Building a Pupil Profile

Speaking to pupils about their strengths and difficulties is a good way to start building up an understanding of a pupil's profile. At Yes @ Areté Learning Trust we can offer advice and training on effective ways to elicit appropriate pupil feedback.

If a pupil is finding learning difficult we recommend that an analysis and assessment of learning environments and teaching strategies should run alongside any child focused assessments.

'If a child does not learn in the way in which we teach, then we must teach him in the way in which he learns.' (Dr. Harry Chasty International Consultant in Learning Difficulties)

The Driver Trist Drive For Literacy Toolkit is a useful resource for developing inclusive classrooms.

Dyslexia Friendly School Practice Guide

Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment

Whole School SEND Resources

Funded by the DfE the ‘Neurodiversity Training’ provides tools to help identify and build pupil profiles and an overview of a pupil’s strengths and difficulties.

Follow the link below to download PowerPoint Presentations and resources to support cascading the Neurodiversity Training throughout your setting. There are a range of resources targeted at those working with Primary, Secondary, and Post-16 learners.

http://www.thedyslexia-spldtrust.org.uk

https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/educator/additional-resources-for-educators

Teaching for Neurodiversity - A Guide for Specific Learning Difficulties

Specialist teachers working within NYCC's Cognition and Learning team have launched a 'Progression Pyramid' aimed at supporting school staff in developing pupil profiles and, if required, a route to requesting specialist involement.

The 'Progression Pyramid' provides schools with links to key resources for assessment and intervemtion and is based on the SEN Code of Practice ' Assess, Plan, Do, Review' approach.

The 'Progression Pyramid' can also be accessed via the CYPS website http://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk/cognition-and-learning

As the demand of learning increases as students start their A-level studies it is important to know which students need help and support early on in their journey. This term Yes @ Areté Learning Trust and Richmond School Sixth Form Team are working with Do-IT Profiler to ensure students are provided with support early on in the academic year.

Do-IT Profiler provides staff with an instant view of their students' strengths and potential areas of challenge. It provides students with an overview of their personal profile and supports self-managed guidance and advice linked to Study Skills. The profiler doesn't focus on Dyslexia in isolation but looks at the overlap of Specific Learning Difficulties but also identifies strategies which will support those with no specific difficulties.

What the package contains:

The sixth form package has two modules, Learning Strengths and Challenges and Study Skills.

Learning Strengths and Challenges

 This module has 45 questions, and takes round 15 minutes to complete. It gathers information about the student’s reading, maths, attention, concentration, social, communication, planning and coordination skills.

This module screens for specific learning difficulties (also known as hidden impairments) and provides a means of seeing a complete picture of an student’s strengths and challenges, whilst providing tailored guidance, support and signposting.

Study Skills

Understanding study skills of a student can be essential to success in a school/college setting. Identifying weaknesses early on in student’s life and providing support can aid retention and improve outcomes.

This module asks 40 questions and takes round 10 - 15 minutes to complete. The questions relate to, reading/writing basics, reading for understanding/critical reflection, note-taking/planning for writing, examination skills, organisation/time management.

The Report

The report provides a top-level picture of the patterns of strengths and challenges for the student and the teacher.

Detailed personalised guidance is given in the context of the education setting, with strategies for success, and signposting. Dependent on responses, there are also links to a suite of resources such as short videos, and fact sheets to empower the student.

If you are not a student at Richmond School you can try the Do-It Profiler using the link below.

Try Do-It Profiler for £10.20 per student

Access Arrangements are adjustments for students based on evidence of need and normal way of working.

We recommend that schools staff use the following to compile evidence of normal way of working.

Yes @ Areté Learning Trust can provide schools with specialist assessors who will complete assessments to provide the evidence of need.

• JCQ Guidelines
• Checklist - Normal Way of Working
• Key Stage 2 Access Arrangements 2019

Executive Function is broadly understood as an individual's mental capacity for planning, organisation, efficient decision making and action. Most definitions of Executive Function include planning, working memory, attention and inhibition within them.

1. Attention

Children with attention difficulties are easily distracted by other stimuli. Carroll et al (2017) explain that there are two key elements; selective attention which is the ability to focus on relevant information , and suistained attention, which is the ability to concentrate over time.

2. Short Term Memory

The ability to hold information for short periods of time.

3. Working Memory

The ability to process or manage information.

4. Planning

The ability to sequence activities in order to complete a task.

Yes @ Areté Learning Trust offers advice on strategies to support these areas of learning.

Memory & Cognition Workshop

Understanding Working Memory - A Classroom Guide

Supporting Students with Working Memory Difficulties

Getting Started with Metacognition

Working Memory Advice and Activities

Coming to Our Senses - Teach to remember

Metacognition and Self-Regulation

Cognitive Load Theory in Practice

Thinking Skills Levels

SEN Practice: Research Evidence on effective approaches and examples of current practice in good and outstanding schools and colleges. (DfE, Coventry University,ASK Research)