Read the very latest summary on DfE and Ofsted agenda’s

In this more difficult SEN climate where MATs are having to provide services that were once available from the LA including Speech and Language Therapy, these are the questions to ask yourselves, to check that you’re getting it right for your MAT:

How is your Trust supporting the SENCOs in your schools?

How does your Trust ensure that all students with SEND receive the support they need?

Is your Trust currently able to offer Speech and Language Therapy across all of your schools or have you been struggling to source your therapy provision?

How are your schools supporting Speech and Language development from the early years? 

Are your SENCOs struggling to get SALT assessments from local health services?

The big drive from DfE and Ofsted is Inclusivity – if you look at the school Toolkit that Ofsted are proposing – 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67927f1ebcd53eb4d9fad612/school_inspection_toolkit_draft_for_consultation.pdf

The DfEs agenda is very much focused on mainstream schools being more inclusive and supporting more pupils with SEND.

See below inclusion section (source as above link).

Are you ready for these changes?

The DfE recently published new guidance for school governing bodies and Trustees on how they should be supporting SEND.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sen-and-disability-duties-guidance-for-school-governing-boards/special-educational-needs-sen-and-disabilities-guidance-for-school-governing-boards

Within this document there is a checklist for what you should be monitoring – examples of these are;

• Staff have the expertise needed to support those with SEN and disabilities and that the school has access to external specialist skills where required
• The school promotes an inclusive culture
• The pupil voice is central to decisions about support for those with SEN and disabilities, at both individual and school level
• Funding, including SEN funding, is allocated and spent effectively

Governors and trustees should be satisfied with how the school:

• Identifies a pupil with SEN or a disability and how it uses the ‘graduated approach’ to respond to that need
• Monitors the progress and development of pupils with SEN and disabilities
• Supports pupils in Preparing for Adulthood at each age and stage, and monitors outcomes and destinations – some tools and resources are available from the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi).

Governors and trustees of mainstream schools should also ensure that a qualified teacher or the head teacher is designated as the SENCO and that they:

• Are empowered to support high quality outcomes for pupils with SEN and disabilities

As a MAT if you can ensure your SENCOs are accessing both:

• Thorough student assessment services within their setting 
• Training via external specialists to ensure they are able to confidently  support those with SEN and disabilities

Integrated Treatment Services can ensure that as a Trustee of a MAT, you have immediate access to these external specialist support services, offering you a flexible and cost saving model across your settings.

Contact us if you’d like to secure your 

• Assessment package for your MAT
• Follow-up training, in key areas of speech and language therapy support such as colourful semantics and AAC training for all Trust schools

Trust wide packages are the most cost effective way to meet these new Government agendas. 

Speak to us today about the bespoke needs of your MAT.

If you require support from a Speech and Language Therapist or would like further questions answered call us on 0845 838 2921.