Just a Little Something, Episode 8 - Part 1

This is a series which covers some of the things that leaders of independent schools sometimes overlook, omit, misunderstand, or fail to address when it comes to meeting the all-important Independent School Standards. Feel free to get in touch and let me know which standards you’d like me to cover.

Before we begin: a bit of advice

• Please find time to read The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (Make sure that you are looking at the “latest available (revised)”version. The date of the last revision was 19 August 2024

• Also the DfE’s Independent School Standards: Guidance for Independent Schools

And to borrow the DfE’s disclaimer from the latter document what I share with you here: is not purported to be definitive guidance on the meaning of the standards themselves, only a court can give that.

Previous episodes have covered the following standards:

• 32

• 34(b)

• 34(a)

• 2(1)(a)

• 3(a)

Today we will begin looking at 3(d).

3. The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school—(d) "shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons;”

We will split this paragraph into two parts – part 1 will focus on the needs and part 2 will focus on the aptitudes and prior attainments.

Examples of why schools have failed to meet this standard - these are from recent Ofsted inspection reports:

“Staff do not routinely have the knowledge or expertise to adjust teaching to meet pupils’ needs and abilities, including pupils with SEND. In lessons, pupils’ individual needs are not always understood or addressed.”

“Staff have not had sufficient guidance, support and training to manage pupils’ needs.”

“All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They all have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Information in the plans is not used effectively. Staff do not consider the recommended strategies when planning learning.”

“All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Currently the information the school provides staff on how to support the specific needs of pupils is imprecise. As a result, some staff do not know exactly how to support pupils’ individual needs. Therefore, some pupils find learning harder than they should.”

If you are new to the sector and have not had your first standard inspection here is an outline of how you could proceed:

• Make sure you have SEND expertise in the school (whether it is a SENCo you employ, one who works for the school on a part time basis, A SEND consultant or a leader or teacher who has extensive successful experience of working with pupils with SEND, ideally the category you support at your school

• Ensure that this key information from pupils EHC plans is known by all who teach and support the learning of pupils – their needs, statutory provision, EHC plan outcomes (not just by getting them to read it once but by making it accessible for reference in their day to day practice)

• Monitor the effectiveness of strategies and resources recommended on the EHC plan and with input from relevant professionals and staff adjust these to ensure that the SEN provision continues to meet pupils needs

• Ensure that staff are actively supporting pupils towards achieving EHC outcomes

• Organise training in the main needs that your school caters for ensuring that this training is updated as needed with new cohorts.

• Organise CPD to ensure that staff are able to adapt learning to meet needs of pupils

• Ensure that staff have access to useful resources for example books, guides, or membership of SEND support organisations like NASEN or those relevant to the needs you cater e. g The Autism Education Trust 

However, if you have already failed to meet standard 3(d) and are working to address this I can only give you general advice about your approach to the action plan:

• First re-read the inspection report and extract any instances where failure to meet need is mentioned and why

• Next, revisit your notes from the time of the inspection (if you were present) and ensure that you include any other relevant feedback which did not make it inti the inspection report

• In collaboration with your SENCo (if you have one) and with reference to relevant information and research compile actions to address the specific issues raised.

I hope you find this useful.