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Track the smallest steps of progress made by pupils in Special Schools

 

No two pupils with SEND are the same. In a similar way, each Special School setting is unique. Whatever challenges your pupils face, all special schools need to provide an inclusive and stimulating curriculum. Staff must also be able to demonstrate the progress that each pupil makes. 

The Rochford Review: Final Report states that: Parents and carers should receive meaningful information about the achievement and progress their child makes and should be involved appropriately in assessment processes. 

Special schools need to be able to track progress effectively and also communicate this to parents in a meaningful way. Increasing parental engagement is well recognised to have a positive impact on educational outcomes.

All change with the removal of P Levels and introduction of new pre-key stage standards

Recent changes in the Government’s guidance on assessment, including the removal of P Levels, has left many special schools looking for a new approach. We believe that the new pre-key stage standards are too narrow to be used for ongoing assessment. Teachers need assessment frameworks that show the progress that pupils with SEND make, give next steps and allow them to use an individualised curriculum.

B Squared is focused on supporting schools with their assessment after the removal of P Levels. Our latest assessment frameworks, used within our Connecting Steps assessment software, have been designed to meet these needs.

Connecting Steps enables us to recognise and celebrate the achievements of those students who make very small steps of progress.
Jo Johnson, Headteacher, Heath Farm School

Assessment software designed for SEND

Connecting Steps has been developed to identify and record even the smallest of achievements. It was designed by a Special Educational Needs teacher who found that existing assessment systems were not able to detect the small improvements achieved by her pupils. Our assessment points can be broken down into the 9 levels of achievement that cover from initial Encounter, through to Engagement and finally Gaining Skills & Understanding, before a pupil is deemed to have Mastered a particular skill. This enables teachers to show a pupil’s progress in the smallest of increments.

One system with multiple assessment frameworks

We provide assessment frameworks, for use within our Connecting Steps software, to cover all types of need - PMLD, SLD, MLD, ASD and SEMH. Our frameworks are non-prescriptive, so they can also work with your school's individualised curriculum. Our content covers a wide ability range and can be used from birth to 25, making our software ideal for pupils across a wide range of SEND settings.

Arrange a free online meeting to find out how Steps4Life helps track progress towards being fully independent

 
 

Assessment frameworks for the post Rochford Review era 

B Squared has developed 3 new assessment frameworks in response to the Rochford Review: Final Report recommendations and the release of the new pre-key stage standards:

 
  • Engagement Steps

    for pupils working below P4 (not engaged in subject-specific learning)

    Read more..

     

  • Progression Steps

    for pupils working above P4 (subject-specific learning) 

    Read more..

  • Primary Steps

    for pupils working above P4 in a primary setting (subject-specific learning) 

    Read more..

More assessment frameworks for special schools

 
  • Early Steps

    for pupils working on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

    Read more..

  • Autism Progress

    a profiling tool designed to help support staff working with individuals with autism 

    Read more..

  • Steps4Life

    for adults with SEND covering academic, vocational and life skills

    Read more..

 

SEND Assessment
Our new assessment frameworks for pupils working below age related expectations.
Download

Case Study
Demonstrating 'whole student' progress in a SEMH setting at Heath Farm School.
Download

Sample Pages
Showing different areas covered by our new assessment frameworks across a range of ability levels.
Download

Order Form
Visit our Pricing page to download an order form with full pricing information and instructions.
Read More
 

Demonstrate pupil progress with photo/video evidence

 

Many of the activities undertaken by children with SEND are temporary, such as building a tower of bricks or mark making in sand/shaving foam. Being able to record these achievements using photos and video is an important part of the assessment process. Teaching staff can use this evidence to show achievement and demonstrate progress in a relevant and meaningful way.

We developed our evidence management software Evisense in response to feedback from teachers frustrated with the amount of time spent collating supporting evidence. This digital solution eliminates the laborious task of cutting and pasting photographs into reports, so staff can focus on teaching. Evisense has been designed to be secure, collaborative and flexible, to meet teachers' needs.

Find out more at www.evisense.com

 

"I can see my pupils are making good progress everyday but I struggle to demonstrate these very small steps of progress to our senior leadership team and to the children's parents"
Jo Johnson, Headteacher, Heath Farm School