Are all children special?

1. Are all children special?

2. This paper is • about gaps in the discussion of SEN, disability and inclusion • a draft

3. This paper is not about • Definitions: SEN, disability, inclusion • Behaviour, autistic spectrum disorder or ICT • The wonderful places that are ahead on everything inclusive

4. Two icebergs (not the pack) • Inclusion is very slow • Not much difference in the figures between 1999-2003 • Guidance on SEN and curriculum either poorly distributed or at the tail of activity

5. Key issue • How do you manage the shifting parameters of roles of all services while giving more responsibility to the ‘front-line’ and developing the highest standards for minorities within whole-institution development?

6. The adbiz anxiety generators • Are you wearing the right clothes? • Do you smell right? • Is your car adequately powerful and lively?

7. The edbiz anxiety generators • Will they get the right results? • Will they be secure at all times? • Will those children be in their class and affect their learning?

8. Individual planning • Targets relating to SEN are part of normal school processes

9. Individualised or Personalised Support?

10. Inclusive Planning Strong on Diversity Less need for special Less strong on Diversity More need for special

11. ‘the more important agenda is how to develop a pedagogy that is inclusive to all learners’ Davis and Florian 2004 Setting high expectations Providing for the diversity of learners Providing for groups and individuals The Inclusion Statement

12. Expectations • Let me get this straight: we are going to catch up with the rest of the class by going slower than everyone else. Bart Simpson

13. Expectations • Pupils withdrawn for substantial literacy support should make double the normal rate of progress Primary National Strategy

14. Expectations • Expectations for SLD/PMLD under-investigated • Need to offer many ways to success within right structures and right teaching approach

15. Speech Language and Communication • The greater part of the provision for school-aged children with speech and language needs should be embedded within the curriculum and take the child’s educational context into consideration. • Services should work together to appraise the level and type of inequities in existence, and put appropriate mechanisms in place to address these inequities. • There should be a comprehensive accredited system of educational and training opportunities for all staff working with children with speech and language needs. • DfEE RR 239

16. Multi-sensory or ‘primary’ • We all benefit from learning which involves our brain’s diversity of paths

17. The Governments SEN Training strategy • Basis: what all should know • Specialist in-school support & learning opportunities • Specialist out-of-school support & learning opportunities • Nothing about subject leadership

18. Threads for development • National emphasis on oral language/communication development in the classroom • OFSTED report on any BESD provision to include standard section on specialist communication support

19. Threads for development(2) • Longitudinal studies of trajectories of attainment for students with learning difficulties, particularly through secondary onwards • National campaign asserting that the least schools can do for an inclusive society is to ensure that they are open to the full diversity of learners

20. Threads for development(3) • raise status of subject/curriculum area developers by putting subject/etc associations on properly funded basis with explicit links to national policy on SEN. Incorporate work with Strategies

21. Threads for development(4) • Nest at local level: • Children’s Service Planning • School Improvement • Curriculum Development for SEN and Disability (including assessment) cf DDA Planning Duties • Incorporate specialist/mainstream provision joint working • Share across LEA: use SEN strategy training plan with additional commitment to subject leadership in and out of school