Key person / teacher responsibilities

Assessment, Identification and Monitoring

• Teachers use resources (e.g. environment checklists) to refine teaching and differentiation approaches.
  
  
• Teachers use recent assessment information to gain a better understanding of individual young person’s learning level and to identify the barriers to their learning.
  
  
• Teachers will monitor the engagement in sessions and motivation of their groups and plan appropriate interventions that can be delivered through the curriculum.
  
  
• Young people are involved in the development and evaluation of learning support strategies in class.

Curriculum content

• Literacy and numeracy skills are incorporated in the relevant subjects.
  
  
• Staff provide and promote a range of opportunities for creativity within the curriculum for young people to experience success and/or explore their different skills and interests.
  
  
• Staff ensure that teaching and learning opportunities are appropriately differentiated to take into account learning and motivation levels and to ensure there are appropriate levels of intellectual challenge and support. 
  
  
• Staff are aware and take account of different levels of cognitive ability, attention levels, tolerance of errors, language skills, social and emotional development and acknowledge the effect that these could have on their learning levels.
  
  
• Specific study skills are taught within the curriculum to encourage independent learning.
  
  
• Teachers reflect on the demands of the subject area and make adjustments in order to improve access through:
  • Identifying sequential skills that are explicitly linked to prior learning
  • Identifying target vocabulary and using pre and/or post tutoring if needed
  • Differentiating by task, outcome or teaching materials
  • Opportunities for distributed practice and interleaved learn

Curriculum delivery

• The instructions in the classroom are clear, concise and consistent – longer instructions are broken down into smaller steps when required.
  
  
• The teacher’s expectations regarding behaviour and task completion in the classroom are clear and understood by the young people.
  
  
• There is effective use of ICT resources and other classroom resources.
  
  
• Young people who are meeting and exceeding classroom expectations are frequently noticed and praised, as appropriate to individual need. 
  
  
• Adults use praise that is specific and meaningful and is aimed at effort and learning behaviour rather than just achievement.
  
  
• Teaching is delivered through:
  
  
  • Sequential skills that are linked to prior learning
    
    
  • Using meaningful and useful tasks
    
    
  • Ensuring young people in the class understand the purpose of the lesson and the desired outcome
    
    
  • Teaching independent learning skills and not taking away the learning opportunity within the lesson
    
    
  • Practical, highly generalizable skills where possible
    
    
  • Provide targeted marking and feedback on identified areas of need
    
    
  • Effective use of peer support and grouping.
    
    
• Staff give regular feedback to young people on their learning and progress.
  
  
• There are opportunities for flexible groupings and pairings and young people have access to positive and aspirational role models for their learning.
  
  
• Teachers use inclusive strategies, such as peer tutoring and co-operative learning.
  
  
• Support staff work as part of a team with the teachers and are used to deliver structured evidence-based interventions.
  
  
• Teaching resources are age appropriate, inclusive and relevant.
  
  
• Homework is purposeful and encourages the generalisation of prior learning and is differentiated to ensure it can be completed independently at home.
  
  
• There are opportunities for pupils to take some responsibility within lessons, including involvement in goal setting. 

Staff knowledge and understanding

• Staff understand their roles and responsibilities regarding SEND.
  
  
• Staff understand that all young people are different and learn at different rates.
  
  
• Staff have an understanding of the learning needs of young people in their groups.
  
  
• Staff have high expectations of each member of their class.
  
  
• Staff feel confident in meeting the learning needs of the young people in their class.
  
  
• Staff have an understanding of how the learning needs of young people can influence their behaviour and motivation. 
  
  
• Staff have knowledge of risk factors associated with learning progress.
  
  
• Staff know how to create an effective teaching environment.
  
  
• Staff use a range of different classroom resources to support teaching.
  
  
• Staff are aware of the learning hierarchy and how to apply it to their planning and teaching.
  
  
• Staff know how to reduce the environmental load in their classroom, if required.
  
  
• Staff can recognise signs of young people at risk of underachieving.
  
  
• Staff have an awareness of the effect on their own behaviour on others.
  
  
• Staff manage their own emotional well-being to maintain an appropriate work-life balance.
  
  
• Staff can modify their responses to individual young people on the basis of need.
  
  
• Staff work as part of a team with any support staff they have in their classrooms.
  
  
• Staff have access to CPD opportunities and other support to meet learning and SEND needs.
  
  
• Staff are able to discuss learning concerns with other members of staff and the named SEN person when required.