Special Educational Needs and School Improvement Practical Strategies for Raising Standards 1st Edition by Jean Gross, Angela White ISBN 9781136607653 113660765X

1 Why plan strategically for SEN?

Introduction

What’s new about managing SEN strategically?

Why manage SEN strategically?

2 How to plan strategically for SEN

STEP ONE: agree your school policy objectives

STEP TWO: evaluate how you are doing

STEP THREE: do a strategic analysis

National priorities

Taking stock of local priorities

Pupil needs analysis

Asking stakeholders what they want

STEP FOUR: setting targets for SEN and inclusion

Targets for attainment

Targets for behaviour and social inclusion

Targets for inclusion

Other kinds of targets

Why set measurable targets?

How to use targets wisely

3 School self-evaluation

Introduction

Components of self-evaluation

Quantitative self-evaluation

Attainment

Behaviour

Inclusion

SEN Code of Practice data

Qualitative self-evaluation

Checklists

Observing Lessons

Scrutinising IEPs

Scrutinising teachers’ curriculum planning

Looking at children’s work

Talking with pupils, parents and other stakeholders

4 Implementing and monitoring plans and provision

School development plans

Monitoring plans and provision

Monitoring the implementation of the SDP

Monitoring the quality and impact of ongoing SEN provision

Evaluating plans and provision

Case Study

Evaluating a school-based speech and language therapy project

Summary and conclusions

5 School improvement and SEN: a case study

Introduction

A SENCO’s story

Developing the skills of key staff

Strategic planning

Targets focused on outcomes

Attendance

Sen

Attainment

Behaviour

Monitoring and assessment

Evaluation

Managing my role in school improvement

6 Planning provision: using a provision map

Introduction

Determining SEN priorities

Drawing up a provision map

Case Study

Provision mapping

Making the provision explicit

Costing the provision

7 Planning provision: what works?

Introduction

Current choices

Teaching assistant support

Reducing class sizes

Setting

Alternative choices

Early intervention programmes

Nurture groups

Social skills group work and parenting support

Children who are vulnerable and withdrawn

Early language and literacy skills

Provision for children with literacy difficulties

Provision for children with difficulties in mathematics

Interventions to raise overall attainment and improve academic engagement

Peer tutoring

Study support and out-of-hours learning

Interventions for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties

Social skills training

Mentoring

Stress management and counselling

Learning support units

Conclusion

8 Beating bureaucracy: minimising unnecessary IEPs and paperwork

Who needs IEPs?

Holding on to key principles

Involving and accounting to parents

Case Study

Beating bureaucracy in a secondary school

9 Developing staff: the SENCO and management team

SENCO Self-Audit

Managing the SENCO

Conclusion

Further information

References

Appendices

Index