Identification and assessment
Identification and assessment
This section sets out the local authority’s expectation on all education settings to ensure early identification of SEND as well as an embedded graduated response to this, in line with the SEND Code of Practice 2014.
The graduated approach
“Where a child is identified as having SEN, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place. This SEN support should take the form of a four part (Assess, Plan, Do, Review) cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and what supports the children in making good progress and securing good outcomes.”
(SEND Code of Practice 2014).
Assess, Plan, Do, Review Cycle
Every learner who has been identified as having SEN should have their needs identified (Assess), their desired outcomes agreed (Plan) and provision made (Do) that will enable the pupil to reach these outcomes. The pupil’s progress should then be reviewed regularly (Review).
Before schools put in a request to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for an EHC plan for a child or young person, they are expected to show evidence that they have undertaken this Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle in an attempt to remove barriers to learning their pupil’s experience.
Assessment
Expectations of all settings | Strategies |
A regular cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review is used to ensure that learners with SEND are making progress | Pupils’ strengths and challenges in learning and behaviour are observed and monitored in different settings and contexts for a short period of time to inform planning. Staff are aware of pupil’s starting points so that expected progress can be measured across each key stage. Assessment is used to inform planning and interventions. Consideration is given for individual pupil’s developmental trends. Case studies are used to demonstrate holistic progress. |
Practitioners ensure that formative assessment and feedback are a feature of lessons and evident in marking and assessment policy | A wide range of assessment strategies and tools are used to ensure a thorough understanding of learners. Learners have regular opportunities to evaluate their own performance. Self-assessment is routinely used to set individual targets. The impact of interventions is critically evaluated. Alternative approaches are explored to establish whether they may result in better outcomes for the learners. |
Expertise is in place to manage reasonable examination arrangements (access arrangements) for tests and national tests and public examinations | Settings make adaptations to assessment arrangements as part of their everyday practice. This is used to establish the pupil’s normal way of working. Please refer to the relevant exam board guidelines. Arrangements could include:
Adapted resources are used in class and assessments. |