Natalie Packer offers some advice for leaders exploring inclusive provision for SEND pupils in mainstream schools.
Spending all their time in a mainstream classroom can be a big challenge for many pupils with SEND needs.
One possible solution is for schools and trusts to develop their own in-school specialist provision (SP).
This resource typically provides a tailored educational experience for a small number of pupils who would otherwise spend most of their timetable in regular classrooms.
SP seems to have found its moment. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has spoken of wanting a more strategic and coordinated approach to increasing specialist provision within mainstream schools.
Partnership with the local authority to create this provision is one approach, but increasingly, schools and trusts are establishing their own internal specialist provision.
It does, of course, need careful planning. Here’s some advice:
1. Get clarity
Be clear on the rationale, purpose and aims of the provision and then create a plan to share with staff, governors and parents. Any plan should be underpinned by a set of principles that include:
- A whole school response
- A culture of high aspirations
- Provision of tailored educational experiences in an inclusive environment
- Collaboration between staff, parents/carers and other professionals
- A holistic approach to academic and personal development
- Equality of opportunity for pupils to access the right provision, in the right place, at the right time.
2. Do your research
Understand your pupils’ needs through initial needs assessments. This will help identify the focus of need for your internal provision, such as communication and interaction, SEMH, cognition and learning, sensory and/or physical. Check what provision is already available in your area and speak to other leaders and professionals who could support you. Once you’ve created clear admissions criteria reflecting age, phase and needs profile, with guidance on the nature of the provision, communicate this to all stakeholders.
3. Secure funding
Will the provision be funded through pooled EHCP or top-up funding? Will additional funds need to be taken from the school budget? Don’t forget to factor in on-costs and any initial set up costs. As your provision will be supporting local SEND placement capacity it might be worth asking your LA for financial support.
4. Invest in people
High-quality staff are key to the success of any specialist provision. Ensure you have an experienced and skilled leader in place. They could be a member of SLT, SENCo or SEND teacher and all will need to be passionate, committed, flexible and share the school’s inclusive values. Recruitment can be challenging, so you may have to grow staff from within your organisation. High quality training and development is crucial here, along with opportunities for staff to work together to share good practice.
5. Create a positive environment
A place that makes pupils feel safe, nurtured and that they belong. You may need to supplement main teaching rooms with other breakout spaces for intervention, sensory breaks, soft play or outdoor access, as well as toilets and changing spaces and accessible room for large equipment. Other considerations include furniture and additional resources for teaching, emotional regulation and to meet sensory needs. Establish clear routines and structure, expectations and consistent behaviour management approaches, and train staff in their implementation.
6. Plan your curriculum
It takes time, effort and expertise to create an ambitious, coherent and relevant curriculum for your provision. Be clear about your curriculum’s intent and how it will align to the mainstream curriculum. Get curriculum leaders to support planning, implementation and monitoring. And make sure you include additional interventions or therapies to meet pupils’ individual needs and secure any provision stated within EHCPs.
Consider who will be delivering each aspect of the curriculum – will this be specialist provision staff, subject specialists or other professionals? Staff delivering specialist teaching will need appropriate training.
If pupils require an alternative or adapted curriculum, they will likely need an alternative assessment method. Research different frameworks and tools that can support staff to assess small steps of progress and track both academic and more holistic aspects of development.
7. Build inclusive practice
Regular access to an inclusive mainstream environment is fundamental to in-school specialist provision. Use your knowledge of individual pupils to plan when and where they can be included. This might be access to subjects and lessons, or less academically and emotionally demanding times such as registration. Assemblies, school council and trips also offer inclusion opportunities. And remember, effective communication and collaboration between specialist provision staff and mainstream staff is fundamental to inclusive practice.
8. Collaborate and communicate with stakeholders
Successful partnership building depends on numerous factors. These include developing positive relationships with parents/carers and families, consulting with the local authority, seeking guidance and support from other professionals and listening to pupils.
9. Measure success – and review and refine
Success is ultimately measured by your pupils’ outcomes. Being crystal clear about your intended impact and carefully measuring success in a more holistic way is essential. These holistic measures include increased attendance, enhanced social or communication skills, improved behaviour, increased pupil and parent confidence, pupils achieving individual targets and EHCP outcomes, pupil satisfaction and increased levels of access to mainstream education. Embed monitoring of your provision into the whole school monitoring and evaluation agenda, ensuring there are ways to collect feedback from pupils, parents, and staff that can be used to inform improvements.
Setting up a specialist provision takes time, effort, expertise and a lot of commitment. No matter how well planned or resourced you might be, the nature of specialist provision means there will always be surprises. So, be prepared to constantly review and refine your practice – and be flexible in your approach. Good luck!
Natalie Packer is an education consultant specialising in SEN and school improvement, and a SEND adviser to Supporting Education Group.