Inclusion Diversity and Equality Assessment
Learning Outcomes:
- Evaluate best practice in the application of policies related to inclusion, equality and diversity in education settings.
- Demonstrate awareness and understanding of the nine protected characteristics within the Equality Act 2010 and how these are manifested in education settings.
- Demonstrate knowledge and awareness of policies related to inclusion, equality and diversity in the classroom.
Report task
YOU MUST DEVELOP AND PRESENT THIS REPORT BY Writing a 1,500 word report which evaluates the practical application of inclusive practices in an education setting in relation to the below case study. The report must inform education practitioners about the practical implications of the Equality Act 2010 and demonstrate understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours related to inclusion, diversity and equality required by practitioners.
Case Study F
SEN support: Case studies from schools and colleges – Research report
The purpose of this qualitative research project was to identify education settings practising promising SEN support and describe the practices/strategies employed in those settings so that other schools could choose to learn from, draw on, or adapt them for use in their own settings.
The research is qualitative and relatively small-scale. It is not a representative study and therefore not intended to reflect the national position of practice for SEN Support. The intention was to capture ‘real life’ examples of practice that others can consider and potentially learn from.
North Ormesby Primary Academy school is for pupils aged 3-11. It has been graded ‘outstanding’ in its most recent Ofsted inspection. The following information focuses on the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 provision.
North Ormesby primary school, with research from the Local Authority, found that 90% of children in the area were not ready for nursery. The school was finding that a lot of the children in school were requiring SEND support for speech, language and communication. Concerned about the high levels of language impoverishment and English as an Additional Language (EAL), the school adopted a whole school approach to improving speech, language and communication. This was a key focus on the school development plan. The school:
- identifies children with a Speech, Language and Communication Need (SLCN) as early as possible using the progression tools provided by the Communication Trust, a consortium of voluntary and community service organisations with expertise and knowledge about children’s speech, language and communication.
- implements a range of programmes and strategies across Early Years and Key Stage 1.
Programmes used include Talk Boost, a targeted and evidence-based intervention programme, which supports language delayed children in Reception and Key Stage One (KS1) to make progress with their language and communication skills. The school had intense training on Talk Boost for key members of Early Years staff and teaching staff across the school. The school found that the overall programme was too advanced for the Early Years children in school. The head teacher explained that the school took “the best from Talk Boost and cascaded it to all teachers on what aspects of the programme would be useful in class for their children.”
The school also started using Talking Tigers as an intervention in nursery. This is a structured programme that needs to be completed every day. The children work in small groups of 4, 5 or 6. It is aimed at the children with speech and language issues and helps to develop social and emotional skills. The school found that the overall Talking Tigers programme was too advanced for their children so a specialist came in and adapted the programme to the needs of the children. The specialist worked alongside Early Years staff so that they could understand how and why they needed to change things for specific children and cascade the information to all staff. Tips included introducing 6 words a week. Words are shown visually and kinaesthetically and used as much as possible throughout the day.Talking Tigers is now used as a concept in nursery for the whole class. The nursery team choose a book each week and select the key vocabulary from the book that they want the children to understand and use. All learning activities are based around the book, including the learning environment.
Progression Tools for Speech and language is also used. Progression Tools aim to support teaching staff to identify children who may be struggling to develop their speech, language and communication skills. The tools can also be used to track progression of these skills over time or following interventions.
By making communication a key focus across the school, it was found that, “children may enter nursery listed as requiring SEND support but come off the list as they progress through school as they catch up and meet age related expectations” (SENCO and Class Teacher).