Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Provision and outcomes in different settings for pupils withlearning difficulties and disabilities, July 2006

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

This presentation is based on four key questions.

Which type of school is best for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD)?

What is good progress?

Do statements make a difference?

What needs to change to improve provision?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Does it matter where pupils are taught?

What do you think?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key findings

Little difference in the quality of provision and outcomes for pupils across settings.

But mainstream schools with additionally resourced provision were better.

PRUs were the least successful.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key finding

Pupils with even the most severe and complex needs were able to make outstanding progress in all types of settings.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key finding

Pupils who worked with specialist teachers in mainstream settings made greater academic progress than when they had to rely on other types of support.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key finding

Fewer pupils with complex needs were placed in mainstream schools.

But where these pupils were included and had access to specialist teachers they were likely to do as well as those taught in special schools.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key finding

Mainstream and special schools continued to struggle to establish an equal partnership.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

The Training and Development Agency should:

• improve training in the field of LDD for all teachers

• provide more opportunities for specialist training.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

Local authorities should:

• ensure that all pupils have opportunities to work alongside their peers in mainstream provision.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

Mainstream schools should:

• analyse critically their use of teaching assistants and the amount of specialist teaching they provide.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

Special schools should:

• collaborate and share expertise more effectively with mainstream schools.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

How can you improve?

Ethos Specialist staff Focused professional development for

all staff Flexibility and responsiveness to

individual needs

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

How can you improve?

Pupils’ involvement Being part of a wider community Curriculum Links with parents

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Too little has been done nationally to focus schools’ attention on improving the achievement of pupils in the lowest quartile.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

How do you know pupils are enjoying and achieving? What is good progress for pupils with LDD?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key findings

Schools were improving the analysis of data about their pupils’ learning.

But only four schools understood clearly what was meant by ‘good’ progress for pupils with LDD.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

The Department for Education and Skills should:

• clarify what is meant by ‘good’ progress for pupils with LDD.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

Schools of all types should:

• agree upon what is meant by ‘good’ progress for pupils with LDD.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

Local authorities should:

• before reorganisation, rigorously evaluate the impact of provision on the outcomes for children and young people with LDD.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

How can you improve?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Use information about outcomes more effectively to: Plan future priorities Challenge the progress pupils make Set targets for improvement in the

three areas of learning: academic; personal; social

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Is a statement of SEN a good thing?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key findings

The process of obtaining a statement disadvantaged pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD).

It favoured those with a diagnosis of medical need(s).

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key finding

Statements generated additional resources.

But they did not guarantee the quality of the provision or the outcomes for the pupil.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

The Department for Education and Skills should:

• work more closely with other government departments to ensure common assessments focused on outcomes are used to identify individual needs, in line with developments for the range of children’s services.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

Local authorities should:

• ensure that children and young people with BESD have full access to a range of services, taking family and social circumstances into account as well as their particular educational needs

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

How can you improve?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

What factors should influence the changes in provision to improve the outcomes for every child and young person with LDD?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Key findings

Every Child Matters has required local authorities to review structures and provision for pupils with LDD.

But too few authorities were basing changes on a rigorous analysis of the outcomes for children and young people.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

Recommendation

Local authorities should:

• take full account of the impact of provision and services on the outcomes for children and young people before any strategic reorganisation of services.

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

What next?

Inclusion: does it matter where pupils are taught?

This presentation is based on four key questions.

Which type of school is best for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD)?

What is good progress?

Do statements make a difference?

What needs to change to improve provision?