Reviewing progress
Schools should have a system in place to monitor the progress of all learners, and this should identify when a differentiated curriculum on its own is insufficient to ensure satisfactory progress.
For pupils with an IEP targets will have been set, with a termly or more frequent review process built in. Parents/carers and pupils should be involved in these reviews.
In addition to IEP reviews the needs of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs are formally reviewed on an annual basis. It is the responsibility of the head teacher to arrange this, and the way in which it should be done is described in the SEN Code of Practice. It will normally involve seeking advice from agencies outside the school, and if there have been significant changes in the pupil’s needs since the statement was made, a revised statement may be issued.
In each individual case a judgement will have to be made about what constitutes satisfactory progress. All pupils will progress at different rates so a decision has to be made about what it is reasonable to expect for a particular pupil. The Code suggests that adequate progress could be defined as that which:
- Closes any attainment gap with the pupil’s peers
- Prevents any gap growing wider
- Is similar to that of peers starting from the same baseline, but less than the majority of peers
- Matches, or betters, the pupil’s previous rate of progress
- Ensures access to the full curriculum
- Demonstrates an improvement in self-help, social, or personal skills
- Demonstrates improvements in behaviour
- Is likely to lead to appropriate accreditation
- Is likely to lead to participation in further education, training, or employment
Ask yourself
Class or subject teacher
- What information do I have about the pupils in my class from the SENCO and/or previous school?
- Am I familiar with the content of any IEPs for my pupils?
- Do I consult with the SENCO on the best way to meet their needs?
- How do I involve parent/carers and pupils in drawing up IEPs?
- Do I make my own assessment of their needs?
- What do I need to do to differentiate work within the classroom?
- What grouping arrangements do I need to put in place?
- What additional resources do I have and how do I know I am using them effectively?
- Are there any other strategies I need to employ, and if so, do I need any additional training?
SENCO
- Do I give the class or subject teacher full information on each pupil’s needs?
- Do I discuss strategies to meet pupil’s needs with the class/subject teacher, and teaching assistants?
- How do I involve parent/carers and pupils in drawing up IEPs?
- Do I ensure everyone has a copy of the IEP for each pupil?
- What additional resources might I need to implement particular strategies, and have I discussed these with the head teacher/SMT?
- What training might class/subject teachers need?
- What liaison and advice do I need to have with support agencies?
Head teacher
- What discussions have I had with the SENCO regarding staffing and budgets?
- Do I know how much resource is available to the school and are the SENCO and others aware of this?
- Have I allocated sufficient resources?
- What liaison and advice does the school require with outside agencies?
- How do I monitor the effectiveness of support put in place?
- Do I need to recruit additional staff or buy equipment? What is the time scale?
- What rearrangements of staff timetables do I need to make?
- Do I need to look at the curriculum teaching methods to include all pupils in the school?
- Am I enabling each individual to be included by making reasonable adjustments to the school and curriculum?
- What additional training do my staff need?
- Is the school operating according to our SEN policy?
- Do I keep parents/carers informed about our policies?
- Do I keep the SEN Governor informed of SEN issues at the school? Can he/she give me any advice?
School Governor
- Am I taking an active interest in how the school meets the needs of children with SEN?
- Is this in accordance with the school’s SEN policy?
- What information are other governors and I being supplied with by the school? Is there additional information that we need?
- What are the resource implications of meeting SEN needs?
- What monitoring and review arrangements are there in place?
- Are we operating within LEA policy?
- Are we operating within the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act?
- Do I need additional training in my role as a SEN Governor?
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