Is it possible to deliver quality SEN care without outside agencies during the pandemic?
Schools have had to overcome no end of challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But beyond virus control, perhaps the most pressing ongoing concern is supporting children with special educational needs (SEN) at a time when many children are already experiencing anxiety and disruption. SEN provision can be testing at the best of times, as schools seek to find the very best support for the children in their care. But while outside agencies are prevented from entering school grounds, SEN Coordinators (SENCOs) and school leadership teams are left struggling to find ways to provide much-needed support with much-reduced resources. Is it possible for schools to continue to deliver high-quality SEN care without overburdening an already stretched teaching staff? What are the issues? And how can they be tackled? Why is SEN provision such a challenge right now? One of the ongoing difficulties with the provision of SEN support is that it covers such a wide range of needs. Children who require physical, emotional, or specific learning support. There are those with difficult home lives. And those with mental health concerns. No single school can hope to provide all of the necessary expertise in house. With external agencies prevented from entering schools and a reduction of resources – such as sensory areas – SENCOs are at an immediate disadvantage. So, what options are available, and how can schools find the support they need to ensure that no children are let down as the pandemic continues to run its course? Where can schools turn to for SEN support during the COVID-19 restrictions? As with every other organisation, external support agencies are currently working to find new ways of operating during the pandemic. Observing the two-meter rule and wearing PPE is an integral part of this. Only accessing designating areas within schools is also under discussion. But there are drawbacks to these moves. Children need to be able to relax in the company of their SEN support workers. They need to be able to connect with them and feel comfortable. PPE – mask-wearing in particular – can be a real barrier to that. A resumption of established SEN services also carries the threat of further disruption should a second lockdown occur. Indeed, at the beginning of September, 4% of UK state schools were classed as “not fully open” because of Covid-19, and around 20 schools were closed outright for COVID-related reasons. This poses the risk of further upset for SEN children. Technology The use of technology within the educational setting has become increasingly widespread throughout the pandemic, often providing the only means for schools to continue supporting children in their learning journey. But it has not yet been widely embraced for SEN. Because the current generation of children have grown up around technology, its use is second nature to them. They don’t feel awkward or confronted when dialling into a Zoom call, because they’ve been FaceTiming their grandparents since birth. For this reason, technology shouldn’t just be an extension of a child’s learning and support resources, but an integral part. And within the COVID-19 climate, it offers a consistency that is lacking elsewhere. During lockdown, over 70% of children who required speech therapy through Mable Therapy were able to continue receiving support online. And technology can be used to support a wide variety of needs. From communication and speech therapy – over 80% of children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) concerns may have undiagnosed communication problems. And without support, this can lead to frustration, behavioural issues and a failure to thrive. To Autism, where a disruption to routine can cause anxiety and challenging behaviours. Technology can not only fill these gaps and deliver these services on a temporary basis, but become a simple, cost-effective, and educationally/emotionally valuable tool within a school’s long-term SEN strategy. Summary SEN support has always been a difficult area for schools to get right. But the current situation with the global pandemic has made things so much more difficult. And there’s no quick fix. But equally, children cannot be left without support, and teachers cannot be expected to carry the extra burden. For now, schools should turn to their local authority for advice. And if they already have a Service Level Agreement in place with an external agency, they need to find out exactly what that agency can do for them. But technology and online support should also be seriously considered as a means of providing some services, to avoid an interruption in the event of a second wave or localised school closures. Martha Currie, Clinical Director of Mable Therapy Recommended SEN resources for support and information: Supporting a child returning to school after lockdown: Young Minds Supporting deaf education during the Coronavirus pandemic – resources from BATOD members and others Schools Guide to implementing an Online therapy Provision: Mable Therapy Coronavirus: education and school: National Autistic Society Coronavirus: How we can help you:Royal National Institute for the Blind
Exploring SEN funding in 2020
Seeing a child with special educational needs (SEN) blossom in school can be one of the most rewarding aspects of our jobs. But pupils with SEN require extra support for which tailored classes, specially trained teachers and adaptable classrooms all play a part. Needing these additional resources means you’ll likely rely on having access to enough SEN funding to help the pupil thrive in school. But, as inclusion and literary expert Jules Daulby highlights, this access isn’t always guaranteed. In partnership with Daulby, specialist lawyers Bolt Burdon Kemp have created a filterable table of some of the key facts and figures regarding the SEN landscape. Some of the insights they provide, which will help schools decide which direction to take their SEN provision in 2020, include: 1. The proportion of pupils with SEN rose for a third consecutive year in 2019 In 2019, pupils with SEN represented 14.9% of the overall student body compared to 14.6% in 2018 and 14.4% in 2017. It’s difficult to pinpoint the reason for this steady increase, says Daulby, pointing out that it could simply be that the system is getting better at identifying children with SEN. Daulby does note that “more boys tend to get SEN support than girls, as girls generally don’t have the behavioural issues associated with SEN. This often leads to their needs being missed, as their traits may not be as easily identified as with boys.” It’s likely, therefore, that there are hundreds more female pupils with SEN that have been missed by the system. 2. London now gets more SEN funding than any other region As you might expect, the capital city gets more high needs funding than any other region in England. But, while London gets £22.9 million more in high needs funding than the South East, the South East is home to the greatest number of SEN students. The South East is also home to more specialist schools dedicated to SEN students. This discrepancy might risk putting SEN students – and the schools that cater to them – on the back foot. “What’s more,” says Daulby, “the government needs to tackle the problem of the SEN notional budget that asks schools to contribute their own budget to cater to SEN pupils. It puts inclusive schools at a perverse disadvantage.” 3. Changes in the system may be leaving SEN pupils behind According to Daulby, “there are likely to be many children who used to be identified with SEN who aren’t now.” With changes to the system that has seen SEN identification go from a 5-stage risk classification to two stages, children who previously had SEN support may find themselves being left by the wayside. If children with special needs and disabilities don’t qualify as either needing SEN support or needing an Educational, Health and Care plan, they may be left without the backing they need to thrive. The need for additional SEN funding is a continuous – and ever-present – conversation that headteachers, deans and everyone in the school system concern themselves with on a regular basis. Keeping ourselves abreast of the trends – and shortcomings – in the way the government allocates that funding can help us plan better, allowing us to better cater for students who need it the most.
What does the Timpson Review on school exclusions mean for your school?
The Timpson Review on school exclusions has been published, with 30 recommendations for change. Recommendations include making settings more accountable for school exclusions in an “effective and fair way” and offering more guidance and tools to teachers, writes QA Education editor Victoria Galligan. A £10million crackdown on poor behaviour also formed part of the key measures which are being taken by the Government in a bid to reduce exclusions. The review, carried out by Edward Timpson CBE, highlighted the fact that 78% of permanent exclusions concerned vulnerable groups – children with SEN, classified as in need or receiving free school meals. Mr Timpson said: “No parent sends their child off to school believing they will end up being excluded but when this does happen we all need to be confident we have a well-functioning system that makes sure no child slips through the net. Exclusion from school should never mean exclusion from education. “Throughout this review I have found too much variation in the use of exclusions and too many missed opportunities for children to remain in the education that best suits their needs. Although I did see examples of schools using exclusions appropriately and effectively, there is clear room for improvement and everyone – from teachers and parents, the Department for Education and Ofsted, to local authorities and children’s services – has their part to play. “We expect school leaders to make sure all children are getting a good education, but we must equip them with the skills and capacity to do so. We need to reward schools who are doing this well and hold to account those who are not. Most importantly there must be safeguards in place for when things go wrong so that we can keep children on the path towards the successful future they all deserve.” The publication of the review came after Education Secretary Damian Hinds made a Call for Evidence on SEND provision, last week. Welcome change on school exclusions Achievement for All – a not-for-profit organisation that works with schools and settings to improve outcomes for all young people vulnerable to underachievement – welcomed the review. Its CEO, Professor Sonia Blandford, said: “We welcome this important and vital review into exclusions. Too many children and young people are excluded, slip through the net and fail to receive the education they deserve. “With an inclusive and whole-school approach to education, permanent and fixed period exclusions can be reduced and futures transformed. Through our work with over 3.86 million beneficiaries including pupils, teachers, parents and carers, we know that many schools don’t feel well supported or equipped in this area. “We need to ensure they have access to a framework that focuses on quality teaching and learning, use appropriate interventions and engage parents and carers effectively. “Parent and carer engagement must be viewed as an integral part of school engagement – not an add on. We developed our Achieving Schools programme to meet these needs. In 2018, we reduced school exclusions in the settings we worked with by 70%. As the Timpson Review of School Exclusions states, a well-functioning system is needed to support all children and young people. “Exclusion from education must be avoided and we look forward to working with the government and other organisations in this area to ensure every child, irrespective of their background challenge or need, can achieve.” What does the review on school exclusions mean for teachers? Guidance for teachers will be updated, which will mean training and materials being made available for school leaders. The Government says Mr Timpson’s proposed reforms will support schools to intervene early before exclusion is necessary, improve alternative provision, as well as reducing incentives for schools to off-roll pupils (take children off the register and therefore out of the education system, without a formal permanent exclusion). And the new Ofsted framework will also require inspectors to question schools where there are signs of off-rolling, and instruct them to report where pupils are taken off-roll for the benefit of the school rather than the in the interests of the pupil. The report also encourages multi-agency working, saying “it cannot be the job of schools alone to take action to understand and address the complex underlying needs that children may have”. The Government should also clarify the role of local authorities to advocate for children with additional needs and those at risk of moving out of school through exclusion or otherwise, and require them to convene local forums in which schools participate, says the review. It also recommended that the Government extends its funding to equality and diversity hubs beyond 2020, to help increase the diversity of senior leadership teams in schools.