Curriculum, teaching and learning
The SEND Code of Practice at 6.4 provides that ‘The quality of teaching for pupils with SEN, and the progress made by pupils, should be a core part of the school’s performance management arrangements and its approach to professional development for all teaching and support staff.’
The EEF in their SEND in Mainstream Schools Guidance Report provided that “to a great extent, good teaching for pupils with SEND is good teaching for all.” The EEF describe inclusive pedagogy as an approach to whole class teaching that is accessible to all learners. It should enable learners to keep up, feel included, progress and be successful. This approach should foster an open-ended view of everyone’s potential to learn and recognises the difference between individuals.
The Guidance Report presents five recommendations for mainstream primary and secondary schools seeking to improve their provision for pupils with SEND and provides an effective tool to evaluate curriculum approaches as a whole school approach and within each classroom.
The Camden Learning SEND Hub has been developed to support members in developing their inclusive SEND provision and expertise as well as taking a broader look at wellbeing and regulation, trauma and coping with change. For more information, visit: SEND Hub — Camden Learning.
Furthermore, the London Borough of Camden, as part of the implementation of our Local Area SEND strategy, has run a series of workstreams to improve educational experiences for Children and young people with SEND. To read more about this programme, click here.
| Expectations of All Settings | Whole Setting Approaches | How well implemented? | When and how? | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | Sometimes | Not yet | |||
| High quality and differentiated teaching which is monitored and supported by school leaders |
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| The curriculum is successfully adapted to be ambitious and meet the needs of all CYP. |
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| Staff understand how to support their needs and incorporate specialist advice when appropriate. |
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| Staff are committed to developing their expertise, skills and understanding. They take part in relevant professional development and incorporate new learning into their practice. |
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High quality and differentiated teaching which is monitored and supported by school leaders
Whole Setting Approaches:
- Strong, positive relationships are established between staff and students, taking time to talk to them and listen to them, knowing their strengths and building on them and identifying what they need in the moment.
- Lessons have clear and achievable objectives understood by pupils(referred to by staff).
How well implemented?
When and how?
The curriculum is successfully adapted to be ambitious and meet the needs of all CYP.
Whole Setting Approaches:
- Whole-school consideration is given to 'how' Children and young people learn, in addition to 'what' they learn.
- All staff are made aware of the strengths, needs and interests of the child or young person with SEND, along with appropriate teaching strategies and how best to provide support.
- Teachers plan opportunities for discussion (in pairs and groups for example), to share ideas, share learning etc. Where appropriate, these opportunities are scaffolded, for example, through sentence stems, visuals.
- Teaching enables individual and small group work and includes opportunities for mixed ability grouping (role-modelling/learning through teaching others), flexible group sizes (large/small/pairs to facilitate successful interaction) and structured opportunities for discussions with peers/ supporting adults.
- Lessons are planned and adapted according to pupils' own strengths and interests to encourage, motivate and inspire learning.
- Curriculum content includes having high expectations for all Children and young people with built in reasonable adjustments to enable all CYP to achieve ambitious targets and aspirational outcomes.
- Teachers plan opportunities for Children and young people to apply their skills and learning in different contexts.
- Preparation for adulthood is built into the curriculum from the earliest opportunity.
- Homework/home learning is adapted for CYP who require it, CYP have access to homework clubs or appropriate support.
- Technology is used effectively to support CYP independent learning, when appropriate.
- All CYP are supported to engage in extra-curricular activities.
How well implemented?
When and how?
Staff understand how to support their needs and incorporate specialist advice when appropriate.
Whole Setting Approaches:
- Teachers know the starting points of Children and young people, and plan accordingly with high expectations and opportunities for extending learning.
- There are clear systems in place to ensure all staff know the needs of the children and young people well, for example pupil passports. These systems are developed with children, young people and their families and regularly reviewed.
- Self and mutual regulation strategies are in place e.g. Zones of Regulation for all the children and young people in the class
- Every teacher is a teacher of SEND who understands and implements the graduated approach. The impact of interventions has robust evaluation, and alterations are made to support the progress of the CYP.
- Additional resources and teaching are used according to individual needs. Consistent approaches and routines are in place.
- Exam access arrangements and reasonable adjustments for in-class assessments, mocks and official examinations, including SATs, are implemented according to regulations for relevant CYP.
How well implemented?
When and how?
Staff are committed to developing their expertise, skills and understanding. They take part in relevant professional development and incorporate new learning into their practice.
Whole Setting Approaches:
- Induction processes ensure all staff understand core approaches to ordinarily available inclusive provision and the expectation of inclusion.
- Teachers and support staff are supported to reflect on what works well for their current cohort and how to develop their practice across the year, based on the needs of students.
- A whole-school approach focuses on ensuring teaching assistants and support staff are skilled in how to support pupils to grow in independence.
- Schools create opportunities for staff to discuss Children and young people who they are concerned about and find a solution focussed approach to meeting needs within the classroom.
- Systems are in place to ensure communication between different staff so there is a shared understanding of children and young people's needs and an awareness of flexible and different strategies for individuals.
- There is a planned programme of ongoing CPD in relation to SEND for the whole setting and individual teams and departments
How well implemented?
When and how?
Resources
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