Professional Behaviours

Using support staff within the classroom effectively:

A TA joined the class towards the end of my developmental placement which meant having to adapt my planning and organisation to accommodate a new member of staff. We quickly built a strong working relationship which meant that I felt comfortable giving directions and instructions for him to support the class effectively.

On my consolidation placement, I gained experience working with a range of support staff of different professional backgrounds (Early Years specialists, SEN/D trained, EFL teachers) which required adapting lessons to incorporate support staff effectively. I deployed support staff depending on their expertise and experience, for example, having the SEN/D trained specialist working one-to-one with a child who had suspected SEN/D needs whilst I worked with the rest of the class.

Strengthening and extending pedagogical and subject knowledge by participating in wider networks and lesson preparation:

On the first day of my initial placement, I took part in an Inset day focusing on the provision of mental health awareness in schools - including how to promote mindfulness in children. I made reflective notes throughout the day which are documented below.

Work closely with the SENCo and other professionals to support pupils with additional needs:

I organised a meeting with the SENCo to look at an EHCP together to discuss how this works in the classroom. We discussed the various roles and responsibilities of the outside agencies, such as the LEA, that work with the school and families to support this. We discussed the role of the class teacher within SEN and the SENCo in identifying, liaising and delivering quality first teaching through intervention to support pupils’ needs. I understand how reasonable adjustments are made for children with and without an EHCP, including adaptive teaching to remove any barriers to learning. We also looked at other support plans (IEPs and IBPs) that are currently in place for children at a lesser level than an EHCP and how they are monitored to support progress and development. I feel as though I understand how local area SEND reports are used to inform the school’s focus. I also worked 1:1 with pupils with suspected SEN, supporting the intervention timetable put in place by the class teacher. This has enabled me to understand the needs of the pupils in my class in greater depth and I've identified effective strategies (in both teaching and behaviour management) to provide support. Through discussions with the SENCo and class teacher, I've developed an awareness of how EHCPS, IEPs and IBPs support the needs of pupils within the class. I now understand that IEPs are reviewed and rewritten on a term basis using the data collected through various assessments. This information is then shared at parents’ evening and parents/carers are invited to meet with the SENCo each term to discuss the targets set for their child. We also discussed how the children may be involved in these meetings if suitable, dependent on factors such as age and maturity.