We are excited to launch two new webpages designed to support leaders using our Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools guidance. These pages bring together practical resources for school leaders, including SENCos, and teachers supporting pupils with SEND.
Improving outcomes for pupils with SEND is a crucial mission. Sharing the best available research evidence can help us with these conversations and in shaping our approaches. By curating EEF resources, we aim to make it as easy as possible for school leaders to delve into the evidence.
Meeting the needs of all learners is undoubtedly a challenging task. Our new main page brings together actionable summaries, reflection tools, blogs, and videos into one area.
As part of this hub, the five-a-day principle page provides five evidence-informed teaching strategies that support adaptive teaching and benefit all pupils, while particularly supporting those with SEND.
The ‘five-a-day’ approaches:
1. Explicit instruction: Clear, teacher-led explanations with modelling and guided practice before students work independently.
2. CognitiveRelated to the mental process involved in knowing, understanding, and learning. and metacognitive strategies; Help students manage their learning by encouraging planning, monitoring, and self-evaluation.
3. Scaffolding: Provide structured support, such as writing frames or examples, and gradually reduce use as students develop their skills and confidence.
4. Flexible grouping: Organise temporary groups based on current level of mastery to provide targeted instruction when needed.
5. Using technology: Use digital tools to model tasks, support practice, and enhance students’ ability to reflect on and improve their learning.
The recommendations from the SEND in Mainstream Schools guidance show how effective practices go hand-in-hand with effective implementation and professional development carefully guided by senior school leaders.
We invite school leaders and teachers to explore this new resource which brings together all of our five-a-day- resources in one place and reflect on how they can strengthen practice for pupils in their school, being inclusive by design.
Next Steps
- Explore the Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools resources.
- Reflect on your role as a school leader or your classroom practice.