Excellent progress is the goal of all teachers. The way to achieve it is the million-dollar question. I work in a Resource Centre, which is attached to a mainstream school, for children with a diagnosis of Autism. There are currently 23 children and three classes, broadly in the following groups: EYFS/KS1, lower KS1/KS2 and upper KS2. Some children take part in sessions in the mainstream school, but most of our children spend the majority of time with us in the Centre.
The learners range from pre-verbal students to students excluded from mainstream schools, to students with high anxiety who are unable to access mainstream school but who are working at age-related expectations.
Through NASEN (National Association of Special Educational Needs) I have had the privilege to undertake a piece of work with a fellow SENCO from a school in a neighbouring local authority in which we were asked to work in collaboration to reflect on SEND provision in our schools and further develop it at a strategic level, supporting teachers and support staff in their own professional development.
Following the completion of this project, we had an OFSTED inspection. It was a slightly disheartening experience. We discussed progress and were asked if we had children with high-functioning autism that had made good progress—the implication was that other types of pupils may not be expected or able to make good progress. We discussed evidence of progress and it was stated that the best place to see progress was ‘in the books’. I feel progress is best seen in the pupils themselves and through discussions with parents and those that know them best.
I firmly believe that well-being and self-esteem are at the heart of the progress, not books and data—when we meet these needs, we see progress in all our students.
As you can imagine, there is certainly not a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and learning in the Centre. I would suggest that while as teachers (and humans) we are always searching for the magic bullet to solve our problems, the solution is often a lot closer to home but needs collaboration, dedication and discussion to cultivate it, rather than a simple unboxing of the next ‘new thing’.
