红桃影视

Unchanged for many years, section 5 of the states that teachers must adapt to the strengths and needs of all pupils. That鈥檚 fine in principle, but pupils鈥� needs have changed, and it鈥檚 increasingly difficult to meet that expectation.

What staff need is clear, actionable strategies to get to know their pupils鈥� needs and how to meet them. To that end, here are five strategies that are helping our trust-wide efforts to drive up mainstream inclusion.

Provision Mapping

In specialist settings, the provision map is often a detailed document providing an overview of legal provisions from EHCPs, key points from specialist reports and a log of the interventions each pupil is accessing. It informs curriculum, staffing, duty, supervision, extra-curricular and training activities, as well as development planning.

We have adapted it for our SEND-supported students in mainstream. Using agreed, common language, leaders complete sections on interventions and record specialist information, SENDCos add in ordinarily available provision, and teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) supplement this with information about supporting the child鈥檚 normal ways of working.

Staff then use the map in their planning and delivery, while leaders and SENDCos use it to quality-assure provision. What鈥檚 more, it allows them to be responsive as new needs arise, upskilling staff as required.

In each of four Ofsted inspections across our trust in the past year, inspectors have specifically noted the positive effects of this strategy on identifying and meeting pupils鈥� needs, curriculum inclusiveness, teaching and learning quality, and the way this is all done with 鈥渄ue consideration to staff workload and well-being鈥�.

Training TAs

As specialist reports indicate intervention needs, it is easy to simply ask class teachers to organise one-to-one support. This misses two opportunities. First, without an appropriate plan, quality is lost. And second, very few interventions need one-to-one.

A more efficient and effective strategy is to train TAs, give them the time to plan and assess, and include other appropriate pupils in the intervention.

Importantly, listen to TAs鈥� feedback on possible reasons why the child needs (or may be struggling to access) that intervention. Then address those. This will significantly increase impact.

The curriculum conversation

All interventions should be designed to support a child to access mainstream lessons and should complement the curriculum. This only works if staff know to check in on their progress. The provision map is crucial, but may not be enough in larger settings where students see multiple staff each day.

To help address this, Jack Hunt School has introduced the 鈥楥heck in 10鈥�. In the first 10 minutes of every lesson, staff identify the SEND students in their class and consider whether their lesson plan needs any quick adaptations.

This has developed staff knowledge of their SEND students and improved teaching and learning more broadly as staff recognise non-SEND students who benefit from the same consideration.

Preparing for adulthood

Traditionally, the agenda has been reserved for pupils in Year 9 and above. However, in its , Ofsted noted that the strongest provisions started this from the early years and made it a consistent part of EHCPs.

We introduce it the moment pupils arrive in our schools. Identifying opportunities to consider employment, independence, good health and positive relationships supports families with planning ahead and helps staff to recognise curriculum links.

Doing so supports everyone鈥檚 understanding of the long-term intent of any interventions and allows us to give our most complex learners the best chance to live rich lives after school.

Making the most of the day

Finally, every minute of the school day is a learning experience. It is worth reflecting periodically on the opportunities you may be offering some pupils that could benefit many, thus creating economies of scale.

Lunchtime adaptations, for example, can be a chance to work on sensory, social and fine motor skills, as well as to develop independence.

These five strategies have allowed us to take great strides in mainstream inclusion. Importantly, developing them has revealed how willing and able staff are to meet the challenge. The key is to support them.