Leading the SEN Process

in Challenging Times

Ceist Conference 2010

THE CHARTER •“A CEIST school promotes quality and excellence in

teaching and learning”

•“The educational needs of the students are identified and

suitable programmes and curricula are provided to meet

the breadth of needs identified so that all students can

participate with dignity and confidence”

•“The school is innovative and creative in its response to

the needs of the students so that the highest standards

are achieved and maintained”

•“A CEIST school is open and accessible to all without

discrimination. It promotes a positive attitude towards the

social inclusion of minority groups and stands in solidarity

with those most in need”

THE CHARTER

“Educational programmes are delivered through quality teaching and learning promote the development of the whole person”

“The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all students, encouraging and challenging them to develop their natural talents, to realise their potential and to strive for individual excellence”

“The school acknowledges the primary role of parents or guardians in the growth and development of the young person and provides opportunity for their participation in the life of the school”

“In the allocation of resources, priority is given to services for students who have special needs”

What is the purpose of your school?

Standards &

Performance Individual

Growth &

Learning

Cultural

Transmission

Economic

West-Burnham, 2007

SOCIAL JUSTICE

WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED?

“ At micro level, moral purpose in education means making a difference in the life chances of all students- more of a difference for the disadvantaged because they have further to go..

At the macro level, moral purpose is education’s contribution to societal development and democracy.” Fullan

Fullan

Children who have SEN….

are the least successful in traditional

measures

are the hardest to teach by traditional

measures

are the least powerful in insisting that

their needs are met

are the most dependent on schools for

their educational resources

‘lies in striving that those hands –

whether of individuals or entire

peoples – need to be extended

less and less in supplication

….they become hands which

work, and by working transform

the world’ Freire

Empowerment…

“The combined allocations provide a total

of 109.75 hours of support teaching.

However, at the time of the evaluation, the

school timetable showed that only 58.40 of

these teaching hours were being used to

provide direct instruction to the specific

students. This is a matter of great concern.

“ Inspection Report 2010

“There is little evidence of a planning

structure for resource teachers”.

Inspection Report 2010

WHAT THE REPORTS SAY!!!!!

“All lessons formed part of a cohesive sequence

and detailed written lesson plans were evident in all

cases”…….

“The participation and achievements of students with

special educational needs in State examinations are

rightfully a source of pride for school management, staff

and parents. The bar of expectation is set realistically

high, as indicated by a review of recent state

examination results and the levels taken. The school

is also mindful of students who are identified as

exceptionally gifted and talented”. Inspection Report 2010

WHAT THE REPORTS SAY!!!!!

“At the time of the inspection the master timetable did

not reflect the full range of supports as identified

above”. Inspection Report 2010

“The provision in place to support the school’s

newcomer students is also inadequate. The provision

lacks any real coherent plan and the time allocation

intended to support those students having English as an

additional language is not being used for its intended

purpose. Steps must be taken immediately to ensure

that the resources provided to the school be used for

their intended purpose and that arrangements must be

put in place by the school to address the linguistic and

wider social needs of the newcomer students”.

Inspection Report EAL & WSE 2010

WHAT THE REPORTS SAY!!!!!

“Timetabling of the additional teaching hours

provided, is done in tandem with the

construction of the main timetable

resulting in the school being able to provide a

more consistent, cohesive and structured

sequence of lessons across the school week

and from year to year. Such practice is highly

commended and allows for the creation of a

core, but not exclusive, team of teachers to

work with identified students and access

relevant continuing professional learning”.

Inspection Report 2010

WHAT THE REPORTS SAY!!!!!

Core Praxis - Crucials

Allocations

CPD

Communication

Culture of expectation

Affirmation

Modes of delivery

Respect

Collaboration

HOW DO WE DO IT

Irish Exemption

Curricular reduction - Caution

Subject withdrawal

Group withdrawal/creation

Smaller Classes

SNA Support

Care Team

Links with other schools

Therapies/Interventions

Doubling up on options

Team Teaching

Initiatives – Homework Clubs (students)

HSCL

– Subject Teachers – Special Needs Assistant – Learning Support Teacher – Resource Teacher – Special Class Teacher – LCA/JCSP Co-

ordinators/Teachers – Special Education Needs Co-

ordinator – English Language Support

Teacher – Guidance Counsellor – Chaplain

– HSCL – SENO – Visiting Teachers – NEPS – EWO – External Agents – Parents – Care Team – Students

Who is involved in SEN

THE IEP AS AN EXAMPLE OF GOOD

PRACTICE

“…specifies the learning goals

that are to be achieved by the

student over a set period of

time and the teaching

strategies, resources and

supports necessary to achieve

these goals”

(NCSE Guidelines)

1. School leadership is second only to

classroom teaching as an influence on pupil

learning.

2. Almost all successful leaders draw on the

same repertoire of basic leadership practices.

3. The ways in which leaders apply these basic

leadership practices – not the practices

themselves – demonstrate responsiveness to,

rather than dictation by, the contexts in

which they work.

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

4. School leaders improve teaching and learning indirectly and most powerfully through their influence on staff motivation, commitment and working conditions.

5. School leadership has a greater influence on schools and students when it is widely distributed.

6. Some patterns of distribution are more effective than others.

7. A small handful of personal traits explains a high proportion of the variation in leadership effectiveness. Leithwood et al 2006

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

SUPPORT

STAFF

PRINCIPAL

SEN Team

“Leader is an agent of change”

STUDENT

“Schools for tomorrow will require leaders who are passionately, obsessively, creatively and steadfastly committed to enhancing students’ learning” Fink 2005

In Challenging Circumstances

The most successful school leaders are open-minded and ready to learn from others. They are also flexible rather than dogmatic in their thinking within a system of core values, persistent (e.g. in pursuit of high expectations of staff motivation, commitment, learning and achievement for all), resilient and optimistic

Creating The New You

Affirmations

Imagination

Raising expectation