Charlie Henry The inspection of provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs: the Ofsted perspective IEFE Forum 2014

1. The inspection of provision for disabled
pupils and those with special educational
needs: the Ofsted perspective
Charlie Henry
Her Majesty’s Inspector
National Lead for Disability and Special Educational Need
The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted)
United Kingdom
International Exhibition and Forum for Education (IEFE)
Riyadh, February 2014

2. The identification of special educational need

3. Disability and special educational need
A person has a disability when a person has a
physical or mental impairment which has a
substantial and long term adverse effect on that
person’s ability to carry out normal day to day
activities.
Most but not all children who are disabled have
special educational needs.

4. Disability and special educational need

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning
difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for
them.

Children have a learning difficulty if they:

a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority
of children of the same age; or
b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use
of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the
same age in schools within the area of the local education authority
c) are compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or
(b) above or would so do if special educational provision was not
made for them.
Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely
because the language or form of language of their home is different
from the language in which they will be taught.

5. Disability and special educational need
Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty
solely because the language or form of language of their
home is different from the language in which they will be
taught.
Special educational provision means:

for children of two or over, educational provision which is
additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational
provision made generally for children of their age in
schools maintained by the local authority, other than
special schools, in the area

for children under two, educational provision of any kind.

6. The identification of special educational need
The Code of Practice – statutory guidance
Graduated approach to identification and provision



School action
School action plus
Statement of special educational need

7. The identification of special educational need

Just over one in five pupils - 1.7 million school-age children
are identified as having special educational needs.
 11.8% at School action
 6.5% at School action plus
 2.8% with Statements of special educational need

The proportion of pupils in secondary schools identified as
having special educational needs without a Statement
increased from 13% in 2003 to 19.7% in 2010

Approximately 100,000 pupils are in special schools (1.2%)
(including independent special schools)
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8. The types of provision available in England for
disabled pupils and those who have special
educational needs

9.  Mainstream schools – most pupils with special educational
needs attend mainstream schools alongside other pupils.
 Special units attached to mainstream schools – provide
more specialist help but also opportunity for integration.
 Special schools – some special schools are for very specific
needs, others are for pupils with a wide range of needs. Some
are independent special schools.
 Hospital schools – provide general education for children
undergoing medical treatment, including psychiatric care
 Pupil referral units – generally these are for pupils who for
behavioural reasons need ‘time out’ from mainstream schools.
Pupils increasingly may go to a further education college or
some form of alternative provision.

10. 
Residential special schools provide residential
accommodation as well as education. They are mainly provided
by independent organisations but pupils’ places are usually
funded by their local authority.

General further education colleges – for students aged
over 16, as with maintained schools most students who have
learning difficulties and/or disabilities attend the same college
those who do not have these additional needs.

Independent specialist colleges – for those with learning
difficulties and/or disabilities who want to carry on studying
after 19.

11. Ofsted inspections of schools
What we focus on through school inspection
and how we carry inspection out

12. The school inspection framework
Overall effectiveness
Four levels of performance
Four key judgements
1. Outstanding
Achievement
2. Good
Quality of Teaching
3. Requires Improvement
Behaviour and safety
4. Inadequate
Leadership and management
The national aim is that every school will be at least a good school

13. Latest inspection outcomes

14. Achievement of pupils at the school




The learning and progress
across year groups of different
groups of pupils in school
Pupils’ progress over the last
three years
Pupils’ attainments compared
with national standards
Performance of key groups,
especially DSEN, those entitled
to the Pupil Premium, most
able, EAL pupils….



By observing lessons, work scrutiny,
checking school records of pupils’
progress, checking rigour of
assessment, talking to pupils
Proportions making and exceeding
expected progress
How well different groups of pupils
perform as well as one another disabled pupils and those with
special educational needs are a
priority group

15. For those groups of pupils whose cognitive ability is such that their
attainment is unlikely ever to rise above ‘low’, the judgement on
achievement should be based on an evaluation of the pupils’
learning and progress relative to their starting points at
particular ages, and any assessment measures held by the
school. Evaluations should not take account of their attainment
compared with national benchmarks

16. Aspects of outstanding achievement

From each different starting point, the proportions of
pupils making expected progress and the proportions
exceeding expected progress in English and in
mathematics are high compared with national figures. For
pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support, the
proportions are similar to, or above, those for other pupils in the
school or are rapidly approaching them.

Pupils make rapid and sustained progress throughout year
groups across many subjects, including English and
mathematics, and learn exceptionally well.

Pupils read widely, and often across all subjects to a high
standard.

17. Aspects of outstanding achievement

Pupils develop and apply a wide range of skills to great
effect in reading, writing, communication and
mathematics. They are exceptionally well prepared for the
next stage in their education, training or employment.

Pupils, including those in the sixth form and those in the Early
Years Foundation Stage, acquire knowledge quickly and
develop their understanding rapidly in a wide range of
different subjects across the curriculum.

The learning of groups of pupils, particularly those who
are disabled, those who have special educational needs,
those for whom the pupil premium provides support, and the most
able is consistently good or better.

18. The quality of teaching

The most important role of teaching is to promote learning
and to raise pupils’ achievement.

It is also important in promoting their spiritual, moral, social
and cultural development.

Teaching should be understood to include teachers’ planning
and implementing of learning activities, including the setting
of appropriate homework across the whole curriculum, as well
as marking, assessment and feedback.

It encompasses activities within and outside the classroom,
such as additional support and intervention.

Inspectors must not favour a particular or preferred approach
to teaching or planning lessons.

19. The quality of teaching



Does teaching
engage and include
all pupils?
Are pupils gaining in
knowledge, skills
and understanding,
especially in literacy
and mathematics?
Do teachers monitor
pupils’ progress in
lessons and use the
information well to
adapt their
teaching?



Do teachers use
questioning and
discussion to
evaluate teaching
and promote pupils’
learning?
Is assessment
frequent and
accurate and used
to set relevant
work?
Are pupils properly
prepared for their
next stage in their
learning?





Inspectors must
evaluate learning
over time taking into
account:
Evidence from
school leaders’
lesson observations
Work scrutiny
Discussion with
pupils / parents
The school’s own
evaluation of the
quality of teaching

20. Quality of teaching in the school
These descriptors should not be used as a checklist. They must be applied
adopting a ‘best fit’ approach which relies on the professional judgement of the
inspection team.
Outstanding teaching

Much of the teaching in all key stages and most subjects is
outstanding and never less than consistently good. As a result,
almost all pupils currently on roll in the school, including disabled
pupils, those who have special educational needs, those for whom
the pupil premium provides support and the most able, are
making rapid and sustained progress.

All teachers have consistently high expectations of all pupils. They
plan and teach lessons that enable pupils to learn exceptionally
well across the curriculum.

Teachers systematically and effectively check pupils’
understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where they may
need to intervene and doing so with notable impact on the quality
of learning.

21. Outstanding teaching

The teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics
is highly effective and cohesively planned and implemented across
the curriculum.

Teachers and other adults authoritatively impart knowledge to
ensure students are engaged in learning, and generate high levels
of commitment to learning across the school.

Consistently high quality marking and constructive feedback from
teachers ensure that pupils make rapid gains.

Teachers use well-judged and often imaginative teaching
strategies, including setting appropriate homework that, together
with clearly directed and timely support and intervention, match
individual needs accurately. Consequently, pupils learn
exceptionally well across the curriculum.

22. Pupils’ behaviour and safety





The extent to which
pupils’ attitudes help
or hinder their
progress in lessons
Their attitudes to
school, conduct and
behaviour during and
outside of lessons


The school’s
behaviour records and
analysis of these
Rates, patterns and
reasons for exclusions

Pupils’ contribution
and response to the
culture of the school

Pupils’ respect for the
school’s learning
environments and
resources
Types, rates and
patterns of bullying and
the effectiveness of the
school’s actions to
prevent and tackle it in
all its forms: to include
prejudice based bullying
and cyber bullying
The effectiveness in
preventing
discriminatory and
derogative language
Punctuality and
attendance




The school’s success
in keeping pupils’
safe, within school
and in external
activities, through risk
assessment, e-safety
arrangements, action
taken following any
serious safeguarding
incident
Pupils’ ability to
understand and
respond to risk
The effectiveness in
improving behaviour
and attendance
The views of parents,
staff and governors

23. Leadership and management

How well is a culture of
high expectations fostered?
Robust self-evaluation
Well-focussed improvement plans
Excellent policies, especially for
reading, writing, mathematics
Ensuring strong commitment to
the vision from pupils, parents and
governors

How effectiveness is the
leadership of teaching and
achievement?
Quality of pupil progress tracking
Professional development
Performance management linked
to salary progression
The sharing of best practice
identified, modelled and shared

24. Leadership and management
Securing pupils’ progress in reading,
writing and mathematics


To what extent does the
curriculum promotes a thirst
for knowledge and love of
learning?
How well do governors
hold senior leaders to
account?
Its breadth & balance and if it meets
pupils’ needs, interests, aptitudes
Does it foster academic achievement,
good behaviour, safety, physical wellbeing and SMSC
Ensure strong vision, ethos, strategic
direction?
Do they know school performance very
well and provide real challenge?
Ensure pupil premium funding leads to
improved achievement?
Ensure school engages parents &
community?

25. Leadership /management

Do safeguarding
arrangements meet
statutory requirements?
Safe recruitment –single central
record well maintained
Excellent child protection policy &
practice
Safe practices promoted well and
a culture of safety, (e-safety)
Attendance well managed

Is the school moving
towards system leadership?
Extent to which leaders at all
levels contribute towards school
improvement in the local / wider
area
Partnership working /sharing best
practice
Sharing advanced skills
practitioners, mentoring

26. The management of an inspection

27. The management of an inspection
Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI)
Additional Inspectors managed by Inspection Service
Providers – many are current headteachers and senior school
leaders.
An inspection will last two days. The size of the team
depends on the size and complexity of the school.
For most inspections, the lead inspector will inform the
school at noon on the day before the inspection starts.
A few inspections are ‘no-notice’.

28. Inspectors:

spend as much time as possible in classes, observing
lessons, talking to pupils about their work, gauging
their understanding and engagement in what they are
doing, and their perceptions of the school

hear children read in primary schools, and in Years 7
and 8 in secondary schools


scrutinise pupils’ work and look at data
involve the headteacher and senior managers fully
during the inspection, including during inspection team
meetings.

29. The frequency of inspection depends on the judgement
at its last inspection and on-going risk assessment.

Mainstream schools

Special schools

Schools that Require Improvement

Schools that are Inadequate

30. How we report our inspection findings

31. Grading of judgements
Reports are short – but schools also have dialogue and feedback

32. Reports are set out to make clear
how schools should seek to improve

33. Recommendations

34. Recommendations