Schools should organise moderation of: - GM · Web viewHaving produced a baseline assessment, teachers should plan to implement educational interventions that address the needs indentified

Assessment and Moderation Framework

April 2010

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 4Principles and aims

4Content 4Rationale 5Assessment and Moderation Framework for Pupils with SEN

7Child Profile 8What is a Profile, and Why Should it be Used?

8Key principles of Pupil Passports

8Baseline Assessment 11Common Assessment Framework (CAF) 11Baseline Assessment in secondary schools 12Identification of SEN

14Planning 15Learning Objectives

15The Pupil’s Perspective

15TAs & LSAs

16Targets

16Individual Provision Maps and Individual Education Plans (IEP)

18Interventions

19Assessment 20Day to Day Assessment

20Assessment for Learning (AfL)

21Marking

21Periodic Assessment

23Criterion-referenced assessment

24Transitional Assessment

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Primary/Secondary Transfer25

Assessment of progress of pupils in respect of ECM outcomes25

Assessment in respect of specific SEN26

Review 29Tracking29

Management Information Systems30

Whole school tracking systems in mainstream schools30

Whole school tracking systems in special schools 32

Moderation of Assessment and Other Strands of the Framework 37

Moderation of assessment – Principles37

Continuous Professional Development37

Class / subject assessment37

In-school Moderation38

L.A. Moderation38

The Moderation day39

Moderation of Other Strands of the Framework 42Moderation of the Child Profile

42Moderation of Identification

42Moderation of Planning

42Moderation of Target Setting

43Moderation of Assessment

43Moderation of Review

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Evaluation 45Evaluation of performance in mainstream schools

45Evaluation of performance in special schools

47Progression Guidance

47Progress of Groups

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Appendices 50

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INTRODUCTION

Principles and aims

This Assessment and Moderation framework places use of P scales within the framework of all pupils and with SEN and all other pupils. Only 5% of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) pupils and 0.4% of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) pupils were registered on at least one P Scale in 2008. (National P Scales data collection 2008).In the interests , therefore , of efficiency and inclusion it is beneficial to assess and moderate the performance of these pupils within whole school systems , with procedures differentiated to be specific to P Scales where necessary..

Embedding them within the systems used for all pupils will also serve to promote their use and ownership by all staff, thereby, promoting inclusive practice. The framework embodies the principle that assessment should be holistic, taking into account the ‘whole child’ and promoting not just academic achievement but also the achievement of the five Every Child Matters outcomes.

The aims of the framework are to:

Establish clear links between assessment and the process of planning and review:

Support and develop greater accuracy and consistency of assessment and moderation of the P scales:

Ensure that assessment of the P scales is linked to good, well established assessment principles such as Assessment for Learning and APP:

Support the confidence and the development of professional expertise to make best fit judgements:

Maximise the involvement of pupils in the target setting process: Develop procedures for assessing performance against the 5 ECM

outcomes; Embed systems for the assessment and moderation of the P scales with

those for all pupils Encourage partnerships or cluster working across groups of schools/LAs

It is intended that the framework will be applicable in primary, secondary and special settings. Where it is necessary to differentiate content to be phase specific this will be indicated.

Content

The Assessment and Moderation framework is not intended to be prescriptive in every detail. It recommends the key elements that should be included within a framework and provides guidance as to what these elements ought to contain. It provides exemplars to assist schools and LAs in developing their own practice.

The framework consists of:

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A flow-chart detailing key elements Rationale for inclusion for key elements Guiding principles for each element Examples of good practiceRationale

Moderation

Schools should organise moderation of

target setting assessment evaluation

The purpose of moderation is to ensure that judgements are reliable and valid. Moderation needs to take place within and between classes and key stages. It also needs to take place between schools to ensure that judgments are consistent across settings.

Child Profile

The purpose of the Child Profile is to provide an instrument for collecting and documenting essential information needed to:

establish the pupil’s learning strengths and areas of need disseminate this information to key staff and carers promote consistency of approach maximise involvement of pupil in awareness of their own needs

Baseline assessment

The purpose of a baseline assessment is to provide a profile of a pupil's skills and abilities at the start of a particular stage of education. It shows teachers what a child can do when starting this stage and helps them to plan lessons and measure progress. Areas covered include language and literacy, mathematics and personal and social development.

Planning

Part of what is assessed is what a pupil has achieved in respect of what has been planned and targeted. This is not to say that all that is achieved is what is planned for. Having produced a baseline assessment, teachers should plan to implement educational interventions that address the needs indentified in a pupil’s Statement of SEN (if the pupil has one) and areas for development identified in the baseline assessment. Consideration must also be taken of strengths and preferred learning styles indentified in the Child Profile and Baseline Assessment.

Assessment

There are three phases of assessment.6

Day to day assessment

Having planned for a pupil’s education provision, it is necessary to assess whether the pupil has achieved what has been targeted, the rate of progress and levels of attainment. This includes information that teachers might gain from conversations with pupils about their work, as well as ongoing marking and peer and self-assessment. Day-to-day assessment gives pupils immediate feedback and provides them with relevant next steps. It also enables teachers to adjust their short-term planning in line with their pupils’ needs.

Periodic assessment  

This is based on reviewing performance over a period of time and taking into account evidence in a range of forms drawn from day-to-day assessment. It helps the teacher and pupil identify overall progress in a subject or aspect of learning, rather than just assessing learning of the most recently taught topic. It also gives the teacher a clear sense of whether pupils are able to use the knowledge, skills and understanding they have developed in different contexts. Periodic assessment can also inform the teacher’s medium- and long-term planning and can provide the evidence to link pupils’ attainment to national standards.

Transitional assessment  

This is most likely to take place at the end of a year or key stage. It draws on the full range of assessment information, including judgements made by the teacher and any other evidence such as tests. Transitional assessments provide a formal recognition of achievement and valuable baseline information for a pupil’s next teacher.Each of these aspects of assessment provides a different perspective on what has been achieved and what the next steps should be. Used together they build a rounded and reliable picture of a pupil’s progress.

Review

Review is a formal process for considering progress, as measured through assessment. It considers all of the factors promoting attainment and progress, develops views and hypotheses around the reason for progress and the existence of barriers to learning. It results in commonly agreed actions, revised profiles and planning.

Evaluation

Embedded with the Ofsted framework is the imperative of schools to evaluate provision. This enables schools to identify what is promoting progress and what is presenting barriers to achievement. These rounds off the Assessment and Framework, as a pupil’s individual performance cannot be analyzed in isolation from the educational context in which (s) he is educated. Improvements to rates of progress rest to a great degree to improvements in strategic planning of and implementation provision.

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Within this framework profiling, assessment and planning take place in a circular and continuous sequence.

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ASSESSMENT AND MODERATION FRAMEWORK FOR PUPILS with SENKey Elements

Child ProfileProfilePupil passport

Baseline assessmentIdentification of SENNC levelsReading age CAFBehavioural assessmentEmotional

PlanningObjectives from statementTargetsProvision mapsInterventionsIEPLong and medium term plans

AssessmentDay to day/Periodic/TransitionalAfLMarkingTeacher assessmentStandardised testsPupil interviewsAPPECM outcomes

EvaluationSESPProgression GuidanceLA review

ModerationSchool basedLA wide

ReviewTrackingPupil progress meetingsP scale trackingManagement Information SystemsIEP reviewsAnnual review

CHILD PROFILE

It is important that all staff working in the school and across other services maintain a profile that guides practice around each pupil with SEN. This can be in the form of a statement that is personalized from the perspective of the pupil or a document written in the third person.

Personal Profile

A personal profile is a concise assessment summary that describes a child in a holistic sense and includes information about his or her strengths, challenges, likes, dislikes family composition and characteristics, the circumstances under which the most productive learning can occur, teacher/peer input, and environmental or adaptive needs. The profile is fundamentally a collection of information gathered from the influential adults in a child's life, obtained from interviews and a review of existing written records. This short summary document provides a snapshot of the child's current interests and his or her present level of performance and development. The intent of the profile is to reflect what a pupil with SEN might want to tell or share with others but not be able to. For example, the first-person perspective of the statements, "I like ..., My family is ..., I learn best when ..." reflects the importance of viewing these characteristics and qualities through the eyes of the child and the family. By de-emphasizing the all-too-common focus on the deficits of the student with moderate or severe disabilities and replacing it with a broader, more comprehensive perspective, others may begin to view the child as a whole person with many positive attributes to offer. This could be especially applicable in the educational setting of the general education classroom.

Key principles of Pupil Passports

Passports are a special way of sorting information Passports are an efficient way of presenting information and making it

accessible to a wide variety of readers Passports are a way of supporting the person, their carers and professional

helpers through potentially traumatic life changes and transitions, and of ensuring consistency in how different people understand and approach the person.

Passports are a way of orientating new staff quickly Passports should be visually attractive and readable documents Passports are highly personalised and show the person they represent as

human, unique and recognisable Passports are a way of presenting information in a way that is positive and

empowering both to the person they represent and to the reader Making Passports is a way of valuing the role of family and carers, and of

giving them more control Making Passports can enhance relationships. Passports are owned by the holder and family, not by the professionals Passports give a specific focus for discussion with families and staff, to

enable deeper understanding of a person with special needs (and each other).

Personal Communication Passports

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by Sally Millar, 1997

In secondary schools, staff need to be sensitive to the feelings of those students who may find the child-friendly format inappropriate and prefer a format in which content is altered in order that expressed in the third person.

Communication Passport

A Personal Communication Passport or profile is a document carried by a pupil who has difficulty in communicating or who has significant learning difficulties. It is a means of gathering, synthesizing, and conveying critical information about students with moderate and severe disabilities. This personal profile summary provides a brief but in-depth view of a child in terms of the abilities he or she is proud of, interests, challenges, optimal learning conditions, and family life.Too often students with special needs are viewed in terms of their deficits and differences from other students and learners. It is important for all staff to recognize the strengths and positive aspects of a student with SEN. The profile can provide a holistic view of students with special needs, specifically students with moderate and severe disabilities, for whom traditional assessment often fails to portray as possessing strengths, preferences, or interests.

Appendix 1 contains a communication passport template for pupils with moderate and severe difficulties. Appendix 2 contains a communication passport template for a pupil with sensory/physical needs.

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Example of a Communication Passport for a Pupil with Sensory Physical Needs

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BASELINE ASSESSMENT

The purpose of a baseline assessment is to provide a profile of a pupil’s skills and abilities at a particular point in time in their education. It shows all those working with the pupil what the young person can do and helps them to plan effectively and also acts to provide a way of measuring progress. The areas included in the assessment should cover language, literacy, mathematics and personal and social development.

Baseline assessment can take place at various times. These may include

On entry to school At the start of the school year On changing a Key Stage At a time when there are increasing concerns surrounding the pupil

Most baseline assessments will be a collection of information from all those who have been working with the child over the course of the past academic year and have been involved in assessing the pupil.

Gathering information can come from a range of sources

In-house tracking systems Results from recent school tasks and tests Reports from professionals Discussion with those working with the child ( e.g. Team Around the Child)

Key Information may include

NC levels including P levels Reading Age, records of high frequency words recognised and/or book

band level Phonic knowledge assessments Spelling assessments Observation records Work samples Language levels (Speech & language Therapy reports) Social and emotional intelligence assessments A behaviour log

Appendix 3 contains P Scale matrices that can be use both a baseline and a cumulative tracking document for pupils whose attainment falls within the P Scales.

Common Assessment Framework (CAF)

When there is a need for a more comprehensive portrait of a child the Common Assessment Framework may be appropriate. From January 2010, it is recommended that any child on the SEN profile who is involved with an outside

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agency should have a CAF to assess the most effective ways of providing directed support in the future.

The CAF was introduced as a shared assessment tool for all practitioners that work with pupils and families in the UK. The common assessment has been specifically designed to reduce duplicate assessments and to provide a common holistic framework for assessing need. It also facilitates integrated support and joint planning at an early stage.

Lord Laming has described what he sees as the key elements of a good assessment process (The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report – 2009)

“Fundamental to establishing the extent of a child’s need is a child-centred, sensitive and comprehensive assessment. Assessment should involve gathering a full understanding of what is happening to a child in the context of their family circumstances and the wider community, using a variety of sources of information. It must therefore be a joint parallel assessment with all professionals concerned for the child’s safety and welfare. Time needs to be spent making sense of this information informing the family where appropriate. Assessment procedures should build up an increasingly clear understanding of a child’s situation.”

The CAF is the multi-disciplinary tool that makes Lord Laming’s description of an effective assessment process a reality for pupils and families. When professionals sign up to the CAF process and integrate it into their practice and procedures, pupils and families experience a coherent and seamless process by which the practitioners there to help them understand their needs, establish a single plan and work together to improve their lives.

Each school needs to identify key staff that will be responsible for leading meetings involving key professionals and parents. It is then essential that these individuals receive comprehensive training on the CAF process.

The lead professional should submit a request to check if a CAF is already in place and if not make a request to create a CAF. Once the form has been received electronically, pupils, parents and all those involved with the child should complete the form before submitting it online (once it has been agreed and signed by the parent).

Principles of good CAFs include

The assessments are multi-disciplinary and should give a holistic picture of the pupil rather than being focused on a single issue

There is clarity between the pupil, their family and professionals about the reason for undertaking an assessment and the timescale

The pupil is always seen and listened to and parents/carers are fully involved

Information gathered needs to useful and relevant, analysed and used to inform the plan for the pupil

Baseline Assessment in secondary schools14

Baseline information developed by secondary schools falls into four major categories

Primary test results Teacher assessment information passed on by primary schools Information gained from specific primary-secondary transition

arrangements Cognitive testing

Cognitive testing

Secondary schools use a variety of tests to test pupil’s underlying ability. The most popular are CATS and MIDYIS.

Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT)

The CAT is published by GL Assessment. The complete series of tests the age range 7 years 6 months to 17 years. Roughly 70% of all secondary schools use CAT to assess their pupils on entry to Y7, and approximately 25% also test in Y9. Many primary schools also use CAT, predominantly in Y4. Approximately one-third of LEAs use CAT strategically across all their schools. Most secondary schools use the computer-scoring service provided by GL Assessment.

CAT is nine tests grouped into three batteries which assess a pupil’s ability to reason with and manipulate the three different types of symbols that play a substantial role in human thinking

verbal – thinking with words quantitative – thinking with numbers non-verbal – thinking with shape and space

CAT scores indicate general transferable abilities, such as the ability to recognise similarities, analogies, patterns and relationships, all fundamental to understanding and assimilating new information. They are designed specifically to minimise the role of prior learning and can therefore provide an indication of potential. They differ from the national tests (or SATs) which indicate attainment in some core areas of the curriculum and reflect how well pupils have acquired and retained specific knowledge in these areas.

The CAT tests are used for monitoring trends in the abilities of the intake, identifying individual pupil’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses, identifying SEN, the more able/gifted and underachieving pupils or groups, informing target setting and assessing value added.

CATS can produce an Individual Pupil Profile that summarises the pupil’s scores on the three batteries. This can provide valuable information for SENCOs and teachers on the cognitive style of each pupil with SEN in order to inform planning in class and of extra provision. The Individual Pupil Profile may also show national test or examination indicated outcomes where the school has requested these. This enables the school, for example to calculate the

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proportions of pupils with SEN who achieved their predicted CATS scores. This can form part of the review of progress by indicating whether pupils with SEN did as well as expected.

MidYIS

The MidYIS Tests are primarily designed to be taken on-entry to secondary school. Tests are available in two formats, paper-based or computer-adaptive and are available for Year 7, 8/S1 or 9/S2. There is also an optional follow-up Additional Test to be taken in Year 8 to provide further differentiation of your pupils’ abilities. All tests are designed to fit into a lesson period (about 1 hour) and are strictly administered to ensure that all pupils are exposed to the same instructions, explanations and examples, ensuring fair, high quality, reliable data.The tests are designed to measure, as far as possible, ability and aptitude for learning rather than achievement. MidYIS is not an IQ Test as it is designed to provide a measure of ‘typical’ performance so that teachers can judge how much ‘effort’ will be required to take pupils up KS3 and GCSE/Standard Grade level. The tests are comprised of Vocabulary, Maths, Non-verbal and Skills sections. The Additional Test provides extra Writing Speed and Listening Comprehension sections. All sections contribute to an overall measure of ability that strongly predicts subsequent achievement. Test results can be used to identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, inform teaching and learning, identify gifted pupils and help identify pupils with special educational needs. Non-verbal measures are particularly important for pupils for whom English is an additional language. Accommodated tests and instructions are available for visually impaired and hearing impaired pupils.Value-added feedback is provided at the pupil and subject level for any pupil who subsequently takes GCSE/ Standard Grade examinations. As with CATS the school can calculate the proportions of pupils with SEN who achieved their predicted scores based upon MIDYIS assessment. This can form part of the review of progress by indicating whether pupils with SEN did as well as expected

Identification of SEN

It is important for schools to identify accurately those pupils who have special educational needs; that is, those pupils with learning difficulties that lead to them needing provision that is additional to or different from that generally provided for all pupils. Under-identification leads to needs not been assessed or provided for; over- identification leads to needless bureaucracy, over-reliance on additional intervention rather than quality-first teaching and difficulty in meeting those needs identified. LAs should provide guidance to schools in identification. Appendix 4 provides a specimen LA Identification Guide. Schools should moderate identification of pupils in the SEN profile in order to ensure that

all pupils requiring provision that is 'additional to' or 'different from' are identified

pupils that do not require such provision are not included on the SEN profile

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identification leads to specification of appropriate provision provision leads to improved rates of progress Criteria for placement of a pupil on the SEN Profile are consistent across

the school.

PLANNING

For personalised learning to be successful, planning for progression and differentiation are fundamental. High expectations of progress apply equally to all pupils, whether working above, at or below age–related expectations. Within planning there should be an expectation of participation, fulfilment and success.

Good planning will be characterised by

Reference to Baseline Assessment and/or Pupil Profile (if pupil has one) Ambitious objectives (relating to those in the statement if the pupil has

one) Challenging personal targets Strategies and interventions to support pupil’s development Reference to both short and long term goals Learning Objectives

Within mainstream classes, teachers should write different learning objectives into their planning for both groups and individuals when necessary, whilst ensuring that they all linked to the overall class focus.

The revised Primary National Strategies and the Secondary Progression Maps model the way in which a teacher can take a learning objective for a particular class and track backwards for pupils with special educational needs to find linked objectives appropriate to the needs of the individual or group.

The structure and electronic format of these planning frameworks support this approach and enable teachers to amend and insert differentiated learning objectives as appropriate. Differentiated learning objectives also help teaching assistants to focus more specifically on supporting pupils to complete tasks successfully.

Appendix 5 provides an example of how to differentiate within a classroom context for pupils whose attainment falls within the P Scales.

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Collaborative working with year group colleagues and the SENCo or Inclusion Manager should ensure effective teaching and learning. In general teachers should aim to record

the appropriate tracked back learning objective for a particular group or if the class contains pupils working well below age related expectations for a specific pupil

the different tasks that individual pupils or groups will be working on differentiated questions in the teaching part of the lesson opportunities in the plenary for pupils working to different objectives to

demonstrate their learning

The Pupil’s Perspective

Pupils need to have a clear understanding of what they are going to learn in a lesson and this needs to be clearly identified in the planning. It can be reinforced during lessons by a clearly defined W.A.L.T. (What am I learning today?). When a group or an individual pupil has a differentiated learning objective this can be displayed on their particular table or work station so that whoever is working with them can remind them of their particular objective.

Within planning it is also important to build differentiated questioning during the teaching phase of the lesson to ensure that all pupils are actively involved. Similarly, during the plenary it is important that there is differentiation so it is possible to assess the success of individuals or groups in meeting particular learning objectives.

Building personal learning objectives into teachers’ everyday planning means that pupils with SEN can do most of their learning with their peers. For example if a child has specific targets relating to turn-taking or asking questions these can be built into the general lesson planning. However, in certain instances some individual pupils may need to learn particular things as a priority for their overall development, which may not always link to the class focus. It will sometimes be more effective and practical to have specific planning for individuals to address specific objectives and targets.

Ideally teachers should consider using a variety of options in their planning to ensure the most effective provision and teaching for their pupils. This may include where pupils working on P levels

can follow the same objective and activities as their peers will be involved in a lesson in the same curriculum area but are following

different learning objectives at various levels based on their individual needs

will be involved in the same lesson as their peers but will also be addressing targets from different curriculum areas such as language development or social and emotional development.

Follow completely separate planning in order to address particular priority learning objectives

TAs & LSAs18

Finally, for planning to be fully effective, TAs or LSAs should be fully involved in the process. They can often contribute knowledge about teaching and access strategies that are effective with individual pupils. They cannot be expected to provide effective support unless they know in advance what the pupils are going to learn, and are confident in their subject knowledge and expected outcomes from each lesson.

Most class planning formats include an area for differentiated planning for SEN where notes can be made for any adaptations that may be needed for individuals to ensure their inclusion. However individual planning may be needed for areas of the curriculum to ensure that there is sufficient explanation to those working individually with the child and that learning intentions are appropriate to the pupil.

Targets

In schools today all children have targets but to be effective they must be personalised. The first stage of the process is to set individual progress targets that show what NC level (or P level) the individual pupil is aiming to achieve by the end of the key stage. In turn, this informs teachers where their pupils should be at the end of each school year. These numerical targets are based on data provided by the Local Authority, RAISEonline, the Fischer Family Trust, Progression Guidance, Comparison and Analysis of Special Pupil Attainment (CASPA) or similar systems.

From these end-of-year numerical targets, teachers set short-term targets to support their pupils’ progress. These are usually set every half-term and, in order to be successful, pupils need to be conferenced in order to ensure that they fully understand and agree with their targets.

In most schools, groups of pupils (including many with SEN) working at a similar level in a particular subject will have the same targets. However, some pupils will require a further level of personalisation with individual short-term targets. It is important that pupils are continually aware of their targets. This can be achieved, for example, by putting the targets onto a bookmark attached to their exercise book (Appendix 6). They can be displayed either in writing or pictorially, depending on which form is most appropriate for the child’s ability. Whatever the target, it is important that it is specific, measurable, achievable and time related (SMART).

To ensure that proposed targets are sufficiently challenging, teachers should consider the following

Targets will be agreed with the school on the basis of analysis, rather than imposed by the LA.

Targets will be relevant and challenging. Targets will reflect prior attainment measured through national

assessments where available. Targets will acknowledge that schools have different contexts and

different starting points.

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Targets will recognise that year-on-year improvement may be unreasonable given the challenging nature of the cohorts. They will seek improvement over time.

Targets will take into account gender and ethnicity where appropriate. Targets will be the outcome of a systematic analysis by the school of its

performance and its value added related to prior attainment data. School performance targets should be firmly rooted in pupil learning

targets agreed with pupils where possible, shared with parents and systematically monitored and reviewed.

Targets will be supported by strategies identified by the school to improve teaching and learning.

Schools will use comparative data from the LA to evaluate their own performance against similar schools.

Now that targets focus on progress as well as attainment, it will be more important than ever for schools to use their pupil tracking systems to help inform the process. Schools and pupils need to have a shared understanding of the difference between predictions and targets. A prediction says, “this is what you are likely to achieve based on your prior performance”. This is often generated from prior attainment data. A target says, “This is what you could achieve if…” A target equals the prediction with an element of challenge.

If the target is to be achieved both school and the pupil need to be clear about what it is that will need to happen for the target to be achieved – what will complete the ‘if…..’sentence above. This could include

Removal or modification of a known barrier to improvement Increased levels of support or intervention Introduction of new curriculum arrangements Modification of teaching methods

Target setting is likely to be ineffective if it is ‘top-down’; that is, simply determined by aspiring to raise current levels of performance. However, a ‘ bottom-up’ approach is likely to assist school improvement. A bottom-up approach is one in which individual targets are set for each pupils and then added up to produce whole school targets. It can be characterised as follows

1. Establish and collect teacher predictions for each pupil. These should be based upon:

- Knowledge of pupils’ - attitudes to learning - DCSF Progression Guidance- All test and teacher assessment data available in the school e.g. for

pupils on P Scales, electronic systems such as CASPA can generate predictions based upon the principles of the DCSF Progression Guidance

- Evidence of trends in past achievements- Performance of benchmark groups e.g. in similar schools.- Membership of potentially vulnerable group

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2. Assess the necessary degree of additional challenge for each pupil to form a provisional target.

3. Agree individual pupil targets in each subject.4. Ensure that numerical targets are translated into curricular targets for

children in the classroom.5. Aggregate individual targets across the year group.6. Aggregate school targets across year groups.7. Review aggregated targets in the light of comparative data.

LAs need to specify principles and arrangements for target setting for special schools.Appendix 7 is a specimen booklet that can be distributed to special schools.

Individual Provision Maps and Individual Education Plans (IEP)

Children with SEN may have a provision map or individual education plan (IEP). These should be strategic and transparent documents, illustrating a child’s targets, accessed interventions, and the amount and frequency of support they receive. Appendices 8, 9 and 10 provide specimen formats for a variety of key stages. It is important that whenever possible pupils and parents are actively involved in this process so that pupils are clear about their learning and parents are able to contribute and support. Both parties should also be involved in the reviewing process.

The key elements to be included in provision maps and IEPs are

Pupil’s details (name, class, year group etc) Categories of need Stage on the profile Targets Regular Reviews Interventions and support accessed by the pupil: frequency and duration Professionals involved Academic levels in key areas at start and end of the school year

Interventions

For some pupils, personalised learning within the main classroom setting may not be sufficient. While current ‘catch up’ arrangements (Wave 2) are effective for children working close to age-related expectations, many SEN pupils also need a further level of support.

These pupils will benefit, at key moments, from additional small group or one-to-one interventions (Wave 3) to enable them to make the progress needed to achieve their full potential. Intervention is therefore a key component of personalised learning, since intensive bursts of small group or individual activity can be highly effective in getting the pupil back on track. However many pupils working within the P levels made need individual targeted teaching for much of the school day.

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Information on effective interventions is provided nationally by the DCSF but most authorities also support schools by providing information and training on tried and tested interventions.

It is important for schools to identify children who are not achieving their age-related expectations or who have specific needs in other areas. They should take into account all types of need: cognition and learning; speech, language and communication; sensory and physical needs; behavioural, emotional and social needs.

The school senior management or SENCo/Inclusion Manager then needs to correlate this information to determine how many children will need to access each different area of additional support, and timetable provision accordingly. The baseline assessment (completed prior to starting the intervention) will enable analysis of pupil progress and also allow senior managers to evaluate the impact of specific interventions.

Group or individual record sheets should be completed for each intervention, showing

Staff involved Frequency and length of intervention Baseline information Mid term assessment Assessment at the end of intervention Evaluation of performance and future recommendations for particular

pupils

ASSESSMENT

“Effective teachers are continually updating what they know about each child’s progress and using the information to plan next steps with precision” The Children’s Plan

Secure knowledge of a pupil’s current attainment is a core element of personalised learning. Every period of learning should be based on the extent of prior learning, and active assessment is required throughout to ensure that expected progress is being made.

There are three distinct, but linked, phases in assessment that can be consistently applied across subject areas and year groups

1. Day to day assessment- Learning objectives are made explicit and shared with pupils- Peer and self assessment is used - Pupils are engaged in their learning and receive immediate - feedback on their progress

2. Periodic assessment- A broader view of progress is provided across a subject for teacher

and learner 22

- Work is moderated using national curriculum level guidance (APPs)- Improvements are made to medium-term planning

3. Transitional assessment- Pupils receive formal recognition of their achievements - Achievement is reported to parents/carers and the next teacher(s) - External tests or tasks may be used

For pupils on a slower learning journey, more specific objectives and assessments are needed in each phase. The development of the Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP) approach is crucial in improving assessment practice in schools and, in particular, strengthening the periodic aspect of assessment. For pupils with SEN working below the National Curriculum Level 1, the P-scales fulfil a similar function.

Day to Day Assessment

Teachers should share both the big picture and the small steps. By explaining the learning objectives to pupils, and making learning outcomes and success criteria explicit, pupils will understand what they are expected to learn, and also how they will demonstrate their achievements. Pupils working on P levels will benefit from having the learning objective and success criteria individually explained with visual prompts and other aids used to ensure that they are know fully what is expected of them.

Teachers should plan opportunities to revisit the learning objectives during the course of the lesson through targeted questioning and mini-plenaries, so that pupils have several opportunities to reflect on their own learning and progress. Additionally, teachers should provide a combination of both oral and written feedback to pupils and build in sufficient time for them to reflect on the feedback, act on the advice and ask questions for clarification.

Day-to-day assessment supports pupils to become independent learners who are able to assess and evaluate their own learning. Many successful teachers choose to build the foundations for this by using peer assessment. Teachers who model peer assessment themselves by, for example, thinking aloud whilst critiquing a piece of work, provide invaluable support for pupils who often find peer assessment difficult.

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

AfL can be used in day-to-day teaching as an assessment tool. In formative assessment teachers can use AfL strategies in all subjects to assess pupil progress and plan appropriately to the needs of their pupils.

The aims of AfL are that

Pupils know understand what they need to do to improve and how to get there.

Pupils get the support they need to be motivated, independent learners Every teacher is equipped to make well-founded judgements about pupils’

attainment, understands the concepts and principles of progression, and

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knows how to use their assessment judgements to forward plan, particularly for pupils who are not fulfilling their potential;

Every school has in place structured and systematic assessment systems for making manageable and accurate assessments of pupils, and for tracking their progress;

Every parent and carer knows how their child is doing, what they need to do to improve, and how they can support the child and their teachers.

The key principles of AfL that should be incorporated into most lessons are

Shared learning objectives – WALT Use of success criteria - What am I looking for? (WILF) Opportunities to revisit and connect with prior knowledge and to assess

pupils’ understanding Teacher modelling expectations and unpicking model answers Returning to learning objectives in the plenary Traffic lighting for pupils to self-assess Use of whiteboards to encourage active learning and to assess

understanding Use of ‘Think, Pair, Share’ Established ‘Talk and Response’ partners ‘Three stars and a wish’ marking in creative and extended activities Frequent oral feedback from all members of staff

Marking

Marking is vital to assessment

As a form of ongoing assessment To train children to reflect upon their work To inform children of progress and attainment To inform teacher assessment and planning To provide a sense of achievement and to build self-esteem To highlight areas for improvement To correct misconceptions To link to the lesson objective As a means of communication for both pupils and adults

The role of the teacher in marking

The role of the child in marking

- to offer constructive criticism- to praise good work- to improve self esteem- to set targets- to note progress- to give guidance- to communicate with the child- to use child friendly language- to inform- to assess- to feedback

- to read, reflect and act upon comments

- as a mode of self assessment- as a mode of peer assessment- to self evaluate- to have pride in their work- to self correct

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- to inform future planningGuidance for written marking Appropriate styles of marking- address learning objective- note areas of improvement- acknowledge work- offer constructive criticism, not

negative- address points of learning for the

future- use child friendly language- read comment and discuss with

pupils who have difficulty decoding written information

- comments- praise- stickers- stamps- ticks- points of reference- reminders- school agreed symbols- 3 stars and a wish

It is important for children who are unable to read written feedback to have verbal or visual feedback. Appendix 6 contains examples of Literacy bookmark targets. These are tied to books and can be pulled out and shown to the pupil while reading. It has a visual representation of what the pupil needs to do to progress.

Appendix 6 contains an example of how visual symbols can be used to support pupils in reflecting on their learning. For pupils on P Scales, visual feedback similar to that contained in the literacy bookmark is likely to be effective.

Where does marking belong?

Marking is a key feature of the overall process of planning and assessment.

Planning is linked to objectives Each lesson has its own objective (introduce) Work is marked based upon objective (success criteria) Marking feeds into assessment as objectives are matched to outcomes Evidence remains in books

Periodic Assessment

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At regular intervals, usually termly or half-termly, teachers should step back and review pupils’ achievements. By reviewing a range of a pupil’s work, it is possible to see whether they have consolidated what they have been taught and if they are able to apply their learning with a degree of independence.

The Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP) approach provides teachers with assessment criteria that can help them not only to make judgements about levels and sub-levels (described as high, secure and low) but also to understand progression within a level and from one level to the next. By highlighting the assessment criteria on the assessment guidelines, teachers are able to see a pupil’s relative strengths and weaknesses. It is this diagnostic potential of APP, linked to clear routes for progression through the levels, which enables teachers to personalise assessment for their pupils.

For pupils working towards Level 1, the P level guidance plays a similar function In order to assess this group of pupils it is important that each piece of work should be annotated with relevant information. See Appendix 11 on annotation.

The revised Ofsted framework 2009 widens the evaluation of progress to include the Quality of Learning; criteria using the 1-4 rating scales are as follows:

The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress and the quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress: grade descriptors1. Outstanding.

The pupils acquire knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills exceptionally well. Pupils demonstrate excellent concentration and are rarely off task, even in extended periods without direction from an adult. They have developed resilience when tackling challenging activities in a range of subjects. Their keenness and commitment to succeed in all aspects of school life and ability to grasp opportunities to extend and improve their learning are exceptional. Progress is at least good in each key stage, key subjects and for different groups and is exemplary in some

2. Good The pupils acquire knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills well. The pupils are keen to do well, apply themselves diligently in lessons and work at a good pace. They seek to produce their best work and are usually interested and enthusiastic about their learning in a range of subjects. A very large majority of groups of pupils make at least good progress and some may make outstanding progress, with nothing that is inadequate.

3. Satisfactory

The extent to which pupils acquire knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills is at least satisfactory. Most pupils work effectively in a range of subjects when provided with appropriate tasks and guidance but lack confidence in improving the quality of

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their work. They generally work steadily and occasionally show high levels of enthusiasm and interest. The pupils make the progress expected given their starting points and some, although not the majority, may make good progress. Progress is inadequate in no major respect (for example, a key stage or particular groups of pupils), and may be good in some respects.

4. Inadequate The extent to which pupils acquire knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills is inadequate.

or Too many pupils fail to work effectively unless

closely directed by an adult and give up easily. Pupils do not enjoy the activities provided, which is reflected in poor completion of tasks across a range of subjects.

or Pupils, or particular groups of pupils, make too

little progress in one or more key stages

It should be noted that only part of the criteria refers to measurable progress; the bulk of the criteria refers to learning behaviours and ‘learning to learn ‘skills. It is important that assessment coverts these skills in addition to the levels described by P scales and National Curriculum levels.

Criterion-referenced assessment

In assessing certain areas criterion-referenced assessment- i.e. that which assesses skills acquired is often more useful than standardised or levelled assessment information, as it tells staff and parents what a pupil can actually do. Appendix 12 contains an example of a mentor assessment form that assess the learning habits and attitudes of a pupil.Pupils taking part in interventions will acquire skills targeted by the intervention. Many of these contain checklists and assessment proformas that are used periodically to assess progress within the intervention. Appendix 13 provides an example of one from the Direct Phonics literacy programme. These form an integral part of the assessment package for pupils, providing essential information on actual skills acquired.

Transitional Assessment

This takes place at the end of the school year, key stage and on transfer to a new school. It may involve the use of standardised attainment tests. These are useful in giving an overview within the national context. In addition to tests assessing attainment in particular subjects it is also vital to assess improvements in other areas such as social emotional development. This can be done by using specific assessment tools such as the Emotional Literacy checklist (Appendix 14). This may also constitute review and may involve

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updating the Pupil Profile to reflect current performance and needs. These assessments can also be used not only to evaluate pupil progress but to evaluate the effectiveness of particular teaching and interventions.

Primary/Secondary Transfer

During the final half term of Year 6 it is useful to compile a comprehensive picture of the pupil which can be passed to the secondary school prior to the pupil arriving. This may include

Pupil personal details –D.O.B., address, UPN, SEN stage, NC levels, etc. A checklist giving an overview of agencies involved over time Reports from agencies currently involved Current needs and support strategies

Appendix 15 provides a sample of a transitional assessment form that uses visual symbols to support pupil understanding. Appendix 16 provides a specimen Pupil Summary of Information that can be used at primary-secondary transfer for vulnerable pupils. Much of the information can be drawn down form SIMS. It is good practice to supplement this with a Primary-secondary transition day at which secondary SENCOs are timetabled to meet primary SENCOs and exchange information on pupils designated to join each school.

Assessment of progress of pupils in respect of ECM outcomes

Although schools are expected to promote the 5 ECM outcomes and through the processes of self-evaluation (e.g. in the SEF) evaluate the effectiveness of their provision in achieving these outcomes, it is rare for schools to assess individual performance against these outcomes; for example by evaluating the extent to which an individual has adopted healthy lifestyles. This is largely due to the emphasis an academic achievement in past Ofsted frameworks and to the paucity of tools with which to do this. While it would be useful but burdensome to assess the progress of all pupils in achieving the ECM outcomes, it is salient to do so in cases where the achievement of these objectives is a key feature of the pupil’s education. This may be the case where academic achievement is always likely to be low and also where pupils may have highly personalised timetables or alternative provision on account of difficulties in accessing mainstream schools. In these cases, justification for educating the pupils in more restricted or unconventional settings may be justified on the grounds of gains in attitudes and study skills and other personal qualities that can be argued to fall within the realm of the ECM outcomes. e.g. a pupil whose resistance to formal tuition is such that he cannot currently be educated within a conventional classroom may be educated with an alternative provider, where there may be a radically different curriculum and different expectations around classroom performance. The rationale for his may be variously expressed and could well include, for example, the aim that the pupil will develop the capacity to participate and enjoy education. In order to verify that this provision is robust, there need to be systematic procedures for evaluating not only academic progress but progress in respect of aims such as these.

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It is not appropriate to assess progress against the ECM outcomes through checklists as it is neither desirable nor possible to construct one that could contain all of the relevant skills and abilities. It is more effective to contextualise the ECM outcomes by referenced to the specific special needs of the pupils. For example, progress in Being Safe for a pupil with BESD may involve him/her having less involvement with gangs, not carrying offensive weapons and controlling his/her behaviour. For a pupil with ASD and severe learning difficulties, progress in Being Safe may involve decreases in self-harming behaviour, increases in road sense and decreases in aggressive behaviour.

The key areas for targeting need to be determined by an assessment of the pupil’s functioning in school and wider community contexts. It is necessary to indentify the strengths and resiliencies that the pupil has under the 5 ECM outcome and relevant areas of concern. In Appendix 17 prompts are provided as to the sort of areas where resiliencies and areas for concerns may be noted. They are not an exhaustive list. The aims of the personalised or alternative provisions in meeting these concerns and building on the strengths should be made explicit.

At review, the success in achieving the stated aims should be reviewed. In addition, there may well have been untargeted but substantial progress in respect of other aspects of ECM outcomes .These should also be noted. This enables the schools to evaluate the effectiveness of the provision made for the pupil. The key achievements made should also be noted in a summative record that can be added to as further achievements are made.

Assessment in respect of specific SEN

A key aim of the education of pupils with SEN is to help them build on the strengths of their learning profile and to remedy or circumvent those aspects of their special needs that cause concern. A pupil with ASD may build upon attention to detail and good memory to work successfully in certain jobs, such as librarianship or stock taking. However, the pupil is likely to need support in developing social skills and lessening the effects of difficulties in certain social skills. In order to plan for this the school needs to develop holistic methods of assessment that focus on the whole range of skills and abilities , rather than the narrower academic subjects, and which focus on the specific needs of the individual pupil with SEN.

In order to help schools assess progress made in respect of their special educational needs the Assessment Toolkit (Appendix 18) provides details of a variety of criterion-referenced and standardized tests that can be used at times of periodic our transitional assessment in order to gain a measure of progress.

An alternative or supplementary approach is to take a more pedagogic approach based upon teachers’ experience of what is achievable. It is useful to conceptualise this in terms of the gradings of the Ofsted framework. This will enable schools to develop their own perspectives of what constitute good and outstanding practice in order to support self-evaluation and meet the requirements of external evaluation. Further, progress in respect of specific SEN can be cross referenced in many cases to the ECM outcomes. e.g. for a

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pupil with BESD to make progress in respect of his social skills and behaviour enables him/her to make a positive contribution and to be safer.

The way in which a school can develop a framework for evaluating holistically the progress of pupils with specific types of SEN can be seen as a kind of internal benchmarking. Internal benchmarking by reference to type of need is based upon the assumption that good progress can be defined by referring to progress facilitated through good teaching. It is based upon respect for the professional judgment of headteachers and staff in being able to identify the characteristic progress of pupils with specific needs; the benchmarking is not confined to current pupils but can be based upon professional knowledge of pupil progress in a variety of establishments. Internal benchmarking can be facilitated by adopting the following working definition: “Good progress is what good teachers bring to average pupils or what able pupils may make when faced with average teachers”.

Appendix 19 contains a sample proforma that schools may adapt to enable them to measure progress over a year. It is proposed that the relevant areas to be assessed are:

Literacy and numeracy Social and communication skills Emotional development Behavioural development Areas specific to special need

The first four of these are included as they are central to the development of all pupils and are customarily at the heart of individual programmes for pupils with SEN.In terms of literacy and numeracy, what the school states to be outstanding/ good/ satisfactory or inadequate progress can be gleaned through the process of internal benchmarking described above but must also take account of the DCSF Progression Guidance. This guidance, however, uses the key stage rather than the academic year as the time frame over which progress is measured. Schools tend to use the year rather than the key stage as the basic unit of analysis and should seek to develop tools that enable comparison to be made over this time frame. When the Progression Guidance is being taken account of schools will need to calculate the characteristic progress made over a key stage and divide it by the number of years in the key stage in order to arrive at an annual rate of progress.

In addressing the Area Specific to Special Need the school needs to use the principle of internal benchmarking. e.g. for a school for pupils with ASD should consider the characteristic level of progress in respect of the triad of impairments made by pupils in classes in which teaching is outstanding, good ,satisfactory and poor.

It is a feature of DCSF Progression Guidance and most forms of statutory assessment that they measure only vertical progression; that is progression up the P Scales or National Curriculum levels. The Guidance for Using P Scales (QCA, 2009) states that for many pupils with learning difficulties progress within or across the levels is as important as progress through the framework.

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This is known as lateral progress. Learners may be recognised as making lateral progress, when they:

Demonstrate the same achievement on more than one occasion, so that learning is maintained.

Consolidate, strengthen or refine their achievements, so that they can make use of their skills with greater fluency or work with less support.

Combine existing skills, knowledge or understanding in new ways. Gain confidence in their achievements, so that they can use their learning

in new situations and under different or changing circumstances. Apply their skills, knowledge and understanding to new tasks in new

contexts, perhaps in “real life” settings or in relation to “adult” challenges

The relationships between linear and lateral progress are not simple. Learners who appear to be making the most straightforward linear progress will be likely to require some opportunities to consolidate their learning in different contexts. Learners with severe or profound learning difficulties, who appear to have reached a plateau in their learning, may be engaging in exploring wider contexts and then over time make some forward progress in their learning. The learning profiles of most learners show a combination of linear and lateral progress, although the balance between these dimensions may be markedly different for individual learners.

When evaluating progress, therefore, ‘good progress’ may be judged to be the generalization of skills, for example, to different settings. In developing templates to evaluate the progress of pupils in respect of their SEN, schools can describe lateral as well as linear progression.

Appendix 19 provides a template with which to plan a framework of judgments for specific types of SEN. Appendix 20 provides an example completed for pupil with ASD and accompanying severe learning difficulties. It is likely that a special school may develop three or four of these schedules depending on the key groups identified in the school.

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REVIEW

At fixed times in the school year it is necessary to take stock of educational activity over the course of the year by carrying out a review. Review encompasses all aspects of the assessment and moderation framework, including the processes of assessment and planning. Unlike evaluation, which focuses on whole school and LA systems and processes, review has as it focus the performance of each pupil with SEN. The key components of review are

Tracking - how well has the pupil achieved? Progress- how well has the pupil achievement compared to others? Analysis- what is accounting for this level of achievement? Action - as a result of this analysis what needs to happen or change in

respect of key elements of this framework-profile, assessment and planning?

Tracking

A systematic focus on tracking individual pupils’ progress can help improve the way teachers tailor their teaching to individual needs. It supports them in making more effective use of resources, targeting intervention and in developing a shared commitment to individual success for all. Through the rapid identification of pupils who are failing to make expected progress and the triggering of appropriate, personalised support, overall levels of achievement can rise and attainment gaps be narrowed.

The principles of effective tracking are that

Pupils’ progress is monitored and tracked across time and across subjects using a range of performance measures including teacher assessments and test results.

All staff work collaboratively to gather, share and use information about pupils’ progress. Identification of pupils’ underperformance is early, rapid and accurate.

Data is collected and shared with the pupils and all staff involved in teaching the pupils.

Pupils’ achievements are benchmarked against local and national data. Pupils have regular opportunities to discuss their progress. Teachers

actively involve pupils in setting their own targets, and annual and key stage targets are shared with all staff involved in teaching the pupils.

Teaching programmes, intervention programmes and revision programmes are informed by regular monitoring of progress and adjusted in the light of pupils’ needs.

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Parents and carers are informed and involved in order to support pupils’ achievements.

Performance data is managed through a school-wide system, teachers have ready access to data they need, and new data can be entered and processed easily.

© Crown Tracking for Success DfES 1545-2005FLR-EN

Management Information Systems

Management Information Systems (MIS) can be very powerful in supporting pupil tracking by providing

efficient data entry with validation processes – data entered once becomes available for a variety of uses

a single, central, shared version of the data – avoiding a plethora of different analyses, reports and conclusions in different parts of the school

a constantly up-to-date version of the data, clearly defined and labelled for future reference – enabling prompt responses to issues identified

easy access, for all those who need it, to core data and reports – supporting the development of a common, school-wide understanding of the tracking processes, the information revealed by the data and its use to improve learning

links between attainment and other local pupil information – permitting easy investigation of hypotheses (e.g. the link between progress and attendance)

links to national attainment and progress data – enabling accurate external comparisons and the use of nationally-derived models of expected progress

links to school systems for reporting to parents or guardians – automating elements of report construction and facilitating online reporting

efficient data transfer between schools – current attainment data can be stored automatically in each of the pupils’ Common Transfer Files ready for transfer to another school.

Management Information Systems (MIS) and pupil Tracking: users’ guidance

Using MIS to support pupil attainment tracking (DCSF 2009)

The SIMS SEN.net 7 module is an efficient MIS tool for use with pupils with SEN. The module can be used to maintain SEN information on any pupil and provide a constantly updated SEN register.

All the details of periodic reviews can be recorded together with the date of the next review. Provisions made for a pupil can be logged alongside start and finish dates. Records can also be linked to one or more teachers.Individual Education Plans can be kept for each pupil, showing the nature of their learning difficulties, what the school is doing about it, what the targets are

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and who is responsible. The SEN modules integrate with other SIMS modules all other data relating to a pupil can be extracted from elsewhere on the system rather than being re-entered.

Whole school tracking systems in mainstream schools

Schools are increasingly using electronic tracking systems to track the progress of pupils. Two of the most commonly used are PpiT and Essex Target Tracker.

PpIT

PpiT produces editable targets, checks them against expectations, helps plan intervention and draws provision maps. It enables very easy analysis of the impact of intervention. It also produces a variety of progress grids. These grids are interactive, easily enabling the progress of different groups to be analysed. The use of colour makes results easy to interpret and the software attractive to use. PpiT is a suite of three programmes.  PpiT (TT) is the key programme and provides termly tracking and provision mapping for cohorts over a year.  PpiT (YT) is a companion programme that provides yearly tracking.  (It is provided as a separate programme because yearly and key stage tracking is the part of the tracking process that still is best managed centrally).  PpiT (EYFS) enables schools to chart progress across the Early Years Foundation Stage. Each programme may be purchased separately

Essex Target Tracker

Essex Target Tracker can quickly identify individuals and groups of pupils making inadequate or accelerated progress. It supports teaching staff through clear and concise information throughout the year for early intervention. Easily export pupil data from the most commonly used Management Information systems including SIMS, rendering it unnecessary to enter pupil information twice. It includes attendance data for reports and other important categories such as SEN, first language and ethnicity.

It supports the complete assessment for learning cycle by aiding teachers to make an accurate teacher assessment using the Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP) module and includes exemplification for appropriate APP statements. Essex Target Tracker allows pupil groups to be easily identified, tracked and appropriate challenging targets created.Whole school teaching systems have been developed prior to the perspectives and data base contained in the DCSF Progression Guidance. As targets are editable, staff will need to take account of the growing data on performance of pupils with SEN in order to take account of predicted progress. Using age and starting point as a staring point, targets can be adapted to make them realistic yet challenging.

Some whole school tracking systems does not have sufficient capacity to track the progress of pupils whose performance is being measured by the P Scales.

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Many of these do not make projections and predictions based upon P Scales. For these pupils an electronic tracking and data analysis, such as CASPA or PIVATS may be useful. Alternatively, the P Scale matrices in Appendix 3 may be helpful. These enable progress to be tracked. They track levels attained with a description of how the skills have been achieved, by reference to the level of prompting provided and the nature of the evidence; these take account of the recommended forms of evidence (Using the P Scales QCA 2009) observation, written work art, artefact, photo, video, audio record, witness statement.

Whole school tracking systems in special schools

Increasingly special schools are using whole school electronic tracking and data analysis systems to track the progress of pupils with SEN, particularly those whose performance falls well below national expectations. The most commonly used are CASPA and PIVATS.

CASPA (Comparison and Analysis of Special Pupil Attainment)

A tool for the analysis and evaluation of attainment and progress for pupils with SEN. It covers assessment outcomes both at P Scales and at National Curriculum levels up to Level 8 and includes all Core and Foundation subjects as well as the Personal and Social Development aspects. CASPA can be a useful repository for the attainment record for pupils with SEN. Within CASPA bench-marking of attainment and progress is available in CASPA for individual pupils for cohorts within the school and for the whole school. Analysis and bench-marking models are based on the principles of the DCSFProgression Guidance, taking account of age and prior attainment only - and also on pupils’ type of need.

PIVATS (Performance Indicators for Value Added Target Setting)

PIVATS performs a similar function to CASPA. It is a system to inform target setting for pupils of all ages whose performance is outside national expectations. It provides an extended version of the revised P Scales and National Curriculum levels. Each of the level descriptions expressed as P1(i) to P8 and 1C to 4 has been differentiated into five stepping stones to lead to the P Scale milestone and National Curriculum level 4.In English, PIVATS has two separate but complementary sections within speaking and listening to reflect the development of expression and comprehension skills within language and communication. The English elements of PIVATS are closely linked to the Framework for teaching the National Literacy Strategy and the National Strategy for key stage 3. Similarly in Mathematics, the PIVATS elements take full account of the Framework for teaching the National Numeracy Strategy and the National Strategy for key stage 3. B Squared is an assessment package that breaks down Birth to 3 Matters, Foundation, P Levels and National Curriculum into small steps, enabling schools

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to track progression through each level. It is favoured by many schools as it enables them to produce a percentage degree of achievement within a P scale. Assessment is available as photocopiable paper files or as a software package.

When discussing pupil progression with the pupil or parents, the breakdown gives them a greater understanding of what has been achieved and where the pupil’s weaknesses are. By discussing individual tasks, the parents can more support to the pupils learning.Our assessment is called Summative Assessment but if used regularly it becomes a Formative Assessment as you can use your assessment to inform you planning.

Progression Guidance

In reviewing progress of pupils with SEN the DCSF Progression Guidance for the first time provides data sets against which to evaluate rates of progress. The three principles of the Progression Guidance are

High expectations are key to securing good progress. Accurate assessment is essential to securing and measuring pupil

progress. Age and prior attainment are the starting points for developing

expectations of pupil progress.

Progression Guidance 2009–10 (DCSF)Improving data to raise attainment and

maximise the progress of learners with special educational needs,

learning difficulties and disabilities

In reviewing progress of pupils in special schools, it is doubly effective to review progress using age and prior attainment as starting points, as well as reviewing progress compared to that of pupils with similar needs. This provides a dual set of data with which to make balanced judgments both rate of progress. Rather than see the two sets of data as somehow in conflict it serves school improvement better to regard then as proving valuable evidence with which to review progress.

Appendix 21 is a tracking document that supports schools in reviewing progress against the data sets of the Progression Guidance.

Pupil progress meetings

Pupil progress meetings are core elements of school improvement in mainstream primary schools. The guidance in Appendix 22 from the National Strategies provides advice as to how thus can be run. They enable a professional dialogue to be set up between individual teachers and members of the senior management on a regular basis (often termly) to review pupil progress, set targets and refocus the school's resources to ensure accelerated pupil progress.

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They are an effective vehicle for monitoring pupil progress, evaluating quality first teaching and the impact of interventions put in place for targeted pupils. Involving the children in the dialogue further strengthens these meetings. Pupil progress meetings prompts and guidance are provided to support schools in preparing and holding PPMs. It is essential that schools use Pupil Progress meetings to include review of the progress of all pupils with SEN. Appropriate representation of the SENCO at meetings and ownership of the education for all pupils by class teachers will facilitate this.

Reviews of Individual Progress and Annual Review

Special schools and mainstream schools have variety of forums for reviewing progress against individual IEPs or Provision Maps. It is not necessary to prescribe a format. Rather it is necessary to detail the evidence that must be analysed in order to make judgments on attainment and progress.

The principles of this process are that

The trail of evidence moves from the global to the more detailed As wide a source of evidence as possible should be included. The pupil’s views must be included. Review should encompass not just attainment and progress but learning

capacity and the quality of learning as described in the revised Ofsted framework (2009)

The 'whole child’ should be the subject of review.

Appendix 23 provides an example of an Annual Review format with visual information that increases the pupil’s capacity to access it. Appendix 24 contains examples of visual evidence that can assist pupils with cognitive and communication difficulties access the review process. Visual evidence of skills acquired can be put on a Powerpoint that a pupil can be assisted to present at Annual Review.

The evidence trail can be conceived as describing a journey the child is making. Review uses a series of signposts; as each stage evidence is garnered and points us where to look at the next stage

Attainment Where has the child arrived? National Thresholds/Floor targets/Local comparisons

Progress How far did he travel? National comparisons/2 level gains/Local comparisons

Valued added Did he go as far as expected? VA/CVA/FFT/Tracking information/Progress against targeted levels/Progress against rates in Progression Guidance

Individual histories What happened on the journey? Class records/Individual plans /Provision maps/IEPs/Pupil voice/Parental views/Lesson observations/Work scrutiny

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Learning capacity Are they equipped for further travel? Quality of learning/Learning behaviours/Pupil voice /Lesson observations/Learning walks

Annual review of pupil’s progress – Data as signposts

Each piece of data tells you something – and where to look next

Where has the child arrived?

How far did he travel?

Did he go as far as expected?

Was other progress made?

AttainmentNational thresholdsFloor targetsLocal comparisons

ProgressNational comparisons 2 level gainsLocal comparisons

Valued added VACVAFFTTracking informationProgress against targeted levelsProgress against rates in Progression Guidance The whole child

Reading agesStandardised scoresMeasures of emotional developmentBehavioural recordsAttendance/exclusions

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What happened on the journey?

Are they equipped for further travel?

Overall judgement of progress takes into account answers to all of the questionsSummative review of pupil progress

In review schools should seek to summarise pupil progress that

reviews pupil progress using National benchmarks takes into account lateral progress reviews progress in ECM outcomes reviews progress in respect of the pupil’s specific SEN

Schools should also consider the option of reviewing progress against the progress of pupils with similar types of need-.Packages such as PIVATs and CASPA enable this form of comparison. This provides additional information o progress that informs holistic review.

Review of this strand of assessment enables the review to take a holistic view of the overall rates of progress. Appendix 25 provides a template for summative review.

Individual historiesClass recordsIndividual plans Provision mapsIEPsPupil voiceParental viewsLesson observationsWork scrutiny

Learning capacityQuality of learningLearning behavioursPupil voice Lesson observationsLearning walks

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MODERATION OF ASSESSMENT AND OTHER STRANDS OF FRAMEWORK

Moderation of assessment - Principles

For P scales to be effective in raising standards for pupils with SEN they must be applied consistency and be included in the same cycle of moderation used to ensure robust judgments for National Curriculum levels above level 1. It should be an inclusive aim of school that all teachers become familiar with the P Scales and be able to apply them , rather than relying on specialist staff such as SENCOs to apply them. Moderation is essential if judgments of pupils' attainment and progress are to be accurate and consistent in order to usefully inform planning and provision.

Moderating against the P scales allows colleagues with a range of experience and viewpoints to come to a common agreement and understanding about the level of a piece of evidence. Moderation should not just be used for pieces of written work but for the whole range of evidence listed u in the P Scale tracking matrices.

- Observation- Written work- Art, artefact- AVA- photo, video, audio record- Witness statement

After any in-school assessment, moderation is necessary to ensure uniformity of standards. Moderation for pupils with special educational needs should be as rigorous as for all other pupils, and should also be planned for throughout the school year. It is important that there is a clear framework within LAs to assist in this process.

Continuous Professional Development

Prior to the commencement of assessment and moderation and as new staff join, staff should be given training in the use of P Scales. This should be both theoretical and practical. The QCA materials ‘Using the P Scales’’, for example, have video clip exemplars of a range of P Scales. After instruction on the principles of ’best-fit’ a range of clips can be shown and staff asked to make assessment judgements.

Appendix 26 ‘Using the P Scales; Training packs for use by school staff’ is designed as a training pack to be distributed to staff attending CPD worked through in the session.

Class / subject assessment

Teachers (and key involved with the pupil) should meet regularly to assess the work of the pupils that they teach and make judgements about what are the next steps to take. Assessed materials can include teacher/TA observation notes, photographs, drawings or scribed records of conversations. Additionally, making reference to subject portfolios compiled by the school (such as examples of work at different levels including the P levels) will help teachers to

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make sound judgements. In order to come to these judgements teachers should use the performance criteria and highlight the strands which are exemplified by the evidence provided.

Before assessment of pupils working within P levels it is important that each piece of work is annotated. Appendix 11 provides guidance on Annotation.

In-school Moderation

Moderation of standards within school needs to take place regularly. Persons involved may include subject leaders, inclusion managers, phase leaders or the whole school staff. Good in-school moderation ensures that secure judgements are being made and that there is a consistency of standards. Moderated pieces and collections of evidence can be used as exemplars for teachers.

Neutral materials

It can be useful to start the moderation process by using neutral material from an outside source, before focusing on material from the school’s own pupils. This helps to focus on actual achievement and the development of objective judgments. It also gives the view of another group of practitioners who have collated materials to moderate against.

Own materials

When asking staff to bring examples of work from pupils, ask staff to use a standardized annotation proforma. Guidance on proformas is contained in Appendix 11. Clarifying what annotation is needed on a piece of work or an observation, as it is difficult to discuss a piece of work when the context and level of support are not known. Consider using an observation/moderation proforma to standardize the information brought by staff/given for each piece of work. See Moderation activities for examples of proformas staff may wish to look at the achievement of a pupil without disclosing who the child is. This again enables staff to make objective judgements on their actual achievements that a given piece of work shows without some staff being prejudiced by what they already know about a child.

Over a number of assessment cycles a range of content should be moderatedIt is good practice to ensure that literacy and numeracy are included in each cycle. In order to ensure coverage and accuracy, however, over a number of cycles schools should moderate

- All subjects- All P Scales- All types of evidence e.g. video, witness statements, written work.

L.A. Moderation

School visits

Moderation of P Scale assessments in mainstream schools should include visit to a number of schools as part of the Key Stage 1 moderation process. The

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lower attaining pupils should include pupils whose performance is measured on the P Scales where the school has these. Appendix 27 provides a specimen recording form for moderation visits.L.A.-wide moderation should take place on an annual basis. The LA should appoint a Lead P Scale moderator, who is designated as the leader and final arbiter of the moderation process.  This person maintains an overview of different views expressed during the moderation of each piece of work/ observation, facilitates appropriate discussion, and draws conclusions at the end of the discussion.  It is helpful if this person is one of the LA’s National Curriculum moderators, enabling P scale moderation to be assimilated with LA moderation of other National Curriculum judgments. This will involve making a decision as to the level that has been achieved, offering a justification of this.

The special schools should appoint one or preferably two special school P Scale moderators to oversee the special school P Scale moderation and liaise with the LA Lead P scale moderator

The Moderation day

This should include visits to school as well as a central moderation day. A good forum for P scale moderation may be the LA’s Key Stage 1 moderation. This can serve to promote consistency across mainstream and special schools.

Key principles for effective moderation

- LA moderators should have specific knowledge of children working within the P levels;

- All schools with children working on P levels attend;- At least two members of staff attend from each school – one

participant to be in a position to feedback to all staff;- A wide range of ability - P1 - 3, P4 - 6, P7 – 8;- Evidence to support judgements for at least 3 pupils in writing,

number and reading ( see above for types of evidence)- Moderation proforma used by all attending

A good forum for P scale moderation is Key Stage 1 moderation. This promotes consistency across mainstream and special schools.

Initially colleagues working in special schools will work together in a separate room. Special schools are likely to have wider spread of p Scales, including those at P1 -3. At the same time mainstream colleagues will moderate end of Key Stage 1 judgements.

All evidence should already have been assessed and moderated in school and consequently should represent a sample of range of levels awarded in the school. The evidence should include the outcomes of the writing task, spelling test and mathematics test/task, but the principal evidence to be considered should be the children’s work throughout the year and any relevant record-keeping. Teachers are advised to complete a summative teacher assessment sheet (attached) for the children whose work will be moderated at the meetings. Teachers should bring summative assessment sheets and evidence

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in respect of three pupils for each subject –higher, middle and lower attaining. Where possible, the lower attaining pupils should include one of the P Scales.

The simultaneous special school assessment should also include assessment of lower, middle and higher attaining pupils; but in this context this should mean

Low attaining P1-3 Middle range P4-6 High range P6-8

Appendix 28 provides a specimen letter to special schools giving instructions how to prepare for the moderation. Appendix 29 provides a sample moderation recording proforma for the special schools. Appendix 30 provides a summative teacher assessment sheet for use in mainstream schools.

By the end of the day there will have been an opportunity for mainstream and special schools to cross-moderate and a proforma should be completed validating or providing alternative final judgements. This information can then be used by the LA to check LA tracking systems and by schools in their SEF (section 5a) when making reference to moderation.

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Mainstream schools Lead LA moderator Special schoolsClass moderation includes P Scales Plan with LA KS1 moderator Class moderation includes P Scales

Whole school moderation includes P Scales

CPD for mainstream staff Whole school moderation includes P Scales

Summative teacher assessment sheet for KS1 moderation day for

High attaining: > Level 2 Middle attaining: Level 2 Lower attaining: Level 1 / P Scales

Visits to mainstream and special schools

Evidence for moderation day for High attaining: P7-8 Middle attaining: P4-6 Lower attaining: P1-3

Moderation day

Work in pairs to moderate judgements Arbitrate Work in pairs to moderate judgements

Cross moderate

Agree final judgements

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MODERATION OF OTHER STRANDS OF THE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

On annual basis schools should moderate key aspects of the assessment process. The principles governing moderation should be that:

Peer –peer moderation is at the heart of the process Moderation should be planned, systematic and ;led by senior leaders Staff at all levels should be involved, including class teachers, subject

leaders and SENCOs If content is sampled, it should be planned that all content is sampled over

a number of cycles. Moderation should result in agreed actions to improve provision and

standards.

Appendix 31 contains specimen moderation proformas for each area below.

Moderation of the Child Profile

On an annual basis a number of child profiles should be sample for moderation. Key questions for moderation are

Is information up to date? Has the information form the most recent assessments and reviews been

incorporated into the profile? Do key staff have access to the Profile? Is the profile child friendly and shared with the child? Is the Profile influencing staff behaviour and practice?

Moderation of Identification

On an annual basis the pupils identified in a sample of classes should ne moderated. Key questions for moderation are:

Are all pupils requiring provision that is ‘additional to’ or ‘different from’ indentified?

Are pupils that do not require such provision included on the SEN profile? Does identification leads to specification of appropriate provision? Does provision lead to improved rates of progress? Are criteria for placement on the SEN profile consistent across the school?

Moderation of Planning

On annual basis the planning of a number of teachers should be sampled. This is most effective when jointly carried out by the SENCO and pairs of class teachers moderating each others planning.

Key questions for moderation are

Is planning differentiated to take account of the needs of pupils with SEN? Does planning contain reference to the assessed P levels of pupils? Does planning contain relevant targets that are not just re-statements of P

level descriptors?45

Do planned activities match the assessed level of the pupils? Does the planning take into account individual needs of pupils as

expressed in IEPs or individual provision maps? Does the planning enable review and evaluation in order to determine next

steps for learning?

Moderation of Target Setting

Schools should have processes for

Establishing predictions and targets Moderating their accuracy and degree of challenge Monitoring progress towards meeting these targets Reviewing achievement of targets Evaluating the target setting process

Good practice in target setting involves the following

Staff setting targets has access to accurate records of past performance of the pupils concerned

Targets are based upon past performance, attitudes to learning, individual vulnerabilities and barriers to learning

Targets are set collaboratively consulting all relevant staff and stakeholders, including parents

Staff are aware of the difference between predictions and targets and build challenge upon predictions

Targets are scrutinised and approved by senior leaders. Senior leaders use relevant benchmark information and professional

experience to moderate targets Senior leaders challenge target setting that is over or under ambitious. Senior leaders detect and challenge anomalous patterns of target setting.

(e.g. variations between classes, key stages, subjects) The profile of targets for each pupil is analysed in order to check for

consistency of targeting by different teachers for the same pupil. This will be of particular relevance for secondary special schools

Pupils are aware of and are motivated by their targets

Moderation of Assessment

On an annual basis the assessments of a number of pupils should be sampled. Key questions for moderation are

Are all required assessments up-to- date? What evidence does the teacher have that assessment is accurate? Has the assessment information been shared with all relevant

stakeholders? Do the principles of AfL inform marking of the pupil’s work? Does assessment inform planning of individual programmes and whole

class planning?

Moderation of Review 46

On an annual basis the review materials relating to a number of pupils should be sampled. Key questions for moderation are:

Is tracking information for the pupil up to date? Have all relevant stakeholders been involved in review? Are the pupils involved to the maximum extent in review? Does the review involve judgment the rate of progress? Does the review use benchmark information, including that contained in

the DCSF Progression Guidance? Does the review give sufficient weight to ECM outcomes?

EVALUATION

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Evaluation of performance in mainstream schools

Evaluation is the process of reviewing activities and procedures in order to establish their impact. The central flow of the Assessment and Moderation Framework deals with schools providing for individuals. It involves assessment and review in respect of the progress of individuals

Self-evaluation is a more global review of the effectiveness of the whole process. Its focus is the school rather than the individual. Using a different perspective it has a similar ultimate aim, to improve outcomes for pupils with SEN. It is misleading to assess the performance of an individual with SEN without due consideration of the effectiveness of their school in promoting achievement. The critical content in any self-evaluation are

Comparison – how well are we doing compared to other schools? Trends- are we improving or declining or remaining constant? Targets- have we achieved what we intended to? Causes- what contributed to our level of performance?

LAs should work with schools in order to assist them in evaluating their provision. This can be achieved by provision of a template (Appendix 32) that contains pre-populated data that enables comparison, analysis of trends and consideration of whether the school is achieving its targets in respect of SEN and the key causes driving improvement and providing barriers to learning. The template guidelines (Appendix 33) outline how to use the pre-populated data and how to supplement it with school-based data.

Key elements of the self-evaluation should be

Review of the year’s key actions and the impact Evaluation of the schools’ SEN profile in comparison with local and national

profiles in respect of levels of identification and type of need Review of use of SEN funding Comparison of performance with schools nationally and locally in respect

of:- Proportions of pupils attaining lowest thresholds- Proportions of pupils making nationally expected levels of gains over

a key stage- Proportions of pupils making expected progress as predicted by

DCSF progression- Extent to which pupils are making progress in respect of their

specific SEN e.g. how are pupils with ASD progressing in respect of their communication, social skills and flexibility of behaviour. How are pupils with BESD progress in respect of behavioural and emotional skills? The Assessment Toolkit in Appendix 18 provides tools to support assessment of individual pupils in respect of their SEN.

Considering all of the above data, what is the school doing well and what are the priorities for development?

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The LA should submit their self-evaluations to the LA. The LA should provide feedback to all schools on t eh quality of their self-evaluation. The information gained for the self-evaluations will enable the LA to better plan its strategic support and intervention through

Consideration of performance of different schools, phases and key stages and in different subjects

Review of performance of pupils with different types of need in respect of their SEN leading to better targeted support from the LA

Review of weaknesses of provision leading to setting u p of LA training and purchasing of resources

Highlighting of schools who are not able to review provision effectively

The LA should provide a report summarising performance of the LA against key national indicators and summarising information gained from the school self-evaluations, containing key priorities of for LA action as a result of the review.

Schools and LA work together to evaluate effectiveness of provision

School completesSESP

School receives feedback on SESP

LA provides template and data

LA collectscompletedSESPs

LA produces summary report

School develops practice

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Evaluation of performance in special schools

Special schools are a heterogeneous group comprising of establishments with a wide variety of special needs. Some provide exclusively for pupils with a single type of special needs, while others cater for a wide range of needs ,including those that provide for pupils with multiple or ‘complex ‘needs. It is important, however, that schools have a common framework for evaluating the effectiveness of their provision by reference to the outcomes of individuals. There has been considerable debate over whether the pupils’ specific SEN type should be a focus for analysis .The DCSF Progression Guidance provides good reasons as to why this should not be the sole focus for analysis; in particular there is variation in the way that categories of need are used, variation in the nature of the need that is identified as the primary concern where learners have more than one special educational need. Further there is variation in the way that schools place learners at the different stages of the SEN Code of Practice and in the criteria that LAs use for considering whether to make a statutory assessment or to issue a statement and variation in the numbers of learners placed in special schools in different LA areas. not least of all because many types of SEN are diagnosed differently in different LAs However, given that a large focus of work in special schools is on the specific SEN needs of the pupil. It so legitimate to ask the question as to how well pupils are progressing when compared to other pupils with similar needs. The above variation entails that data must be treated as suggestive rather than definitive.

Progression Guidance

One of the key principles of the Progression Guidance 2009–10 (DCSF) is that age and prior attainment are the starting points for developing expectations of pupil progress.In reviewing progress of pupils in special schools, it is doubly effective to review progress not only using age and prior attainment as starting points, but also reviewing progress compared to that of pupils with similar needs. This provides a dual set of data with which to make balanced judgments about rates of progress. Rather than see the two sets of data as somehow in conflict it serves school improvement better to regard them as providing valuable evidence with which to review progress. The process of evaluation should include the following elements: Measuring progress of individuals (against themselves and others) Measuring progress of groups (against themselves and others) Making use of relevant benchmarking information, Comparison with pupils with similar ages and starting points (as

recommended by the DCSF Progression Guidance) Comparison with pupils with similar types of need Generating and testing hypotheses about the cause of over and

underachievement by individuals or groups – across key stages, curriculum areas, and groups with different types of SEN.

Examining teaching and learning and identify effective strategies in the light of analysis of performance

Have rigorous procedures for ensuring that targets set are challenging

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Using this data and evaluative activities, the special school should ask itself

What do the data and documentation on pupils’ targets, attainment, well-being and progress indicate about how well the school is performing?

How well are different groups of pupils doing? Are there significant differences in performance in different subjects or

phases? What are trends in pupil performance over the past three years? Has the school achieved the targets it set last year? What evidence is there that the school uses data on performance to tailor

their curriculum offer and teaching and learning to the particular needs of individual pupils?

Progress of Groups

The Ofsted framework places considerable weight on schools recognizing the needs of vulnerable groups and seeking to correct any inequalities. Schools should consider the following groups as part of the target setting process

Ethnic minorities Looked after children Significant groups of pupils with a similar SEN need type (e.g. PMLD) Gifted and talented Underachieving boys

Ofsted provides the following list of ‘different groups’ to be included if a provision is deemed to be inclusive:

Girls and boys Minority ethnic and faith group, travellers, asylum seekers and refugees Pupils who need support to learn English as an additional language Pupils with SEN Gifted and talented pupils Children ‘looked after’ by the local authority Other children, such as sick children, young carers, those children from

families under stress, pregnant school girls and teenage mothers Pupils who are at risk of disaffection and exclusion

(‘Evaluating Educational Inclusion’: Ofsted 2002)These pupils should have the same entitlement of access to the curriculum and should be involved in the target setting process as all other pupils. Schools are advised to look carefully at these groups to ensure that they are set challenging targets that their performance is monitored and that data on them is readily available. Within special schools, all pupils belong by definition to one of these special schools, namely pupils with special educational needs. However, this does not preclude them from being a member of another vulnerable group. Schools should analyse the performance of these groups at an appropriate level of frequency e.g. gender issues may not appear to be appropriate at a school for pupils with ASD who may not be assumed to have internalized stereotype images of male and female roles. It would be

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appropriate to analyze performance of gender intermittently in order to check whether any differences are developing rather than breakdown every set of data by gender each year.

In addition to pupils with these additional vulnerabilities, special schools also have a rich mixture of pupils with different varieties of special needs. The overall performance of pupils some schools may conceal variation on the performance of different groups. Special schools have been developing their analysis of groups relevant to their SEN e.g. a school for pupils with physical difficulties may analyze the progress of pupils with

Physical difficulties Physical difficulties and SLD Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

This is a good example of analysis of pupil progress by level of cognitive ability. Pupils of higher ability can be deemed to be at risk of underachievement in special schools as can some pupils of exceptional low cognitive ability grouped with more able pupils. Where appropriate schools should analyse the progress of pupils from different staring points.

One special school for pupils with hearing difficulties, on account of its specific context, analyses the progress of a number of groups including

Refugee children Pupils with ASD Pupils with ADHD

There is no formula for determining for which groups schools should analyze data and set targets. Schools need to make a judgement about which groups have distinctive needs. However it is likely that some of the following groups merit analysis.

Pupils with ASD; there are pupils with this need in most special schools Pupils with challenging behaviour Pupils with different levels of cognitive functioning

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