DYT Week Ahead: Time for Ofsted to turn words into action
10/12/2018
Read DYT’s education policy round up with a literacy and SEND focus.
10th December 2018
Last week I asked if SEND provision would feature in Ofsted’s Annual Report, we learnt on Tuesday that not only did it get covered but was a central tenant of Amanda Spielman’s speech and the media coverage that followed. Our Director of Operations, Karen Wespieser has taken a deeper look into what the report had to say on SEND and literacy. Although it’s very encouraging to see these issues finally take centre stage, there is plenty for the education community to work on.
Coming up this week:
- Monday: The Education Secretary will announce findings of research on how professionals who work with vulnerable children can better identify and support children in need. Children in need of help and protection are three times more likely to have SEND and have much poorer academic attainment and life outcomes than their peers. Damian Hinds called for improved SEN Support in mainstream schools as part of an approach to boost outcomes.
- Tuesday: The Chancellor and Treasury team will face questions from MPs, expect school funding to be raised a few times and we will be on the lookout for mention of our joint call to put children at the heart of spending decisions.
– The Education Committee hears from university leaders, including Sir Anthony Seldon, and from representatives focusing on current practice in schools for their 4th Industrial revolution inquiry.
– Relaunch of the Social Mobility Commission, under its new Chair, Dame Martha Milburn who will be responsible for monitoring government’s progress towards improving social mobility in the UK.
- Wednesday: The Joint Committee on Human Rights will hold an evidence session about the treatment of people with learning disabilities and autism in Assessment and Treatment Units (ATUs) and other inpatient units.
- Thursday: At 9:30am performance tables for primary schools will be published along with revised information on the 2018 national curriculum assessments at key stage 2, including breakdowns by pupil characteristics. Watch out for DYT’s analysis on outcomes for learners with literacy difficulties.
If you missed it:
Ofsted: missing SEND provision a “national scandal”
DYT welcomed the Ofsted Annual Report for its “unprecedented and encouraging” focus on SEND, our Director of Operations, Karen Wespieser told Schools Week: “these words must be turned into action, both in the new Ofsted framework and by inspectors on the ground.”
Government announce National Autism Strategy to cover education
The National Autism Strategy is to be extended to cover children and education for the first time. The government will collect evidence from autistic children, their families and their carers on how to improve the support they get. Our Chair, Sarah Driver called for a government review on inclusion and education in this blog.
Hinds speech on reducing the skills gap
The Education Secretary put technical education at the centre of his mission to prepare the next generation for high skilled jobs in a speech at Battersea Power Station. The Department for Education also published new research looking into work experience for young people on SEN support.
Asking the right questions for SEND
Last week we hosted a packed room for training on the SEND Governance Review Guide. DYT Director of Operations, Karen Wespieser has written for Trust: The Journal for Executive and Governance Leaders about how the guide informs and supports effective governancne for SEND learners.
Education Committee hears from parents on SEND system
The latest evidence session of the SEND inquiry focused on the experiences of families, catch up with the session here. You can read DYT’s views on the inquiry here.
Get in touch:
Dan Baynes
Policy Executive
daniel.baynes@driveryouthtrust.com