect, plan and consider strategically is the part of the role we find so difficult to do. Time after time messages on the SENCo Forum, Optimus’ Ask the Experts service and on Twitter highlight lack of time being a key factor that makes strategic planning so tricky.

Therefore, rather than jumping into the new academic year with blind positivity, consider my five-point plan for the SENCo year.

Step 1: set out your plan for the year

Consider key priorities for the year specific to your school/setting – most schools will require a formal development plan. Whatever your circumstance, outlining now, before the hectic new year gets underway, what you need to do and when by is a very useful exercise. Cross-referencing SENCo tasks with the whole school calendar is important – you don’t want to be trying to do Year 11 EHCP Reviews/Transfers when mock exams are on!

Step 2: map out EHCP reviews and transition meetings (including time for reports)

Map out EHCP Review meetings and report commissioning; this takes a lot longer than you think. Ensure you have clarity regarding timescales and deadlines. Talk to the young people throughout the process as part of usual working arrangements; don’t just pay lip service to the young people’s contribution right at the last moment.

Step 3: develop systematic and open communication with parents/carers

Ensure regular communication with parents/carers. Keeping parents/carers informed is important so misunderstandings and misinformation can be avoided. Why not establish a parent/carer working group and meet once a term/half-term?

Step 4: think about yourself

Think about your own training and development – as SENCo it is easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day work. You could undertake IPSEA’s Online Legal Training, for example, or look at a specific area for development.

Step 5: invest in working partnerships in school

Work in partnership with other staff including TAs, teachers, administrative and support staff – good working relationships are vital (see Successful Classroom Partnerships). Build in time for proper conversations and professional discussions, don’t rely on ad-hoc discussions throughout the year. Using Student Passports can help develop partnerships with teaching staff.

Whatever your specific plans, remember being a SENCo is definitely a marathon, even though for most of the year we are running it like a sprint! The steps above are simply my priorities and suggestions – make sure yours are personal to you and your setting.

I look forward to sharing more ideas and discussing successes and challenges throughout the new academic year in SENCology.

Related content

Webinar: SEND Provision and the Sept 2015 Ofsted Inspection Framework Register now!

Webinar: SEND reforms year 2 (2015-16): what are the implications?

SEND year planner

Using history to support children with SEND

Miranda Galloway, from local social enterprise Dig Discover Enjoy, explains how engaging with archaeology can encourage pupils with SEN to be creative and learn new skills.

Our mission is to enable people to get involved in archaeology and heritage.

Getting creative with Roman plates

We realised early that our public engagement work offers so much, sometimes the fact that we promote archaeology is almost irrelevant – it’s doing something that is engaging people and communities that is important.

Making a simple ‘Egyptian necklace’ (from cut up multi-coloured plastic straws and wool) can give a child a huge sense of achievement. We’re also big believers in letting children handle real archaeology rather than it being stuck behind glass in a museum, after all it’s their history and heritage.

One of our most popular games is ‘What’s in the box?’ (simply a shoe box full of finds) which asks people to use only one sense – touch – and their imagination.

How to host a workshop

Knowing that one of his students with autism had an interest in archaeology led Gareth Morewood, SENCo, to ask for our support in working with the student and his pupil premium grant (PPG) achievement mentor.

This was to form part of a formal plan to re-engage the student in school life and improve his attendance.

Without any details about the student (skills, literacy levels, communication levels etc.), we designed workshops that we hoped would be flexible enough to be successful. We decided on a mix of activities – reading together, discussion, word searches, imagining, designing, and creating.

The creating aspect used different media including clay, paper, paint and food.

The pupils tried eating some Roman food

The first workshop was an introduction to archaeology where we looked at real finds dating from different eras and how a young person might get involved. I then asked the student about his favourite historical eras and designed the remainder of the workshops based on his interests

Our workshops were varied and included:

• the Vikings and their runic alphabet
• the Aztecs and their food and art
• the story of the Trojan Horse
• ancient Greek pottery
• Roman food and drink.

We explored, discussed and created, chatting informally as we went and found conversations ebbed and flowed naturally.

The focus on creating was a new experience and we had freedom to design our own creations with just a nod to the original.

The pupils could build their own Trojan horse

In reflecting on this work, I wondered whether comparisons could be drawn with a well-constructed Education, Health and Care Plan. Our workshops were all about what the student could do rather than their labelled need or disability, they were created with the student at the centre, based on their requirements and moved at a pace that was right for them.

We are very proud of the workshops we designed and what the student achieved both in terms of engaging in each session and producing a finished product from the creative process.

Feedback

The feedback on the workshop series from the PPG achievement mentor was very positive; the sessions had supported the aims of building the students confidence, self-esteem and building positive relationships.

The student said that the workshops were fun, enjoyable and informative.

What did I learn overall?

• To let the student lead the way during the session, don’t rush them.
• There is great value in asking what they want to explore.
• Time spent on detailed research, planning and preparation was worth it every time.
• Don’t try and cook four Roman dishes AND a drink at the same time ever again – too much pressure! I was a swan on the surface but…
• There’s no harm in quiet moments, they let creativity in.
• The creative process is a positive distraction for the brain and provides a sense of achievement at the end of the session.
• Schools shouldn’t be afraid of trying something different to engage their students – archaeology is not on the curriculum but we used a lot of skills that are, with a positive outcome.
• Most importantly – we had fun!

Find out more about us

• thedigsite
• @digdiscoverenj
• Follow Dig Discover Enjoy on Facebook

Related content

• Webinar: Effective differentiation in secondary classrooms – SEND strategies
• Supporting SEN pupils with speech and language difficulties: classroom strategies for teachers and assistants
• SEND: Supporting sensory impairments

Having trouble accessing the resources above? Why not find out how Optimus supports schools with their CPD provision and request a demo of In-House Training and Knowledge Centre or take a free trial.

Top tips for achieving effective deployment of teaching assistants

There has been a lot of recent debate about the role of teaching assistants on forums, twitter and in the media. Gareth D. Morewood summarises what’s been learned and gives some top tips.

The research and the lessons

A recent report by Professor John Hattie highlights the fact that some of the worst examples of TA deployment are when TAs lead interventions for the weakest students and work separately from the teacher.

I have previously written about the role of TAs and support staff, and remain resolute that TAs should work in partnership with the teacher, students and parents/carers, under the direction of the teacher.

Indeed, my Successful Classroom Partnerships Training Pack emphasises the need for a true partnership in the classroom.

This was highlighted recently when working with different schools across the country. Many have evolved the TA role into a job that doesn’t meet modern need, specifically with respect to young people and the curriculum demands.

Additionally, the recently published MITA (Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants) Report highlights seven key recommendations.

The report’s seven recommendations for schools are:

1. TAs should not be used as an informal teaching resource for low-attaining pupils
2. Use TAs to add value to what teachers do, not replace them
3. Use TAs to help pupils develop independent learning skills and manage their own learning
4. Ensure TAs are fully prepared for their role in the classroom
5. Use TAs to deliver high-quality one-to-one and small group support using structured interventions
6. Adopt evidence-based interventions to support TAs in their small group and one-to-one instruction
7. Ensure explicit connections are made between learning from everyday classroom teaching and structured interventions.

Download the table

What schools can do

It is clear to me that with the many additional educational pressures, strategic thinking regarding the use of TAs in some settings has taken a back seat.  Although these high-profile projects are offering some useful and, many would argue, vital research evidence for a more targeted approach to support, out-of-date systems take a long time and a lot of effort to change.

To assist colleagues with these (often) considerable challenges I have my top-tips:

• Invest time in recruitment – getting the right people is important.
• Employ all staff on the same contracts/terms and conditions – a variety of hours/scales can cause problems.
• Have a structure to allow for promoted posts as part of different jobs/roles that are clearly defined with clear expectations and job descriptions.
• Ensure you have very clear job descriptions and expectations from the start of employment that are focussed on the outcomes for the young people being supported.

Finally, a great opportunity to start the next academic year is to sign up for the Teaching Assistants: High-Impact Training & Effective Deployment conference. A key part of which is about recruitment, where delegates will take away proven methods to recruit, develop and retain high-calibre teaching assistants to maximise impact on learning in the classroom.

By booking through SENCology, you can gain a 15% discount! Just use this promo code: GM15

Related content

• Successful Classroom Partnerships
• Educate parents about SEN provision
• Performance management for teaching assistants

Having trouble accessing the resources above? Why not find out how Optimus supports schools with their CPD provision and request a demo of In-House Training and Knowledge Centre or take a free trial.

How to develop student passports – the movie

This post addresses one of the topics I get asked about most – student passports – and shares a frequently requested video clip.

While we often talk about students passports as ‘our effective alternative to IEPs’, that’s not really an accurate description. The student passport is not an IEP with a different name: it’s about a change in culture and is central to our inclusive, whole-school strategy.

We first started trialling the use of student passports in 2012. Looking back at what I wrote about them in December 2013, my thinking remains the same:

‘For the whole of my SENCo career to date, Individual Education Plans have been continually high on the agenda for debate. It is no secret that I passionately believe there must be better ways of supporting engagement and enhancing progress for our most vulnerable learners, as part of an inclusive whole school approach, as opposed to (in the worst examples) imposing targets for young people simply as part of a bureaucratic process to satisfy ‘criteria’.

But what has changed – I’m very pleased to say – is the impact of student passports across the country, which wasn’t something I considered when I developed our original student passport in 2012.

Though there is variation in format of student passports across the country, there is a common theme: everyone thinks they make a significant difference to the inclusion and access of young people with SEND. That may sound bold, but the evidence from evaluations and follow-up visits is that staff feel they know more about the individual needs of the young person when they have the passport. Parents/carers also report very positive views on the impact for their children..

A further opportunity for sharing and development came when I wrote the Successful Classroom Partnerships course. As part of the materials we filmed a short piece about student passports with Katie, a student, and one of my members of staff. While the day of filming involved some degree of stress and running about, we were all very proud of the result. This clip has proved popular at training days and conferences too, which is why I’ve asked my colleagues at Optimus if we can share it (with old branding!) here.

My second-most useful resource for talking about student passports is this diagram, which neatly illustrates the main aims of the passport: linking people together, ensuring co-production and keeping the child/young person central to the process.

And I also would like to share my favourite Steve Higgins quote regarding the Bananarama principle: ‘it ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’. It’s a useful reminder that any system has to match the setting/ethos of the school.

There is now, perhaps even more than historically, a real need to tailor and match strategies and mechanisms for support to specific schools and communities.  My experience to date is that the passports allow enormous flexibility across ages and stages – for example, a pre-school in Ireland has developed the idea using pictures only for non-verbal students – it is the idea itself that is most powerful.

So, do have a go at developing your own versions and seeing how it works with your own systems and support – let us know, and share thinking and ideas.

Related content

• Our effective alternative to IEPs
• Involving parents and pupils in your SEN support
• Student passport template

To fully understand how using the student passport fits in to a whole-school approach, take a look at Gareth’s entire Successful Classroom Partnerships course on the In-House Training service. Request a demo of In-House Training and Knowledge Centre or take a free trial.