Tools for Schools
Making the most of assessing
Analysis of needs is an essential aspect of providing sensitive and appropriate support for children and young people in education. This involves staff and key adults working with the SENCO to develop a clear picture of the child or young person’s strengths and needs.
The following prompt questions may help you with this process.
- Has general information been gathered from the child or young person, staff and parent carers regarding their needs and strengths? This could be through observations, 1:1 work, attainment tracking and consultation with parent carers.
- What information has an observation of the child or young person given you?
- What do the child or young person’s work samples tell you?
- What information has standardised/criterion/teacher assessment of the child or young person given you?
- What does quality first teaching look like for the child or young person? What adaptations have been made? How has classroom practice been adapted to promote the child or young person’s engagement?
- What is working well?
- What learning approaches best suit the child or young person’s learning style? How does the child or young person learn best?
- What is the child or young person’s attitude to learning?
- How does the child or young person respond to different subjects or adults?
- What differentiation techniques have been successful?
- What strategies and information have been used and what impact has been recorded?
- What are the child or young person’s views? What do they think works well for them?
- What are the parents’ views? What strategies do they use at home to support their child?
- Are there any social, sensory and emotional barriers to learning?
- Has outside agency advice been sought? For example, Occupational Health, Speech and Language Service, Early Help, Educational Psychology Service. If so, what advice was given, what advice was followed? What was the impact?
- Is your pen picture of the child or young person holistic? See Interactive Factors Framework for a useful template.
- Are there any areas which may impact on the child or young person’s learning? For example, the ability to regulate emotions and behaviours, that you have not yet explored.
Last updated 28 April 2023