Last week, I shared some of the ways we measure outcomes and impact in schools. It’s fairly straightforward to collect the numbers – how many children we’ve referred, assessed, supported, and how many EHC reports we’ve written.
Where used, we can also track children’s progress with standardised assessments or by reviewing individual targets. However, to qualitatively evidence the impact we’re having through our wider work is more challenging. To do this, we often look at case studies, changes in practice and feedback from staff and students to capture wider impact.
Case studies
Case studies help us show the wider work we’re doing with schools and the impact it’s having. These might be whole-school approaches, examples of classroom practice, collaboration with staff, or work with children and parents. Below are just a couple of examples of the types of work we might try to capture in this way.
Focus on identification
One of our secondary academies had high numbers of pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) and Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) on their SEN register which can be an indicator of SLCN. We supported them to use their own information/data to identify pupils at high risk of SLCN. The identified pupils were then screened using the Communication Trust Progression Tools.[1] We trained support staff to use the progression tools with over 150 pupils in Y7 and Y8 tested. Not one had age-appropriate language skills.
The screening helped us identify needs and put support in place at the right level for each child. By the end of the academic year, almost 75% of the pupils identified had reached age-appropriate language levels. The other 25% had more complex needs; these children met short and medium-term targets.
Focus on classroom practice
Another secondary academy has a high number of students with language difficulties. Due to high need, we implemented a language programme (News Hackers[2]) which teachers delivered in their tutor groups three mornings a week.
Feedback from staff and students has been extremely positive, with pupils engaged and enjoying the learning. Staff also found they were using key language strategies to facilitate discussion and teach aspects of language such as vocabulary across other areas of their teaching.
Our therapist saw clear changes in how students interacted during lessons through observational assessments. There was also an increase in teachers attending a ‘drop-in’ session with the therapist for further advice. Pupil voice feedback was positive about the programme, with students feeling more confident when talking in the classroom.
Focus on non-verbal children
One of our primary schools had high numbers of pupils with complex needs. Training was given to all Early Years staff on using ‘Intensive Interaction’ to support very early communication. Feedback was positive, and our therapist supported staff by modelling strategies and giving feedback. This allowed more opportunities for communication throughout continuous provision. Staff became very skilled at using the approach and identifying when children were ready for next steps. Staff said they felt they understood the children better and noticed improved engagement.
Focus on early years
One of our academies used the Wellcomm assessment to discover that all 60 of the pupils starting school had significant language needs. An observation of the communication environment took place with the therapist and EY lead using the CSCOT[3] tool. This allowed us to see the strengths and needs of the environment for supporting language.
Guidance was given, with modelling for staff to adapt their language across all areas of provision to develop children’s communication. A set of ‘communication cards’ was developed to support staff. [4] The results have been a staffing group much more confident in using prompts and simple activities in provision to build the language skills of all the children. Some targeted interventions have been implemented to enhance provision as children are ready for this work.
Working with parents
One Primary asked us to do some work with their parents. We talked a lot about what would work best for their community and decided on a couple of options. A formal workshop wasn’t something they felt their parents would value, so we initially set up a coffee morning so parents could stay after dropping off their children and bring younger siblings.
After talking to the parents, they felt a ‘stay and play’ session would be of value. They were also keen to have some ‘top tips’ on communicating with their children. Both parents and staff reported that the sessions were useful and non-threatening. We now have a small group of parents who are keen to organise a session for next year’s new starters. They have also requested a ‘transition’ session for later in the year when some of their children with SLCN will be going to secondary school. We were delighted to see how enthusiastically parents engaged in the sessions and wanted them to continue.
Training and Professional learning
Part of our work with schools is supporting staff development at all levels, including staff awareness, knowledge, and skills around SLCN.
We offer this in lots of ways – from staff meetings and twilight training to whole-school INSET, or small group sessions with therapists. We also share our online training platform and work with individual staff and students, modelling strategies to use in the classroom or interventions.
This year, this has included multiple twilight sessions on topics such as strategies for the classroom, inclusive oracy, identification of SLCN, and specific strategies, such as robust vocabulary teaching and building language through colourful semantics.
We’ve worked with smaller groups of teaching and support staff, building their knowledge and confidence for delivering language interventions, such as our News Hackers and Language Legends programmes.
We’ve trained support staff to use the Communication Trust progression tools to support identification.
Schools have also accessed our online training sessions, which allow a little more flexibility for them with follow-up by the therapist.
Before training, we ask staff what they’d like to learn, how confident they feel, and what strategies they already use. This allows for a clear comparison before and after our training.
We also gather more general feedback from staff to capture their views and make any improvements, for example, using a simple questionnaire and asking for comments.
Feedback
Staff Feedback
Every year, we ask for feedback from our main point of contact in schools, often the SENCo, and we also ask for feedback from class teachers or support staff. Head teachers will also volunteer feedback. This year, 100% of respondents described the service we offer as good (15%) or excellent (85%). We also ask for comments and impact measures on staff and children who have been receiving therapy. We’ve also had some lovely comments about how they would describe our service:
Fantastic. Always one step ahead. Making my role as SENCo that little bit easier.
The support from LINGO has been excellent, it has helped us to understand and identify the needs of our pupils and support us to meet them.
Language Legends is a great intervention to structure children through a process similar to Guided Reading, but for children who struggle with word meanings, focus, and inference in particular.
We really value the positive feedback, but we also ask what we could do better – it helps us see where we can improve. For instance, some of our schools were finding it difficult to release staff for training, which has lead to us creating some online training that they can access in a more flexible way. Another has asked for support to support transition of younger pupils from nursery to reception, which we are working with them to develop.
Pupil voice
It’s just as important to hear directly from the children and young people we work with. We use different approaches[5] depending on the children, including having conversations.
From our conversations this year, over 90% of the children have said they enjoy coming to the sessions, and around 85% feel therapy has positively impacted their talking. They are often keen to share what works well and less well for them, for example:
I learnt what DLD is and it helped me understand that I am capable of doing things what others do.
I like the new words and how you explain things. Thats it, thanks for teaching!
And why they like it
Getting more braver at speaking up.
It helps me with my learning in class. It makes me happier in school.
People can understand me better.
Broader Measurements
We also collect information from a broader service perspective, particularly where schools are taking a longer-term strategic approach to supporting oracy and pupils with SLCN. For example:
Strategic impact
From a service perspective, we collect data related to a whole school perspective, such as our work plan evaluations and progress reports:
Work plan evaluations
Some of our schools have strategic work plans in place, based on an audit of need, which we complete with senior leaders at the beginning of our work together. We’re always keen to meet school individual needs, and lots of our schools value our support to help them work through what will be the best approach for them.
The audit of need helps us get to know schools, so we aren’t reinventing wheels and can clearly see what will make the biggest difference. It also allows us to capture progress and impact against this baseline. The work plan supports a solid plan of action with review dates in place to support evaluation, for example:
Key focus | Intervention and outcome | Who | Time | Impact measures | Review date RAG |
Progress reports
Each half term, our therapists complete a RAG rated progress report for each of their schools. This includes basic case information and whether any targeted interventions are taking place, plus examples of what is working well, any challenges, and suggestions of case examples to share.
Conclusion
As we mentioned in the last blog, we’re always mindful of the balance between measuring the difference and making the difference. There is little point in excessively weighing and measuring without a clear focus on ensuring we’re supporting our children to communicate to the very best of their ability, whatever that might look like.
We’re also aware that measuring impact can feel like a bit of a minefield. We try to be pragmatic and take what works for us and our schools, so although we take into account the principles of a logic model and theory for change, we don’t slavishly follow every detail.
Finding ways to capture change without it taking up loads of time is always a challenge. We’d love you to share any examples of what works for you or get in touch if you want more details from us.
[1]https://shop.speechandlanguage.org.uk/products/progression-tools-from-the-communication-trust-for-secondary-years-set
[2]https://www.lingospeech.co.uk/product-page/news-hackers
[3]https://express-licences.bristol.ac.uk/product/communication-supporting-classroom-observation-tool-cscot
[4]https://www.lingospeech.co.uk/product-page/communication-cards
[5] There are some great guidelines to support this process, including this lovely resource from Leeds for Learning. https://www.leedsforlearning.co.uk/Page/23497