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the four strands
Between April 1st 2008 and July 2009 the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) are working in collaboration with the National Strategies to develop progression guidance for pupils with SEN/LDD including those working below level 1of the National Curriculum.
This project focuses solely upon pupil progress in English, Maths and Science but nevertheless recognises that many competencies lie outside the remit of the project, competencies that have a significant impact on the life chances of pupils with SEN/LDD.
Work on these wider outcomes is being taken forward, by the DCSF, through the separate but linked development of school-level indicators on the ECM outcomes and guidance to schools on their duty to promote the well-being of their pupils.
The progression guidance project is designed to support the development of a clear understanding of what constitutes good progress for pupils with SEN/LDD within these subject areas. It will do this by:
- providing guidance on what is good progress for pupils with SEN/LDD;
- developing the capacity of RAISEonline; and
- developing training materials.
narrowing attainment gaps, progression & evaluation progress part2
We are currently undertaking research and consultation with a range of LAs, schools and others. This is major piece of work and we aim to ensure that all stakeholders have the opportunity to express their views and contribute to this work where appropriate.
We would like your views on the key principles and supporting notes (attached). We are interested in comments on the principles and in more detailed issues that you think we need to address in the guidance. Attached is a form for you to send us your comments.
We are also interested in:
- How you currently use or support the use of RAISEonline and/or any other systems to track and evaluate the progress of pupils with SEN/LDD.
- How RAISEonline can be developed to include this group of pupils more effectively.
- How you currently determine what constitutes good progress for this group of pupils.
- The development of a national point score equivalence table for P levels.
- Examples of good practice and any further ideas you may have, including any historical data sets you currently have for tracking the progress/attainment of pupils working significantly below national expectations.
If you have further ideas or additional information you are able to send us, please use the final page of the form to let us know.
Contact Names: Pauline Pitman and Jenny Digges, National Strategies Advisers (SEN)
research@stevecochraneassociates.co.uk
key principles
1. High expectations are key to securing good progress
- The purpose of data collection is to support the improvement of pupil progress. Data collection informs a forensic approach to the removal of barriers, raises expectations and supports the setting of stretching targets
- The national expectation is that all pupils will make at least two national curriculum levels of progress over each key stage
- It can be challenging to develop appropriately high expectations of pupils who may not make two NC levels of progress over each key stage. Local and national benchmarks inform expectations by providing a broader base for comparisons
- Although there is a strong focus on P levels within the project, the vast majority of pupils with SEN/LDD, including those in special schools, are working at National Curriculum levels
- Particularly at a younger age and at the earlier levels, progress may be uneven and may be horizontally across P levels rather vertically up the level
2. Age and prior attainment, as opposed to primary need, are used to inform expectations of pupil progress
- To set stretching targets, it is also important to have an understanding of:
- pupil progress to date;
- how effectively barriers to progress have been identified and minimised or removed
- Professional discussion at a local authority level can inform an understanding of:
- the impact of different types of difficulty on progress, though caution is necessary as both schools and local authorities vary in how they identify and define pupils’ difficulties; and
- how best to promote pupil progress
3. Moderation is key to improving the reliability of teacher assessment
- Effective moderation is an essential element in the accurate assessment of attainment and progress
- It is recognised that it is more difficult to make reliable teacher assessments at the earlier P levels. This needs to be recognised in data collection and analysis
- The professional discussion that supports moderation contributes significantly to the improvement of teaching and learning
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