Achieving high standards and the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (Updated)

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Inclusion
Pupil grouping and organisation of classes

What did the researchers set out to do?

Building on work they had carried out earlier in eight secondary schools, the authors investigated policies and practices in a further five schools with long-standing commitments to inclusive education, to discover how they combined an inclusive approach to education with the achievement of high academic standards

What were the main findings?

The schools included in the study were ones which the authors considered to be successful in their approach to inclusive education. According to the authors these schools treated difficulties in learning as a result of disabilities, or other special educational needs, as a challenge to schools to develop practice for the benefit of all children. A range of characteristics of successful schools were identified in the research including that they:

encouraged classroom teachers not to distinguish between 'special' and other children;

worked extensively with the parents of pupils with SEN;

maintained detailed records of pupils' progress;

made extensive use of support assistants and adopted a flexible approach to their activities; and

made great efforts to involve all pupils in extra-curricular activities like school visits and trips, choirs, drama, sport and IT clubs.

Teachers observed by the authors were skilled in whole class teaching, offering differentiation by task and outcome. The approach shown by these teachers was characterised by the way they embedded a responsiveness to individual need within the process of whole class teaching. Evidence from observation and from the records kept by teachers showed that they were fluid and pragmatic in their approach to inclusive practice and modified their plans in the light of pupil responses.

The authors reported that in these schools pupils with SEN participated in and belonged more fully to the school community. They commented favourably on the extensive natural interaction between these pupils and other children in lessons and at breaks and lunchtimes.

In one school visited by the authors they reported that teachers, parents and pupils felt that school initiatives towards understanding of disability and diversity had helped to reduce bullying in the school as a whole.

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Research Home Themes \| Find digests \| About the digests resources glossary researchers contact TRIPS Introduction Does inclusion have an impact on school effectiveness? What did the researchers set out to do? Did inclusion affect pupils' achievement? How was learning support used? What concerns did staff have about inclusion policies and practices? What did pupils and parents think? How was the research designed? Implications Where can I find out more? Send us your feedback Collated digests To view/remove/add notes and save your collated digests click here Get Word Reader Achieving high standards and the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (Updated) This digest found in Inclusion Pupil grouping and organisation of classes Send to a friend Word doc 60KB Printer friendly Collate for later What did the researchers set out to do? Building on work they had carried out earlier in eight secondary schools, the authors investigated policies and practices in a further five schools with long-standing commitments to inclusive education, to discover how they combined an inclusive approach to education with the achievement of high academic standards What were the main findings? The schools included in the study were ones which the authors considered to be successful in their approach to inclusive education. According to the authors these schools treated difficulties in learning as a result of disabilities, or other special educational needs, as a challenge to schools to develop practice for the benefit of all children. A range of characteristics of successful schools were identified in the research including that they: encouraged classroom teachers not to distinguish between 'special' and other children; worked extensively with the parents of pupils with SEN; maintained detailed records of pupils' progress; made extensive use of support assistants and adopted a flexible approach to their activities; and made great efforts to involve all pupils in extra-curricular activities like school visits and trips, choirs, drama, sport and IT clubs. Teachers observed by the authors were skilled in whole class teaching, offering differentiation by task and outcome. The approach shown by these teachers was characterised by the way they embedded a responsiveness to individual need within the process of whole class teaching. Evidence from observation and from the records kept by teachers showed that they were fluid and pragmatic in their approach to inclusive practice and modified their plans in the light of pupil responses. The authors reported that in these schools pupils with SEN participated in and belonged more fully to the school community. They commented favourably on the extensive natural interaction between these pupils and other children in lessons and at breaks and lunchtimes. In one school visited by the authors they reported that teachers, parents and pupils felt that school initiatives towards understanding of disability and diversity had helped to reduce bullying in the school as a whole.