Staff Development and Deployment
Staff Development and Deployment
Staff Development and Deployment
Experienced SENCOs have a good overview of the skill sets of teaching and support staff in relation to SEND.
In partnership with the Senior Leadership Team, teaching and support staff, Bury SENCOs shared they find it is helpful to:
Tip 1
Identify staff CPD needs at regular intervals throughout the year (e.g. through CPD audits or questionnaires).
Tip 2
Protect time to meet with staff on an individual or small group basis, to discuss QFT, reflect on practice and identify any needs or difficulties at the earliest opportunity.
Tip 3
Create opportunities for peer support and sharing good practice, both within and between settings (e.g. peer observation, workshops or training on specific areas of need, visits to other settings, use of peer review systems).
Tip 4
Ensure there is access to training for all staff on SEND and vulnerable groups on a needs-led basis. This helps to ensure that teaching staff take ownership of the progress of all children and young people within their class.
Support Staff Depolyment
Having an overview of staff development and skill sets supports the SENCO in effectively deploying support staff across the setting. The effective use of Teaching Assistants ensures that children and young people with SEND have a high level of interaction and input with the class teacher and are fully included in whole-class teaching.
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) research and guidance about the most effective use of TAs in schools can be found here.