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School improvement for SEND
Whole School SEND works with schools and colleges to share and embed good practice within CPD and improvement plans for your setting, and to build capability within the education workforce.
In this section you will find examples of projects, across phases and settings, which evidence suggests have resulted in positive outcomes and impact for children and young people with SEND. You could use these to help you to undertake similar projects in your own setting.
More resources will be shared soon - watch this space!
Whole School SEND Professional Development Groups
Our Professional Development Groups offer an unrivalled space for teachers and school and college leaders to provide peer to peer reflection, challenge and support with facilitation from a WSS Regional SEND Lead.
100% of the first cohort of PD Group participants reported that SEND was prioritised within school improvement planning as a result. Current plans for this year's themes include exploration of a number of key areas linked to the SEND and AP Improvement Plan, such as inclusive classroom practice and effective transitions, as well as role specific groups, for example for those new to SEND leadership.
Preparation for Adulthood from the Earliest Years
It has been nearly nine years since the ideas around Preparing for Adulthood from the Early Years (PfAEY) emerged and the expectations on schools to prepare all young people for adult life through personal development have grown in that time.
Preparing for Adulthood is what all schools do for all young people – but that offer is not always drawn together and recognised. Our refreshed ‘Preparing for Adulthood from the Earliest Years’ Review Guide was trialled with schools in Oxfordshire who found that taking part in the process resulted in:
- A clear focus and drive for school improvement
- More widely shared expertise and good practice
- Better understanding of the rationale of PfAEY
- A clear and strategic vision for embedding PfAEY
- A named PfAEY governor.
As part of the Universal SEND Services programme, we will be recruiting 80 nursery, primary, secondary and school sixth form settings to carry out a review in the Autumn term of 2023. Settings will receive training and support to carry out the review, and will be encouraged to produce an analysis report and action plan. Participating schools will also have an opportunity to cascade PfAEY training and support to a partner school the following year.
To find out more about what's involved, you can read a new blog from Regional SEND Leader, Becky Jones, in which she talks about her own experience of carrying out a PfAEY review as part of the Oxfordshire trial.
The Peer mentoring project
The peer mentoring project supports leaders in mainstream schools that, following an Ofsted inspection have been identified as requires improvement.
The aim of the peer mentoring is to support leaders in those schools where SEND provision has been identified as an area for improvement. This project supports leaders to focus on the strategic development of their SEND provision thereby building professional competence and confidence in SEND, by providing the opportunity to work together with system leaders to identify and address issues around SEND policy, provision, and practice.
If you want to find out more about this project and how it could support your school development journey:
- Download our flyer or;
- Contact us below
Find out more from previous participants
Talking Head - Professional Development Groups Tim James Director of Inclusion
- Webcasts
- 04 Apr 2023
A Director of Inclusion talks about the benefit to their learning in addition to improved outcomes in their school of being a member of the professional groups.
Talking Head - Professional Development Groups Erica Biddle SENCO
- Webcasts
- 01 Jun 2022
A SENCO talks about the benefit to her learning in addition to improved outcomes in her school of being a member of the professional groups.
Talking Head - Professional Development Groups Vicky Newman Headteacher
- Webcasts
- 01 Jun 2022
A headteacher talks about the benefits to her school of participating in the professional development group.
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Resources
Many participants used the EEF resources as a starting point for their projects. Some of the most useful documents and pages are listed below:
- Putting Evidence to Work: A School's Guide to Implementation
- Special Education Needs in Mainstream Schools
- Teaching and Learning Toolkit
More information resources and supporting materials can be found on the EEF website.
Resources
Talking Head - Teacher Handbook Zoe Nash SENCO
- Webcasts
- 04 Apr 2023
A SENCO talks about the benefits to her school of using the Teacher Handbook.
The Inclusive Classroom: High Quality Teaching in every setting
- General
- 01 Jun 2022
A programme to develop quality first teaching and inclusive practice to benefit pupils with SEND in reading.
School improvement for SEND: Learning Cycle Template
- General
- 31 Mar 2022
A diagram to use when identifying, implementing, and evaluating a school improvement project.
School improvement for SEND: Impact Tracker Template
- General
- 31 Mar 2022
A template to use to support the process of tracking a school improvement project by identifying the intent, tracking the implementation and evaluating the impact.
School improvement for SEND: Wider Reading
- General
- 31 Mar 2022
A resource was utilised by participants on the 2021 - 2022 Professional Development Groups project. These resources have not been produced or quality assured by Whole School SEND.