DYT Week Ahead: no negative effect to being inclusive of SEND pupils, NFER finds
25/2/2019
25th February 2019
DYT’s Top Story:
A vital role of every governing body is to ensure that no learner is treated less favourably or denied opportunity because they have additional needs. DYT’s SEND Governance Review Guide is playing an important role in improving a governor’s ability to for holding leaders to account for the education of learners with SEND.
Our CEO Chris Rossiter blogs this week to bust the five biggest myths about SEND Governance to ensure governors and trustees are focusing on the part of their roles that matter.
News round-up:
NFER: no negative effect to being inclusive of SEND pupils
In a new report investigating the relationship between pupil and school background factors and KS4 outcomes achieved by disadvantaged pupils, the NFER found that the percentage of pupils in a year group identified as needing any type of SEND support did not relate to the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. The report included contribution from DYT’s Director of Operations Karen Wespieser.
Disadvantaged families to benefit from free early learning apps
The Department for Education announced more details about the roll out of interactive learning tools and text message tips to support children’s early language and literacy at home. Local areas will be chosen based on factors related to the development in communication, language and literacy at children aged five.
SATs shouldn’t be a source of stress for pupils, says Hinds
Writing for the i, the Education Secretary made clear that he thought some parents and teachers were getting SATs preparation wrong and that “the truth is that pupils only need to treat SATs in the same way that they treat other work like a spelling or times table test – they just need to do their best.”
Re-focus pupil premium on teacher retention and CPD, say MPs
The APPG for Social Mobility published a new report: closing the regional attainment gap. Stating that teacher quality is the biggest factor for disadvantaged pupils for falling behind, the report calls for “more generous financial incentives” to encourage teachers to work in the areas with the worst attainment gaps.
DYT’s Week Ahead:
Monday:
The Education Secretary Damian Hinds was up for the early broadcast this morning to announce that schoolchildren are to be given compulsory lessons on the impact social media can have on mental health.
MPs will be debating the importance of music tuition and relationships and sex education in the House of Commons. At 4 pm the Communities and Local Government committee will be questioning Ofsted and the Children’s Commissioner on the state of Local Authorities’ Children’s services. In a joint letter with other organisations to Downing Street, DYT demanded that the Government recognise compelling evidence that the services and support that children and young people rely on are at breaking point, especially for learners with SEND.
Tuesday:
MPs have been granted an estimates debate on the Department for Education, a chance to forensically examine the education budget. This is an interesting development as the debate has been awarded following pressure from a cross-party group of MPs, Schools Week cover what is likely to come up.
Elsewhere, at 10am the Education Committee will hear from PISA boss, Andreas Schleicher as part of their “fourth industrial revolution” inquiry and at 2:30pm SNP MP David Linden leads a debate on “global education for the most marginalised” – where we hope that SEND learners will be prominently mentioned as one of the most marginalised groups.
Thursday:
The Department for Education publishes statistics relating to apprenticeships and the number of young people not in employment or education (NEETs).
The National Governance Association hold an action day in Parliament as part of their ‘Funding the Future’ campaign. The NGA will be asking the government to increase the overall size of the education budget along with eight other asks, governors will be assembling in Parliament Square from 1pm.
Get in touch:
Dan Baynes
Policy Executive
daniel.baynes@driveryouthtrust.com