[senco-forum] monitoring

Hi Janice

  I have to say that my faculty review went better - we were discussing how a particular pupil had performed 'below expectations' when her MLD and psychological difficulties meant that we had achieved so much just keeping her in school and helping her to pass four GCSEs, get a Level 3 entry certificate and two other level 1 qualifications.

  As for proving the cost effectiveness of TAs - well, words fail me.  How can you prove that without having some pupils deliberately unsupported?  

  So, when Ofsted come I will be very interested in what they want to see.  

  Amanda
  Secondary SENCO
  Cornwall

WrayJanice Wray <jwwray14 at hotmail.com> wrote:
  The problem is that a HUGE amount of what we do as SENCOs just isn't quantifiable in the sorts of ways that SLT hungry for league table results want. 
I had my faculty review with SLT the other day but all they were interested in was telling me what I ought to say to Ofsted when they come. Thanks a lot and there was no thanks at all for the hard work my department does. Made me really depressed I can tell you despite the fact that when I asked them to look at specific pupils they could see the progress they had made which is above the national average and only 0.2 below the average results for the school.
O.k. I can look at KS3 SATS results and see the positive residuals for some of my kids - and some of them are doing extremely well - but not all - if they make progress of one third of a level a year, that is still progress for them (and one does exactly that) and comes after hard work and good teaching - but that won't give the school extra brownie points in their league tables.
I can look at the base grades and current performance of my Yr 10 and 11 kids - and those too look good - but not all - and what about those pupils who got some support as an added extra when the statemented kids had their support in a lesson - how do I quantify that. What about the large number of pupils on my list who with a little support could do so much better - but I just haven't got the staff
My EP said something to me the other day. She goes into lots of schools and is given lovely little neat IEPs written by IEP writer which bear no resemblance whatever to the child and its problems - she said I do IEPs - they're just not all on paper - it is more important to know the pupils well, what they are doing, their difficulties and strategies which help and their IEPs are often in my head....................
I ask the TAs and teacher who work with the pupils - get loads of feedback that way.
I have been told that I have to offer a case that TAs are cost effective before they will think about giving me any more - I have just 18 hrs to spread round the general school population - the rest are tied to statements etc.
Cost effective ??????????????? What a load of tosh. 
One Head of Faculty said to me - Janice, if you're doing a good job why do you have to justify yourself - but then as my husband said 'That's what managers do.....................give stress..........ask for targets.............' and it's what's killing the professions - my husband is a solicitor and has recently moved to a local firm after working for 30 years in the City - he has no management people now - jsut the partners of the firm and it's great ..........a friend's sister is a GP and isretiring early because she is fed up with the non professionals setting and monitoring her targets...............in 20 years time it will all have changed and they say it was a mistake.
So all you lot - carry on doing the good job yu are for the children in your care . That's why we do it - and it is them and their parents with their notes, their praise and kisses and presents and hugs which really tell us that we're doing a good job.Janice :)Janice WraySecondary SENCO, Herts
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Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall