It has never been easy for schools to meet the requirements of all pupils with SEND ─ but that challenge is now set to become even more difficult, if data from the DfE is to be believed.
National pupil projections released last July suggest that schools will see a significant increase in the number of children with SEND in the coming years, and it is estimated that as many as 14,000 additional special school places will be required by 2025.
This could present a problem for mainstream schools, because unless there is a significant investment in the special sector, they will have to accommodate far more pupils with complex needs than they have done previously.
And with the guidance available to teachers about how best to meet the requirements of children with SEND already highly variable, mainstream schools may struggle to get their provision up to scratch in time.
However, one solution is for teachers to conduct a peer review of their current classroom practice for SEND.
I have worked alongside parents, schools, universities and young people, to contribute to a document that guides teachers in doing exactly this.
The document, currently called “SEND Review: Classroom Practice”, will form part of the SEND Review suite of materials. The Whole School SEND consortium, which is hosted by the London Leadership Strategy and is made up of a range of schools, charities, professional development providers and educational organisations, is leading this development of a range of new resources.
How effective is your SEND practice?
These materials are free to access and can be used flexibly. Through the review process, teachers will be able to reflect on how effectively they are meeting the requirements of all learners and can challenge their own perceptions of the impact of their interventions.
The document itself is broken down into areas of provision, such as “knowledge of the learner”, and “working and communicating with families”. For each of these areas, the document provides a range of aspirational statements against which examples of current strengths or areas for improvement can be applied.
This is not intended to be a simplistic checklist of competencies, but instead should be considered a guide to perpetual improvement. It is designed to promote discussion, rather than to generate simplistic answers.
When going through the review process, it is essential that a culture of transparency and low threat is promoted. Too often, teachers feel compelled to hide what they find most challenging or what they do least well, for fear the simplistic judgements that might be made and the consequences that can come with them.
This process should instead be one of on-going reflection, in which teachers have the confidence to declare openly those areas that need the greatest attention. And, in acknowledging where they may need to improve, teachers can begin to ensure that all children, in all settings, can acquire the knowledge, skills and qualifications they need for a successful transition into further education, employment and independent life.
Simon Knight is director of education for the National Education Trust.
The SEND Review and other materials produced by the Whole School SEND consortium will be discussed at their upcoming summit on 23 February. Details of the summit can be found here.
