Special Education During Lockdown: Returning To Schools and Colleges in September

This study by the Nuffield Foundation explored how education provision over this time has changed for children and young people with SEND who attend special schools.

Families whose children have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have faced unique challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. This study by the Nuffield Foundation explored how education provision over this time has changed for children and young people with SEND who attend special schools.

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      string(4210) "Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.SEND: EXPERIENCES WITH SCHOOLS ANDCOLLEGESKeywordsSEND, schools,colleges,parents,children, specialeducationalneeds,disabilities,communication,support,funding,legislation,opportunitiesSummaryThis DfE report looks at the experience that parents of children with special educational needsand disabilities (SEND), and young people with SEND, have of school and colleges.Key themes in the report include communication, support, funding, legislation, the voluntary andcommunity sector, the link between education and health, and the lack of opportunities for youngpeople when they reach 19.Conclusions: ■ Improving Communication. Improvement, across all agencies and in every area, would go a longway to making a reality of the ‘person-centred’ approach the SEND system is trying to achieve.It has the power to be transformative. Capturing and replicating good practice in this areacould help with that improvement. I also feel that it’s important that the government, and otherleadership agencies, continue to send out strong messages about the need to improve. ■ More training for all staff working with children and young people, for example on identifyingSEND, and understanding the particular needs of adoptive children. It’s important that staffhave access to training, and that leaders both allow and encourage staff to undertake training toimprove awareness and expertise in SEND, and the impact of loss and trauma on a child’s abilityto learn. It’s clear from the school and college staff that I spoke to that they really are trying to dotheir best. I appreciate that training takes time and resources, but it’s clearly an investment worthmaking. ■ More transparency over funding. Are there ways we could encourage local authorities, schoolsand colleges to make it clearer to families how the money they receive is being spent? Andare there ways we could challenge local authorities to look hard at their contingency funds andconsider ways of releasing at last part of it to help meet the shortfall in SEND spending? ■ I think it’s important to encourage all local areas to interpret and apply the legislation, and theSEND Code of Practice, in a way that demonstrably leads to culture change, and which helpsto ensure that families don’t have vastly different experiences depending on where they live. Iam sure the new Ofsted and Care Quality Commission area inspections will help with this. It’simportant that all areas can learn from the best and most innovative practice, and that ways arefound to share this. ■ Could we encourage staff in schools and colleges to do more to support children and youngpeople with medical needs? A child or young person’s educational development can beWeek Commencing7th November 2016https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/564348/SEND_experiences_with_schools_and_colleges.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/564348/SEND_experiences_with_schools_and_colleges.pdfLeadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.potentially significantly disrupted if they have to have it punctuated by periods unnecessarilyspent at home or in hospital for something health-related that is quite basic. ■ Could we do more to encourage local areas to develop better expertise, brokering discussionsand developing strategies for bringing employers, local authorities and colleges together, toensure more young adults with SEND have access to training and employment opportunities?WEB LINKSEND: Experiences With Schools And Collegeshttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/564348/SEND_experiences_with_schools_and_colleges.pdf"
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Leadership

SEND: Experiences With Schools And Colleges

3 Nov 2016

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      string(2827) "indicated increased confidence in working with parents, and Jacob is one of several children where this has had a direct effect on outcomes.There is no doubt that early years provision for children with SEND is improving and that the new reforms are supporting this, but there are challenges as well.  If all children have equal rights to have their needs met, then it is essential that the qualifications and standards are equitable across all early years provision, which will require further funding. Leadership of the setting needs to be of the highest quality, with a strong emphasis on the use of supervision to ensure that there is sufficient training, ongoing and relevant CPD,  and support for all SENCos and key persons, so they feel confident to meet the needs of all the children. This includes training in how to engage effectively with parents to build strong partnerships that focus on the needs of the child.Maureen Hunt is Early Years Lead for Achievement for All. She is responsible for the design and delivery of Achievement for All’s new setting improvement programme for the early years, ‘Achieving  Early’, which won the Nursery World Award for Inclusive Practice in 2015 and has had success in developing the practice of almost 200 settings to date.References1. 		Ofsted (2010) Special education needs and disability review: A statement is not enough. [pdf] Available from: gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational-needs-and-disability-review [Accessed 7 September 2016].2. 		Contact a Family (2015) Levelling the playing field: Equal access to childcare for disabled children. [pdf] Available at: cafamily.org.uk/media/907126/levelling_the_playing_field_-_equal_access_to_childcare_for_disabled_children.pdf [Accessed 7 September 2016].3. 		Ofsted (2010) Op cit.4.  Department for Education and Department of Health (2015) Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years. [pdf] Available from:  gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25 [Accessed 7 September 2015].5. 		Ofsted (2010) Op cit.6. 		Early Education (2012) Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage. [pdf] Available from:  early-education.org.uk/development-matters-early-years-foundation-stage-eyfs-download [Accessed 7 September 2015].7.  Gaunt, C. (2014) Guidance issued for SEN and disability reforms in autumn. Nursery World [online] 16 June. Available at: nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1144815/guidance-issued-sen-disability-reforms-autumn [Accessed 7 September 2015].8. 		Department for Education (2014) Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (from 1 September 2014). Available from: gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2 [Accessed 7 September 2015]."
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Child Assessment

SEND reforms: Challenges for the early years

28 Oct 2016

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      string(3896) "In light of the current SEND Review announced by the government, it is worth considering the effectiveness of your provision and the opportunities you provide for all pupils. The movement towards inclusive education has been a global phenomenon as demonstrated in the fundamental philosophy and key practice of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The UNESCO Salamanca agreement makes it clear that ‘…ordinary schools should accommodate all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions’.  And that all educational policies should stipulate that disabled children attend the neighbourhood school ‘that would be attended if the child did not have a disability.’We know that disadvantage in all its forms builds multiple and systemic barriers that prevent young people from achieving all they can; this further emphasises the need for schools to be places of early action where barriers come down. But how is this done in practice and how does an inclusive school appear? An inclusive school in the truest sense of the word is an organisation of early action without barriers. The Centre for Studies in Inclusive Education (2015) sets a framework for an inclusive school which: Puts inclusive values into actionViews every person as of equal worthSupports everyone to feel they belongIncreases participation for children and adults in all learning and teaching activitiesReduces exclusion and barriers to learningRestructures cultures, policies and practices in ways that value everyone in the schoolLinks education to local and global realitiesLearns from the reduction of barriers to benefit all childrenImproves school environments Emphasises values and achievementAn inclusive school engages with its community:The effectiveness of this engagement is dependent on effective leadership and the extent to which it is inclusive. Leadership for inclusion covers four key areas: vision, commitment, collaboration and communication. Consider the following. How could you do it better across your school?Inclusive leadership across your schoolVision – A set of core values and beliefs, centred on high expectations for all pupils and positive engagement with parents, staff and other professionals. A wide range of learning opportunities are on offer to the pupils.Commitment – A commitment to core values, whereby appropriate opportunities are secured and provided to all pupils, and their progress is tracked. Staff development is supported and promoted.Collaboration – A culture of collaboration between staff, parents and other organisations. Leaders in and across schools work together with a sense of collective responsibility.Communication – An ability to communicate effectively, enabling the school community to share in the visionAnd how would you respond to the following questions?Leading SEND across your schoolIs there a strong focus on aspirations, access and achievement of all pupils (and an aspirational culture across the school)?Do leaders show commitment to an inclusive vision, which is communicated well to all staff; staff are able to take ownership of the vision? Do senior leaders have a good knowledge of policy and practice and are involved in SEND planning?Does the SENCO have a voice within the school leadership team?Do staff have clearly defined roles and a concept of responsibility?Is there training and support for all staff in SEND; staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure pupils with SEND make good progress?Do governors receive regular updates on pupils with SEND and their outcomes; SEND governor holds school leader to account? Is there effective parent/carer collaboration?"
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20 Nov 2019

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      string(2608) "report asked 28 LAs about dyslexia andliteracy staffing levels in 2010-2015. It found 4 maintained staffing, 9 decreased and only 5 increased Legal BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.staffing. This shows levels of support staff can not only vary according to area, but fluctuatefrequently.“Special Educational Needs Maze”A main concern is that the system is still very complex and difficult for individuals to navigate,and that the reforms even worsened this. In an article for the Guardian (Feb, 2015) John Harrisdescribes the new system as “The new special educational need maze, where parents go backto the start.”Similarly, the overall conclusion of the Driver Youth Trust study was that individuals are nowfaced with navigating a “fragmented” system. In the study, Diane Partridge from Telford andWrekin Children’s Services said; “I think what we did is picked up all the fragments, droppedthem on the floor and made them even more fragmented.”This is a major downfall, as children with SEN and disabilities may well be slipping through thenet if the system is too complicated for parents to work through.Legal Mechanisms to Ensure a Child is SupportedIt is perhaps because of this fragmentation and over-complication of the system that parentsoften seek legal advice to help them through this process. Parents often turn to lawyersspecialising in education law, such as Maxwell Gillott, for support throughout the whole breadthof the process.For example, if they are overwhelmed with the process of getting the right support for theirchild and seek help to get SEN Support or and EHCP. Other parents may only seek help whenthings go wrong and it appears that their child isn’t going to receive the right help. Legal adviceis important in situations where the LA refuses to carry out assessments or refuse to provide anEHCP, in these cases parents often have to appeal and this can be difficult to do alone.Samantha concludes; “It is evident that intentions to support pupils with SEN is often sacrificedto funding and resource cuts, and that the system can be too complex for many parents todeal with on their own. For now, our solicitors at Maxwell Gillott will continue to work hard insupporting parents so that children with SEN can get the education they are entitled to.”Samantha Hale, Education Law specialist at Maxwell GillottWEB LINKMaxwell Gillotthttp://www.maxwellgillott.com/"
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Leadership

Are SEND Reforms Fully Supporting Children?

11 Feb 2016

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      string(455) "In June 2014, a new special education needs (SEN) code of practice was introduced, implementing changes that hoped to improve education planning for children and young adults with special education needs and disabilities (SEND). Samantha Hale, Education Law specialist at Maxwell Gillott, a trading style of Simpson Millar LLP, looks into current research on how the law is performing and avenues for legal redress.
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      string(2677) "to accessthe right support for people with SEN and disabilities. The report asked 28 LAs about dyslexia andliteracy	staffing	levels	in	2010-2015.	It	found	4	maintained	staffing,	9	decreased	and	only	5	increased	Legal BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.staffing.	This	shows	levels	of	support	staff	can	not	only	vary	according	to	area,	but	fluctuatefrequently.“Special Educational Needs Maze”A	main	concern	is	that	the	system	is	still	very	complex	and	difficult	for	individuals	to	navigate,and	that	the	reforms	even	worsened	this.	In	an	article	for	the	Guardian	(Feb,	2015)	John	Harrisdescribes	the	new	system	as	“The	new	special	educational	need	maze,	where	parents	go	backto	the	start.”Similarly, the overall conclusion of the Driver Youth Trust study was that individuals are nowfaced	with	navigating	a	“fragmented”	system.	In	the	study,	Diane	Partridge	from	Telford	andWrekin	Children’s	Services	said;	“I	think	what	we	did	is	picked	up	all	the	fragments,	droppedthem	on	the	floor	and	made	them	even	more	fragmented.”This is a major downfall, as children with SEN and disabilities may well be slipping through thenet if the system is too complicated for parents to work through.Legal Mechanisms to Ensure a Child is SupportedIt is perhaps because of this fragmentation and over-complication of the system that parentsoften seek legal advice to help them through this process. Parents often turn to lawyersspecialising in education law, such as Maxwell Gillott, for support throughout the whole breadthof the process.For example, if they are overwhelmed with the process of getting the right support for theirchild and seek help to get SEN Support or and EHCP. Other parents may only seek help whenthings go wrong and it appears that their child isn’t going to receive the right help. Legal adviceis important in situations where the LA refuses to carry out assessments or refuse to provide anEHCP,	in	these	cases	parents	often	have	to	appeal	and	this	can	be	difficult	to	do	alone.Samantha	concludes;	“It	is	evident	that	intentions	to	support	pupils	with	SEN	is	often	sacrificedto funding and resource cuts, and that the system can be too complex for many parents todeal with on their own. For now, our solicitors at Maxwell Gillott will continue to work hard insupporting	parents	so	that	children	with	SEN	can	get	the	education	they	are	entitled	to.”Samantha Hale, Education Law specialist at Maxwell GillottWEB LINKMaxwell Gillotthttp://www.maxwellgillott.com/"
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Leadership

Are SEND Reforms Fully Supporting Children?

26 Nov 2015