An over-focus by some mainstream schools on accountability measures when developing their curriculums has resulted in “less flexibility” for pupils with SEND, an Ofsted review has found.
The watchdog and the Care Quality Commission have published a joint thematic review of arrangements to prepare children for adulthood in six areas of England.
It found children and young people with SEND reported that they “struggle with an overly academic curriculum that does not suit their strengths and, in some cases, acts as a barrier to moving on to their preferred post-16 options”.
The review heard that specialist providers “were meeting the individual needs of children and young people by providing a tailored curriculum focused on their aspirations, strengths and needs”.
“Conversely, we heard that mainstream schools are far less likely to offer similar opportunities. This is often due to a curriculum that is unable to cater for a wide variety of skills and interests.”
The report said some mainstream school leaders “focused more on meeting school accountability measures when developing their curriculum offer for children and young people with SEND.
“For example, they looked at providing a broad curriculum, including the EBacc subjects, with a limited number of vocational qualifications available. These factors combined resulted in less flexibility for children and young people with SEND.”
Leaders also told the watchdogs that the “limited range of appropriate qualifications” available to youngsters with SEND creates “barriers” to preparing them for employment.
Staff shortages a barrier to meeting students’ aspirations
Labour has vowed to make mainstream schools more inclusive, and the government is currently conducting a curriculum and assessment review.
The thematic review found career, education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) was typically better matched to children and young people’s needs in specialist settings.
Those with an education, health and care plan “generally received better support to transition to further education than those without”.
But mainstream schools reported staff shortages were a “barrier to meeting children and young people’s aspirations for the future”, the report notes.
It comes after Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, last month said government will “bring a new focus on improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream education settings”.
Ofsted has said its new national report card system, due to be rolled out for schools next September, will include an inclusion criterion.
Schools should adapt their approaches so students with SEND receive high-quality individualised career, education, information, advice and guidance to “support their transitions, aspirations and next steps in education, employment or training”, the report said.
The DfE should also include preparation for adulthood in a national EHCP template so that it is considered at all stages, to ensure “earlier planning and support is consistent nationally”, the report adds, among various other recommendations to government.
Mainstream school leaders ‘battle’ to access services
The watchdogs found children and young people in special schools had benefited from a range of services and joined-up working focused on transitioning to adulthood.
For instance, some schools used transition workers, who are qualified to provide CEIAG.
But students with SEND in mainstream schools “do not typically benefit from the same services to aid transition, even when they require considerable support”.
Mainstream school leaders “often battle to access services and assessments and to secure funding to support children and young people with SEND”.
The watchdogs also heard how recruitment and retention challenges, including of teaching assistants, can cause delays in preparation for adulthood.
Ofsted and the CQC visited six local area partnerships for the report and considered over 2,400 survey responses from children, young people, parents and practitioners.
