Provision Management is the process of planning, making and reviewing provision, accounting for additional to and different from provision and evaluating effectiveness in terms of pupils' outcomes; it supports and monitors inclusive practice.
'Provision management can be used strategically to develop special educational
provision to match the assessed needs of pupils across the school, and to evaluate
the impact of that provision on pupil progress. Used in this way provision management
can also contribute to school improvement by identifying particular patterns of need
and potential areas of development for teaching staff. It can help the school to develop
the use of interventions that are effective and to remove those that are less so.
It can support schools to improve their core offer for all pupils as the most effective
approaches are adopted more widely across the school.'
(CoP, section 6.77)
Schools should have accurate, up-to-date evidence of additional or different provision made under 'SEN support' for individual pupils. Records should include: screening/assessment outcomes, teaching approaches, strategies and interventions; expected outcomes; progress; planned next steps; impact across the pupil's time in the school; and any involvement of specialists (0-25 SEND Code of Practice, sections 6.28, 6.74).
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'The school should readily share this information with parents in a format that
is accessible (for example, a note setting out the areas of discussion following a
regular 'SEN support' meeting or tracking data showing the pupil's progress together
with highlighted sections of a provision map that enables parents to see the support
that has been provided).'
(CoP, section 6.75)
'When reporting, inspectors must also consider…the extent to which the education
provided by the school meets the needs of the range of pupils at the school, and in
particular the needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.'
(Ofsted, 2015)
Schools need to keep records in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection
Act 1998, in relation to processing pupils' personal information. This is particularly
sensitive in the case of children/young people with special educational needs/disabilities.
As 'data controllers', schools are responsible for registering individually with the
Information Commissioner's Office (click here for a video and further information on the ICO website)
and complying with the eight principles of the Act and using, storing and protecting
data,
as appropriate.
Provision management offers a powerful strategic management approach as the means by which schools can meet statutory responsibilities; for example:
(Northamptonshire County Council, 2014)
The framework for inclusion
The OFSTED Framework for School Inspection (2015)
The Children and Families Act (2014) / 0-25 SEND Code of Practice (2015)
Access the Department for Education provision mapping resources here and the TeachFind 'Leading on Intervention: Steps to a provision map'. Using these resources, others you have researched on the internet, and Ofsted inspection requirements, review your school's provision management. Create a comparison report, and, if appropriate, a series of recommendations for your school's senior leadership team/governing body in the light of your review.