Achieving best value from your Pupil Premium allocations

Brian Lamb examines why parents should be at the centre of good school practice on SEND if you want to improve attainment and outcomes.

Teacher helping SEN primary pupil with counters

While children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) have been performing better in some areas attainment and progression in recent years there is still a major gap between their attainment and those of their non-SEND peers and on some measures the attainment gap is widening.

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

One-off purchase

Purchase and Download today

Register for free

No Credit Card required

Register for free
Access to 3 free articles
Free TeachingTimes Report every month

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#79572"
  ["title"]=>
  string(59) "It’s Time for a New Approach to Battling Underachievement"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(87) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/its-time-for-a-new-approach-to-battling-underachievement/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1568982000)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-79572-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(333) "The following child file provides an example of taking a whole school approach to improving outcomes for pupil premium children and others at risk of underachievement. As you read through it, reflect on your own school, your practice and how you could introduce changes to improve outcomes for those at ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(390) "... focused use of pupil premium funding. Parental engagement: 100% of parents of those children chosen to be part of the trial, engaged in their initial structured conversation, with the majority also engaging in follow up conversations. Overall engagement in Year 1 was 92%. The structured conversations increased teachers’ awareness of ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(5) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(59) "It’s Time for a New Approach to Battling Underachievement"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "TeachingTimes"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(375) "The following child file provides an example of taking a whole school approach to improving outcomes for pupil premium children and others at risk of underachievement. As you read through it, reflect on your own school, your practice and how you could introduce changes to improve outcomes for those at risk of underachievement in your own setting."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "improving"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "outcomes"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5736) "A primary school in an urban area of the north west of England with 350 pupils identified the need to improve attendance, parental engagement and resilience for disadvantaged pupils. The majority of pupils at the school are from White British heritage. A small minority of pupils speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium is 24%. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is 15%. Four of the pupils have an EHC Plan. Pupil numbers have increased in recent years and the school admits a number of pupils during the school year. ApproachAs a school, it chose to focus on the use of adults in the classroom to support independent learning and resilience, the impact of middle leaders on curriculum and learning and use of structured conversations* to improve parental engagement and wider outcomes for pupils.A target group of 24 children were identified in years 1–5 for one of the following reasons, although the majority were also eligible for pupil premium funding: Below age-related attainmentBelow expected progress from starting points (this includes some pupils with good attainment who had the potential to make accelerated progress)Limited parental engagement with school. Through a needs analysis, the school identified the following broad areas of focus to bring about the changes they wanted: Leadership for inclusionProvision to close the gapParental engagement Developing behaviours for attendanceLearning and well-beingEffective use of pupil premiumMaximising the impact of teaching assistantsMiddle leadership development Using effective feedback*Structured conversations (used in Achievement for All programmes) between teachers, parents and their child provide a platform for parents to engage in the learning process. They have an opportunity to discuss their child’s aspirations and interests and contribute to setting targets for their child. Parents feel valued, teachers say they get to know the children better (their learning needs and interests) and children say they like the interest their parents show in their school work.ImpactLeadership for inclusion: Over the year, school leaders sustained a focus on the aspirations, access and achievement of all pupils with SEND or vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils. A culture of distributed, inclusive and effective provision for disadvantaged pupils was consolidated across the school.Teaching and learning:TA training on maximising the use of extra adults in the classroom, questioning and fostering independence has promoted best practice with all adults working with disadvantaged children across the school. All TAs accessed this training and development; in practice it has been evident in learning walks. Exploring feedback is an ongoing conversation between teachers, as the school adapts its policy to maximise its impact on learning. Middle leaders have undertaken audits of teaching and learning in their subject areas and are implementing their findings to ensure consistency and progression of skills across the school in all curriculum areas. Pupil premium funding continues to be used to support learning within the classroom. A detailed analysis of barriers for disadvantaged pupils has resulted in more focused use of pupil premium funding. Parental engagement: 100% of parents of those children chosen to be part of the trial, engaged in their initial structured conversation, with the majority also engaging in follow up conversations. Overall engagement in Year 1 was 92%. The structured conversations increased teachers’ awareness of barriers to achievement, access and aspiration. Areas for partnership work with parents focused, in Key Stage One, on maths, social and emotional skills, basic skills and home routines; in Key Stage Two, the focus moved towards reading, writing, maths and attitudes towards learning. Clear evidence of increased parental engagement can be seen where explicit actions were agreed upon during structured conversations and parents clearly saw their role in furthering their child’s achievements. This included making time to read with their child, working with designated school staff to improve social and emotional wellbeing and encouraging children to be more resilient, both socially and academically. Pupil attitude to learning: Pupils across the school now show good attitudes to learning whilst in school. In the target cohort there is evidence of improved attitude to learning at home. This includes reading at home with parents/carers, working on a particular area at home, as discussed during structured conversations, and increased awareness of the need for resilience. Wider outcomes: Pupil premium funding continues to be used to provide wider opportunities for eligible children. Opportunities include educational visits (including residential), swimming lessons and visits by professionals from different curriculum areas with a focus on raising aspirations. Attendance at after school clubs is now more closely monitored. In Autumn 2018, 58% of the target cohort attended after school clubs compared to 42% of pupil premium children.Emotional intelligence: (Self-protective strategies, emotional self-management strategies, increased self-esteem, confidence in making choices)Designated staff within the school have worked with many of the target children and received training in using the BOXALL profile to aid assessment and management of emotional/social barriers which"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "outcomes"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "parental"
        [2]=>
        string(4) "send"
        [3]=>
        string(10) "structured"
        [4]=>
        string(12) "conversation"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Special Needs

It’s Time for a New Approach to Battling Underachievement

20 Sep 2019

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#39816"
  ["title"]=>
  string(33) "Child files: Working with parents"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(59) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/childfilesworkingwithparents/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1340293977)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-39816-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(277) "Guidance and resources to make the sometimes stressful task of forming good, solid relationships with your students’ parents a little bit easier. Includes information on overcoming barriers to involvement, structured conversations and effective signposting."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(354) "... conversation include:Teacher gathers information on the progress of  the childThe key teacher talks to the pupil about his/ her viewsThe key teachers holds a conversation with the parent as early as possible in the Autumn termThe outcomes of  the conversation are communicated to others who need to knowThe key ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(33) "Child files: Working with parents"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(277) "Guidance and resources to make the sometimes stressful task of forming good, solid relationships with your students’ parents a little bit easier. Includes information on overcoming barriers to involvement, structured conversations and effective signposting."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(11) "involvement"
        [1]=>
        string(10) "structured"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5682) "directly related to an incident that has happened. Parents can soon become fed up if  they feel that every approach ison the basis of  there being a problem. Schools are increasingly acknowledging the importance of  finding opportunities to notify parents of  the good things that arehappening as well.Sometimes word of  mouth or approaching through a friend can work well. If  you have one parent who is engaged and knows another who isn’t they can beencouraged to help them become involved.The school building is not always the best place to engage your parents. Unpleasant memories of  their own school experiences and negative views of  anyone inauthority can be hurdles to overcome. If  there is more neutral territory such as a community centre or library, meeting there can be an alternative.If  you have adults working in your school or associated with your school who are not teachers, they might be viewed more favourably and find that doors don’t closequite so quickly. Encourage a key member of  staff, who is not perceived to be so much of  the establishment, to link in with the family.Parents eveningsPersonal invitations delivered by the child can have more of  an impact than a generic invitation across the school. Be mindful of  other events that are happening atthe same time and be prepared to move/ change times and days to suit. http://www.teachingtimes.comThis month’s Child FileAchievement for All initiatives have found that persistence and a readiness to be flexible do result eventually in contact being made. Once parents realize that simplynot turning up will not mean closure they are more likely to find an opportunity to meet.When the parents meeting does take place remember to listen and provide opportunity for parents to ask questions and feel more involved in the process. Parentsmight have started out with good intentions in the early years but feel thwarted by the methods used as their children get older and progressed through the system.Restorative approachesThere are five key themes in a restorative conversation:What’s up?How are you feeling?Who has been affected by what’s been going on here?What do you need right now?What needs to happen to put things right?Engaging with a parent using a restorative approach includes listening with a non-judgemental ear. If  a problem has arisen and the parent is angry then you might:Talk through their experience in terms of  what is happening to their childIdentify what they need for things to improveLook at ways of  moving forwardThe approach involves looking at what everyone’s needs are, parents’, child’s and teacher’s and taking a problem-solving approach to addressing them. Taking thiskind of  approach with parents can then mean that they are able to apply a similar approach at home with their own family.For more information about taking a restorative approach to parental engagement:www.transformingconflict.orgnnnnnnnnhttp://www.teachingtimes.comThis month’s Child FileAchievement for All (AFA) Strand 2Structured Conversations are the second strand of  the Achievement for All programme. The conversation is expected to help school and parent develop arelationship with the aim of  improving the educational achievement of  young people with Special Educational Needs.The stages of  the conversation include:Teacher gathers information on the progress of  the childThe key teacher talks to the pupil about his/ her viewsThe key teachers holds a conversation with the parent as early as possible in the Autumn termThe outcomes of  the conversation are communicated to others who need to knowThe key teacher confirms the targets, actions and support with the parent and pupilIt is anticipated that the teacher should always plan for an hour for the conversation.The conversation follows this framework:A contract is negotiated at the beginning of  the discussion with the teacher explaining clearly what the purpose of  the discussion is and what the outcome shouldbe ‘I’d like to find out as much as possible about… and  what we can do to help improve his… We have 30 minutes. Is that OK?’Explore the issue by listening actively and paraphrasing what you hear:What are the child’s needs?What provision is currently in place for them?What has worked well in the past?What have been the barriers to achievement?What does the parent want for their child and believe is attainable in the best possible circumstances?1.2.3.4.5.1.2.a.b.c.d.e.http://www.teachingtimes.comThis month’s Child FileFocus – identifying priorities and clarifying key issuesUse ‘choice point’ if  several topics have been raised – ‘which would you like to take first?’Ask follow-up questions to points that the parent raises e.g. if  they suggest that a particular provision would be good pick out why they think that might work.What one thing do you think would make the greatest difference?Plan – agreeing targets and developing an action planSetting goals – clear goals need to be established which take account of  the parent’s aspirations and the teacher’s knowledge of  the childGoals should include long-term and short-term onesThe agreed goals might replace the IEPThe target should be prediction + challengeParents and children need to know what to do in order to make the expected progress to reach the targetsStrategies or interventions should be clarified to include timescales and success criteriaMight include the GROW model:Goal – what do you want to achieve?Reality – what’s happening now?Options – what could you do?Way forward- what will do"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(4) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "improving"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "outcomes"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "parental"
        [3]=>
        string(12) "conversation"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Special Needs

Child files: Working with parents

21 Jun 2012

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#43266"
  ["title"]=>
  string(59) "Don’t Like Mondays – providing hope for the disaffected"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(24) "Professional Development"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(48) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/dont-like-mondays/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1473682834)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-43266-2"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(181) "How can schools and their staff make a difference for the great number of disenfranchised young people? Sonia Blandford explores a way forward along the Achievement for All journey."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(422) "... Leadership of school, classroom and teams.2. Teaching and learning, assessment and data tracking,planning and delivery.3. Parental engagement and structured conversations.4. Wider outcomes such as improving behaviour,attendance and participation in school life.The early indications of impact were profound, withsignificant changes to pupil outcomes in English ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(59) "Don’t Like Mondays – providing hope for the disaffected"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(181) "How can schools and their staff make a difference for the great number of disenfranchised young people? Sonia Blandford explores a way forward along the Achievement for All journey."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5145) "Achievement for All, so that moreschools could access the programme (see Table 3: Earlyimpact of AfA).As a result, this charity formed to lead the nationalroll out of the programme, and we are now in thousandsof schools and seeing extraordinary results as a result ofthe inspiring and committed head teachers we workwith across the UK.■■■ Support to achieve your own goalsWhen initially encountering the programme manyschool leaders and teachers tend to think – like theheadteachers we met in our pilot study – that they do nothave time to take on a new programme like Achievementfor All in a way that was meaningful. However, whenthey see the evidence from other schools and hear thestories being told by other heads and their staff theysoon come to realise that outside help is not a sign ofweakness but an essential leadership skill. It’s a steptowards getting the support they desire to do the jobthey know they can do, in order to achieve the aims theyhave. They recognise that this community of experts werepresent, and who we can introduce to schools, are notinspecting and judging what is going on, but insteadbuying into their personal and professional aims andtheir aspirations for their pupils. They understand thecontext, setting and challenges they face, and share ideasand expertise that they can enlist to empower them – intheir own way and in their own school – to help educatethe children in their care.What I have discovered by working with those headsand their leadership teams is that there is a way we canhelp each other make a profound difference. There is away school leaders and their staff can feel less isolated……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Don’t Like Mondays – providing hope for the disaffected ■■■■■20by the competition between neighbouring schools andless worried about their league table place, and morefocused on working with and helping each other – andother professionals in other schools – to raise the bar forall children in this country. The results they see whenthat happens are an important part of this work, butheadteachers in our programme now see those longedfor results as just a measure of the much more lifechanging stuff that is going on every day in the schoolswhere they are based.■■■ The barriers we need to break downIt is important for all practitioners to understandwhat the position has been across the country, and thechallenges children and young people face day to day.This is outlined in Table 1 below.Table 1: Breaking down barriersWhen our charity launched:■ Only 36 per cent of people claiming FSM and 22per cent identified as SEND achieved five or moreGCSEs (grade A-C compared to 63 per cent of allother pupils.■ Less than 18 per cent of those whose primaryneed involved behavioural, emotional and socialdifficulties achieved standard GCSE expectationincluding English and Maths. (BESD are the largestgroup of SEND primary need at Key Stage 4).■ Children with SEND were more likely to be bulliedby their peers and nine times more likely to beexcluded from school. There is a big overlap betweenchildren with SEND and LAC and those receivingFSM. Some 73 per cent of LAC were identified asSEND.■ Some 30 per cent of 16 year olds with a Statementof SEN were NEETS by the time they were 18.The Achievement for All pilot (2009 – 2011) enabled usto develop an evidence informed approach to breakingdown the barriers to learning in every classroomwhere 5 – 16 year olds needed additional support. Acombination of the Achievement for All evaluation bythe University of Manchester (DfE, 2011) and a furtherparallel study by the National College for Teachingand Leadership (NCTL, 2011) provided the evidenceneeded to develop the AfA model. Table 2 gives anoverview of the main ingredients of the approach.Table 2: Achievement for All – how it worksHow it works:Collaborating with your AFA coach and buildingon your current practices, you’ll access a frameworkincluding four key elements:1. Leadership of school, classroom and teams.2. Teaching and learning, assessment and data tracking,planning and delivery.3. Parental engagement and structured conversations.4. Wider outcomes such as improving behaviour,attendance and participation in school life.The early indications of impact were profound, withsignificant changes to pupil outcomes in English,Maths and attendance (see Table 3). The Universityof Manchester had demonstrated how, by workingin collaboration, a peer led programme can makea difference to outcomes. Achievement for All hadalso demonstrated how parents and carers could beencouraged to support their child’s learning irrespectiveof challenge, need or disadvantage.Policy"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(6) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "improving"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "outcomes"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "parental"
        [3]=>
        string(4) "send"
        [4]=>
        string(10) "structured"
        [5]=>
        string(12) "conversation"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(24) "Professional Development"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Professional Development

Don’t Like Mondays – providing hope for the disaffected

12 Sep 2016

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#44099"
  ["title"]=>
  string(34) "This Is What Inclusion Means To Me"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(4) {
    [0]=>
    string(6) "Autism"
    [1]=>
    string(9) "Inclusion"
    [2]=>
    string(13) "Mental Health"
    [3]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(54) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/ecj64whatinclusionmeans/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1523962035)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-44099-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(134) "Amy Husband is the head teacher of Clifford Bridge Academy. Here she gives a personal view on what it means to be an inclusive school."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(328) "outcomes for our children. Parent and carer engagementWe have always had very supportive parents in the school and parental engagement with their children’s learning is very good. As a result, we don’t face the same level of barriers that other schools may face. Our relationships with parents and ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(6) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(34) "This Is What Inclusion Means To Me"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(11) "Amy Husband"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(134) "Amy Husband is the head teacher of Clifford Bridge Academy. Here she gives a personal view on what it means to be an inclusive school."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5117) "outcomes for our children. Parent and carer engagementWe have always had very supportive parents in the school and parental engagement with their children’s learning is very good. As a result, we don’t face the same level of barriers that other schools may face. Our relationships with parents and carers are developed by the whole team; we consider their engagement to be crucial. Often we make it as informal as possible, so that it feels natural and not forced.  For parents who perhaps don’t want to come in or feel nervous about being in school, we try to have a ‘cup of tea culture’. This way, it feels a little more familiar and welcoming and we can get to know them. Over time, they then start to feel increasingly comfortable with our staff and our setting, and they feel able engage more with their child’s learning, and with school life. The vast majority of our parent and carer community are incredibly supportive and enjoy attending our many events. In terms of home-school partnership and communication, staff use the language and approaches within Achievement for All, with that same level of passion and belief that I hold.  Wider outcomes and opportunitiesExtra-curricular activities are a huge part of life at Clifford Bridge. We offer an incredibly wide range of sport, music and drama opportunities. In addition, many of our children attend music, sports or dance lessons outside of school. We have 414 pupils, with relatively few pupil premium pupils; this means we have to be careful that pupil premium pupils do not feel isolated. If pupil premium pupils want to attend extra-curricular activities which they might not be able to afford, we will pay for it. Participation and inclusion is non-negotiable, every single child in this building has the right to participate in the enriching and exciting opportunities we have on offer, so, if finance is a genuine barrier, then there is an obvious solution. As a result of low pupil premium numbers, Clifford Bridge has a very tight budget, but it’s like anything else in life, you pick your priorities and you hold them dear. Our culture, our ethos and our every move are about inclusion and achievement for all, so our spending of our limited funding reflects this.  We had one boy, who is now in secondary school, who won the termly Head Teacher Award. When he was much younger, he expressed an interest in music and really had a flair for it. He wanted to learn to play the guitar, so we taught him! Through a series of individual lessons, group lessons, School Band involvement and even gigs at local concerts, by the time he left us at the end of Year 6 he was an incredible guitarist who had never had a lesson outside of school. When he was nominated for the Head Teacher Award at the end of Year 6, we chose not to spend the budget on a trophy, and instead surprised him with an electric guitar! He and his family were so grateful and appreciative, and we’ve since heard that, upon joining his secondary school, he is now an active member of their school band, and continues to enjoy his guitar. Our early actions and encouragement with this particular pupil had a knock- on effect on his engagement in school-life and in his learning. We always try to find something that sparks a child’s interest, and create a bespoke provision and experience to keep that spark alive. We also carry this philosophy into provision for larger groups of children. For example, we have 60 children in one particular year group, with eight of them having a complex degree of need, such as autism or sensory processing needs. We introduced yoga into our PE curriculum, specifically with the purpose of improving mental well-being in this year group. We invested a lot into training our staff in meditation and mindfulness techniques which now underpin all of our learning experiences in this cohort; we turned PE on its head! The children enjoy it so much. For children with physical disabilities and learning difficulties, we try to think ‘outside the box’ and creatively adapt our curriculum to put the children, and their needs, at the centre of it.In summaryWhen visitors come and look around our school, there is often one bit of feedback that is repeated time and time again; how everything at Clifford Bridge Academy is “all about the children”. In fact, we’ve now heard this so many times that we’ve turned it into a huge display of photographs with that slogan right in the middle of it!  We really do think of each and every child in our school not just as a ‘learner’, but also as a little citizen of the world who we have been tasked with the responsibility of shaping. Along with our incredibly supportive parents, our Governing Body and the wider structure of the Multi-Academy Trust, we all endeavour to do everything in our power to ensure that every child achieves their potential and has the best possible primary education, filled with awe, wonder and FUN! Amy Husband is the Headteacher at Clifford Bridge Academy."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "improving"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "outcomes"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "parental"
        [3]=>
        string(11) "involvement"
        [4]=>
        string(10) "structured"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(4) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(6) "Autism"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(9) "Inclusion"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Mental Health"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["tags"]=>
    array(7) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "child-centred"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(15) "extracurricular"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Mainstream"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(28) "parental engagement"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "parental"
        }
      }
      [4]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "SEND"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(true)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(4) "send"
        }
      }
      [5]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(19) "social disadvantage"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [6]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(24) "supporting SEND"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(4) "send"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Autism

This Is What Inclusion Means To Me

17 Apr 2018

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

Register for free

Cookies