Learning Support for a
title
wider student group:
Messages from ELS
What is the ELS?
• LSIS funded programme to identify and address
the training and development needs of learning
support staff and those who manage them
• Issues and solutions identified in collaboration with
practitioners and specialist advisers and
organisations
• Resulted in the development of a suite of resources
and materials which can support providers to
develop staff skills and confidence
• Pilot of some of these over the last year – all found
2
to be very valuable
Strategic messages
High quality learning support
• Improves outcomes for learners
• Promotes autonomy, choice and
independence
• Makes your organisation more inclusive
• Improves inspection outcomes
What Ofsted Found
• “the range and availability of specialist training for staff
were variable”
• “areas for improvement included poorly planned support,
low expectations of learners and too much focus on
achievement of units, rather than generic goals such as
social skills that would prepare learners for their future
destinations.
• “All the providers visited were making good use of
networks and partnerships to improve their specialist
capacity to support learners with a wide range of needs”
Progression post-16 for learners with learning
difficulties and/or disabilities August 2011
4
What Ofsted recommends
• “explore ways to provide job coaching and
internships to prepare learners for open or
supported employment and apprenticeships”
• “continue to find ways of enabling supported
learners to become more independent and make
use of developing technologies where possible”
Progression post-16 for learners with learning
difficulties and/or disabilities August 2011
5
Achieving high quality learning
support requires:
• Investment in the training and development
of LSAs…..
• Including training in “high street” and
assistive technology
• Broadening the concept of learning support
• Ensuring learners are involved in
determining their own support needs
Achieving high quality learning
support requires:
• Leading by example in valuing the role and
status of LSAs
• Securing shared understanding of roles and
responsibilities
• Providing training for tutors
• Facilitating the time required to allow them
to fulfil their role properly – time to liaise, to
train, to meet with peers, to contribute to
organisational development
How can the ELS materials
help you?
A suite of resources and materials on the
Excellence Gateway which include:
•
•
•
•
•
Profile tool
Audit tool
Alternative approaches to CPD
Website – qualifications
Much more.....and more to come!
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Discuss your learning support
provision
• How well is it working, and how do you
know?
• What are the challenges and issues which
face your organisation and how do they
effect learning support?
• Identify and share your successes and
effective practice in relation to learning
support
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How can the ELS materials help
• Meet the needs of a wider cohort of
learners, with more complex needs
• Audit existing skills at both an individual and
organisational level, to support strategic
planning
• Build learning support into planning for
future development
• Enable your organisation to maximise the
impact of learning support
Thank you
Alison O’Brien
alison.obrien@kandaassociates.co.uk
www.kandaassociates.co.uk