6.2.3 Inspection of special educational needs provision
6.2.3 Inspection of special educational needs provision
A specific inspection model to evaluate special educational needs provision in post-primary schools was initiated
While the Inspectorate reports on the quality of provision for children and young people with SEN through a range of evaluation models, an additional specific evaluation model was introduced in 2016 to evaluate SEN provision in mainstream primary schools. This inspection model pays particular attention to the school’s use of the Continuum of Support and its adherence to the principles and actions outlined in Guidelines for Primary Schools Supporting Pupils with Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools (See Chapter 2). This was followed in 2019 by the introduction of a similarly-focused evaluation model for post-primary schools. The quality of provision in special classes is also evaluated as part of the curriculum evaluation model in primary schools and, where relevant, as part of the subject inspection model at post-primary level.
Findings from special educational needs-focused inspections show that teaching and learning were good or very good in almost all lessons in primary schools. The quality of teaching and learning varied in post-primary schools
Over the September 2016 to December 2020 period, the quality of teaching and the quality of learning were found to be good or very good overall in 96% of SEN-focused inspections in primary schools (Table 6.4). Parent survey data from these inspections indicate that 93% of parents were satisfied with the opportunities that they had to discuss their child’s learning.
At post-primary level, SEN-focused inspections commenced in March 2019. The number of SEN-focused inspections at post-primary level conducted since their introduction in 2019 was relatively small, mainly because of school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The quality of teaching was good or very good in 78% of these inspections and satisfactory in the remaining 22% (Table 6.4). The quality of learning was good or very good in 63% of these inspections and satisfactory in the remaining 37%. While these findings come from a relatively small number of SEN-focused inspections at post-primary level, they indicate that there is scope for the improvement of provision for children with SEN at this level. Parent survey data from these inspections indicates that 19% of parents were dissatisfied with the opportunities available to them to discuss their child’s learning. The difference in these findings between primary and post-primary is notable.
Table 6.4: Quality of teaching and learning in SEN-focused inspections in primary schools: September 2016 - December 2020, and post-primary schools: March 2019 - December 2020
| Primary | Post-primary | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching | Learning | Teaching | Learning | |
| Very good | 36.9% | 32.1% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Good | 58.3% | 64.3% | 74.1% | 59.3% |
| Satisfactory | 3.6% | 2.4% | 22.2% | 37.0% |
| Fair | 1.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Weak | 0.0% | 1.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Inspection findings are positive in relation to pupils’/students’ engagement in special classes and support settings in mainstream schools and special schools
Pupils’ enjoyment and motivation were noted to be good or very good in 86% of lessons observed in special classes and support settings in curriculum evaluations, SEN inspections, and whole-school type inspections in primary schools and special schools (Table 6.5). The corresponding figure for subject inspections, SEN inspections, programme evaluations and whole-school evaluations in post-primary schools was 79%. In announced inspections at primary level, pupils’ engagement in learning was noted to be good or very good in 89% of lessons observed in these SEN settings. At post-primary level, the corresponding figure was 84%. Pupil/student enjoyment and motivation was satisfactory in 12% and 18% of these lessons at primary and post-primary level respectively. It is notable that the quality of pupils’ and students’ experience in terms of enjoyment and motivation, and engagement in learning was judged to be fair or weak in a very small number of contexts, ranging from 2.3% to 3.6% as shown in Table 6.5 below.
Table 6.5: Children and young people’s engagement, enjoyment and motivation in special classes and support settings in primary schools, special classes in post-primary schools, and special schools: September 2016 - December 2020
| Enjoyment and motivation | Engagement in learning | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary schools and special schools | Post-primary | Primary schools and special schools | Post-primary | |
| Very good | 45.8% | 52.9% | 46.4% | 51.8% |
| Good | 40.1% | 25.9% | 42.1% | 31.8% |
| Satisfactory | 11.5% | 17.6% | 9.2% | 14.1% |
| Fair | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.3% |
| Weak | 0.4% | 1.2% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Use of assessment to support learning and in-class support for learning are areas for improvement
Assessment practices and the provision of in-class support for learning needs were found to be in need of improvement in special classes and support settings in primary schools, and in special schools and in special classes in post-primary schools. The use of assessment to identify pupils’/students’ needs and to plan systematically for the next steps in their learning is an important aspect of good provision for all learners, but particularly so for learners who have special educational needs. The use of assessment to support learning was good or very good in just 62% of lessons observed in special classes and support settings in primary schools and special schools, and in 72% of lessons observed in special classes in post-primary schools (Table 6.6). Inspectors found that the use of assessment to support learning was fair or weak in 11% of primary schools and special schools, and in 5.9% of post-primary schools. Provision of in-class support was either fair or weak in 4.9% of lessons observed in primary schools and special schools, and 8.2% in post-primary schools (Table 6.6).
Table 6.6: The use of assessment and in-class support in special classes and support settings in primary schools, in special schools and in special classes in post-primary schools: September 2016 - December 2020
| The use of assessment to support learning | In-class support for learning needs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary schools and special schools | Post-primary | Primary schools and special schools | Post-primary | |
| Very good | 24.4% | 44.7% | 37.8% | 60.0% |
| Good | 37.3% | 27.1% | 38.3% | 15.3% |
| Satisfactory | 27.2% | 22.3% | 19.1% | 16.5% |
| Fair | 9.2% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 8.2% |
| Weak | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 0.0% |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Pages 180–182 · View in original PDF