BECTA Annual Research Conference

1. BECTA Annual Research Conference The impact of the SENCO forum Ann Lewis London, June 2002

2. Purpose of the forum To provide an opportunity to discuss issues that relate to SENCOs’ support for pupils and the development of ideas and practice in special needs provision, and to enable communication between those working in Higher Education, and practitioners in LEAs and schools Quoted in NCET 1997 p 26

3. Education budgets, Est 01-02 ENGLAND: LSB c 15 % held centrally by LEAs Of which c 35.2% = SEN C 85% devolved to schools Of which c 3%-7% = SEN

4. Tribunals 94-01 % of appeals by SEN Autism 3% > 15% EBD 6% > 14% Severe learning difficulties 6% > 4% Moderate learning difficulties 9% > 5% Literacy incl SpLD 40% > 34%

5. Support staff in schools in England [Source Howson 2002]

6. Evaluations/ research into the senco forum • 1995 - CMC/SENCOs. Study 1 re pilot • 1997 - CMC/SENCOs. c 500 members. Studies 2 and 3 re usage • 2000 - Study 4 c 900 members archive study re. usage • 2001 - Study 5 library/ archive study re ICT requirements • 2002 - Study 6 re impact c 840 members

7. FOCUS =Perceived impact of the forum * Who uses the forum? * What is the pattern of usage ? cf earlier studies * What are the perceived professional gains? * What are the perceived personal benefits?

8. Target SENCO-forum groups 1. Active members who send ‘public’ messages 2. Active members who send ‘private’ messages 3. Passive members i.e. those who read, but do not send, messages 4. Non-members who come across messages through the BECTA archive

9. Time scaleJanuary-May 2002 Forum notice / questionnaire late February Return date = 5 April

10. A higher rate of contributions are associated with members who have (1) a comparative lack of real-world social support and (2) greater levels of skills/ competence (Cummings et al 2002)

11. Returns 143 returns (3 blank) NOT a pre-selected group Note: large minority of members join/leave forum each month

12. Numbers joining/leaving forum[source:Jason Douglas, BECTA]

13. Monthly postings to forum

14. Who uses the forum? • Returns from spread of 63 LEAs/ regions across England and Wales • Schools representative re SEN numbers • SENCOs = just over half [similar to BECTA base] • 21 different user groups by professional background

15. School backgroundsTeachers re SEN (62.8%) • ½ from infant, junior or primary schools • 1/3 from secondary schools • 1/10 from nursery schools • 1/10 from special schools • 1 respondent from FE

16. Parents (13.6%) One reservation I have with using the Forum to seek direct help is that it now has a wide audience outside that of teaching colleagues. I am always unsure whether or not parents may read my queries or comments. This definitely restricts what I say or ask.

17. Other users • Publishers/consultants/ charities (13.6%) • Support workers (11.4%) • Advisory teachers (7.1%) • Educational psychologists (6.4%) • LEA officers/inspectors (5.7%) • Academics/researchers (5.7%)

18. Sources of professional help 2/3 named [29 different] professional groups 2/3 named [34 different] print-based sources 2/3 named various internet based sources

19. Qualifications of respondents 2/3 had a first degree ¼ had a higher degree

20. The forum has been invaluable. I am mainly a ‘listener in’ but I have been known to contribute. I have learned so much from the ‘experts’ out there and I have found the forum such a brilliant resource.

21. Reading of messages • 9/10 reportedly read messages at least once a week • 8/10 reported reading over ½ of all the messages • Just over 1/10 read between ¼ and ½ of the messages • Under 1/10 read less than ¼ of the messages

23. Basis for selecting messages read • Nearly ½ - general professional or personal relevance • Nearly ½ - specific topic • Nearly 1/10 - identity of the sender

24. Sending of messages * ½ sent public messages * ¼ sent private messages to individuals on the forum * Nearly 2/3 of the users with higher degrees sent public and/or (very rarely) private messages.

26. Perceived value • 2/5 gave professional aspects only • 1/5 gave personal aspects only • 2/5 gave a mix of personal and professional aspects [NB open ended; cf rankings]

27. Professional value: 1. Up to date Many users reported that the forum is where the latest information can be accessed immediately and, because of the diverse population of the forum, there is normally someone either involved in, or with good knowledge of, the latest initiative.

28. As a member of a dyslexia association, I find it invaluable to listen to what teachers are thinking and feeling. I feel it helps us to support them and to persuade our parents that teachers are often on their side but constrained by funding. I also pick up so many very valuable tips and strategies to pass on to others

29. Professional value: 2. Government links Government circulars and similar documents can be discussed to ensure that they have been understood. Through this process, the individual’s response to documents can be compared with the reactions of other forum users.

30. [Main value is] To be in touch with the mainstream even though I am an expatriate. I work in a British curriculum school.

31. Professional value: 3. Depth +speed The forum is used as a way of finding links to in-depth information from other sources, saving valuable time and effort. .. forum members can pass on the names and addresses of valuable websites, contacts, journals, charities and organisations.

32. Professional value: 4. Curriculum The forum is also used as a source of information for pedagogic developments across the SEN sector. Messages are also posted about best practice and practicalities of these developments

33. I am also interested in .. good classroom practice. Since I do not work in schools (as I teach privately nowadays) the forum enables me to see what the concerns of the day are and helps me to keep in touch with what is happening in schools etc

34. Professional value: 5. CPD Some respondents reported the use of the forum in their initial and/or continuing professional development at a range of levels including higher degrees, initial teacher education and SEN diplomas or certificates.

35. I am often generously supplied with downloadable resources from other SENCOs etc

36. I am SENCO at a school, which for various reasons has not acknowledged the existence of special needs up till now. SENCO Forum has been a good source of INSET for me. I know what we should be doing but when it will all happen I am not sure. Hence, the anonymity of the system is extremely useful for me. Mine is a well-known school.

37. Personal value: 1. Support

38. It’s brilliant. The contributions are knowledgeable, caring, funny, [contributors are] willing to give of their time to help others. The light-hearted stuff has been equally supportive in getting me through some very dark personal times recently.

39. Personal value: 2. Reduced isolation

40. My school operates a ‘mushroom’ style of management, it’s good to know what goes on elsewhere and talk/defend with.

41. Personal value: 3. Altruism

42. A means of sharing my hard won specialist knowledge/ experience and best practice with colleagues for the benefit of all children, not just those in the schools in which I work .

43. Particular issues1. Mentoring

44. Particular issues2. Cliques

45. Some people dominate the forum with huge e-mails and that is wearing. There is a small ‘clique’ of people who must have a lot of time on their hands.

46. Particular issues3. Volume of messages

47. The forum is a vibrant community of fellow seekers of wisdom and an international family – at times we argue and bicker, have a good moan or cry for help, but all moods are catered for. The forum has developed over the last few years into a unique group of caring colleagues with a massive personality of its own. Long may it continue.

48. Recommendations • Sustain the SENCO arena as the context for the forum • Inclusion> Encourage contributions from non-education professionals • Maintain the archive • Review as a prototype for other groups

49. Follow up studies • Covert and explicit mentoring • Moderate and low users • Support workers

50. True communities tend to be leaderless or to have a shifting personal authority. The connection among individuals that respects their individuality and that is not linear or hierarchical is what is often referred to as a community. A community respects the individual and yet finds common ground. We may argue that a community is in some sense related to anarchy. [Purves 1998]