I’ve always found it helpful to look at what’s happening in other parts of the sector beyond my own first discipline and phase: secondary religious education. What I have found is that there are two parts of the sector that always supply new insights and pause for thought.
One of these is early years, and the other is special educational needs. What I find is that colleagues working at the top of their game in these phases, give me an additional perspective through which to consider curriculum and pedagogy. It has been a fascinating piece of work to collaborate with John Tomsett on how professionals working in the field of SEND consider the curriculum in their settings.
These are the insights I have taken from talking to colleagues working in the field of special educational needs for this latest book in the Huh series:
The first insight is a paradox: the curriculum for pupils with SEND is both complex and simple. It is complex in that every pupil with additional needs is entitled to bespoke provision in terms of the curriculum and of pedagogy. It is simple in that there is an understanding that every child is capable of learning something.
The second is that what is helpful for pupils with additional needs is helpful for every learner. This is not in terms of the specifics, but relates to the professional discipline of asking what needs to be in place for young people to make sense of what is offered to them – for example, what do they need to know and to have experienced for the next part of their learning to make sense? What do we need to do to help their new knowledge become secure? This leads us to careful sequencing and spaced repetition and these apply to every part of the sector.
The third is that there is a deep understanding of the principles of assessment for learning: this is shown through careful noticing: how are my pupils responding to what I am teaching them? What are their misconceptions? How am I going to adapt my teaching to take account of these? How do I make this a deliberate part of my practice?
The fourth is that there are some settings like the Frank Wise school that have a very sophisticated narrative for the rationale for the curriculum. A live document that tells the story of the curriculum, why the elements are important and how the teaching will be approached. Even better, it changes in light of research and experience. It’s a terrific model and one well worth looking at.
Finally, these conversations left me wanting to find out more and I’m sure that will also be the case for others in the sector.
To mark the publication of SEND Huh, we’ve made the recordings available to access on Myatt & Co. You just need to register and they are free to watch until 10 July.
Until next time
Mary