The school took on the SENDIA as a developmental tool. There was a need to check what was being done well and what needed to change. The specific requirements for each of the award’s key performance indicators helped staff to pick up on areas they might otherwise have missed.  

It chose the adviser-led route, and staff have been very grateful for the support they have received along the way. The adviser’s visits have helped the school stay on top of things, describe its work and show progress. The writing of the action plan was painless with the adviser’s input, and has been a valuable source of guidance.  

Next steps include collecting and uploading the material required for the evidence folder. The day-to-day business of a SENCO has often left no time for specific SENDIA activity, and ‘curved ball’ situations such as family illnesses have reduced the staff’s capacity to work towards objectives regularly.  

Next term, they plan to appoint a designated member of staff to be in charge of uploading evidence to the portfolio and managing the SENDIA information on the school’s website. Their advice to other schools: ‘share the workload and don’t rush!’  

A new system 

Prompted by the award, the school has established a system whereby each child on the SEND register has a ‘red book’ in which to record their individual targets. The teacher and TA will annotate and sign to record any progress towards a target. The SENCO will monitor these books in an effort to see if teachers are addressing individual needs in their daily classroom practice. They can then direct their attention to colleagues who haven’t fully engaged with this new approach.  

In addition, the school plans to introduce more training for TAs and teaching staff. It will build on its recent success with a coffee morning for parents. With the award still in progress, there’s already much to celebrate!