Best practice: SEN
What does ‘Outstanding’ SEN provision look like? I
n recent years, dramatic changes in policy for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have taken place, putting additional pressure on SEN professionals to provide the best possible support for pupils with SEND. As all pupils should now have been moved to SEN Support by the start of this academic year, Jane Friswell, chief executive of nasen, shares her thoughts on how best practice support can become a reality within the classroom.
Nasen is the leading organisation in the UK for the promotion of education, training, advancement and development for all those with special and additional support needs. The nasen Outstanding Schools Project was developed in order to highlight best practices for children and young people with SEN. Case studies were undertaken in 12 exemplar primary, secondary and special schools, in order to help provide a greater understanding of what ‘outstanding’ SEN education is.
Nasen interviewed and filmed each school involved in the Outstanding Schools Project to help indicate how extraordinary SEN support is achieved and how all staff can provide the best possible assistance for every pupil. Though the methods of each school were different, the common factor saw the needs of the children always as the top priority. Here, we look at how a few of the schools from the project were able to demonstrate outstanding SEN support.
Personalised provision
It is important to understand that the needs of every child are different, and that some require additional and more personalised help. The best SEN providers are those who are able to tailor support to individual children’s needs. One school from the Outstanding Schools Project, Finham Park in Coventry, ensures that when pupils have certain additional requirements, further measures are taken to remove unnecessary pressure. “We personalise timetables in certain situations to enable children to have more time to put towards their studies, which can be difficult to achieve during lesson time,” says Pauline Parkes, Finham’s inclusion manager.
“We can provide children with extra time to spend in the Personalised Learning Centre (PLC) to do any work which is necessary to help students get the most out of lessons, or to help them with homework so that they are supported and can progress effectively, ” she adds. “The key here at Finham Park is to see our children as special, but not different. They do need our support, and we will give them that support, but sometimes it’s about knowing when to walk away”, says Dr. Liz Pyne, head of history at Finham Park.
“We can’t always be there for them, so it’s important that they can gain that independence. That’s the most important thing we do at this school.” Liz continues, “It’s not just knowledge they need, but the skills to carry on and find that extra bit of information themselves. That way even if we’re not there to support them, they still
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However, whilst helping to build independence in children is essential, providing that additional support and time is integral to improving attainment in children and young people with SEN.
Nurturing pupils
Caring for and encouraging pupils is key to their attainment and happiness at school, giving them the opportunity to grow in an environment in which they can realise their full potential. It is this simple concept which is implemented throughout Guiseley Secondary School in Leeds. Guiseley focuses on nurture and ensures this concept of caring support is incorporated throughout the curriculum, so that all pupils are able to foster a positive attitude of independence and self- sufficiency. ‘Nurture groups’ are created to realise the best academic progress for pupils, and are small in size to allow students to better focus and avoid distraction.
As part of the nurture provision at Guiseley, staff break down work modules into smaller, more manageable tasks so that students can focus on small steps at a time. “That way, they can experience success before moving onto the following task, then have success with that one before moving onto the next”, says Garry Freeman, director of inclusion and SENCO at Guiseley. “It’s a very structured approach which we feel works tremendously well for building self- confidence and self-esteem.”
October 2015
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