Tools for Schools
Structured conversation can help to establish a wider school culture of
listening to the thoughts and aspirations of parents of children and young people with SEND. In short, this allows for the ‘receiving’ as well as ‘transmitting’ of information.
The Structured Conversation was part of an ‘Achievement for All’ which concluded in September 2011. Although the pilot was carried out a while ago,‘Structured Conversation’ is still seen as a tool that can support positive ‘outcome focused’ conversations, encouraging teacher and parent to work together.
Structured conversations facilitates a relationship that develops around the shared purpose of improving the educational achievement of the child or young people with SEND. This is achieved by allowing the free exchange of information and views; the evolution of supportive teaching and learning strategies and clarity of learning objectives.
Key findings from the evaluation showed that by using the structured conversation tool this enabled better engagement with parents and teachers. Recommendations from the report included regular, scheduled conversations on educational outcomes between parents and teachers, with teachers given extra training in managing these relationships. To find out more view the Achievement for All website.
Further information on person centred tools to support you with the content of conversations, you may also want to look on the Helen Sanderson Associates or the person centred planning section of this website.
Last updated 15 September 2020