Case study: Inclusion strategy

Assignment

Consultancy to evaluate the impact of the Inclusion strategy on improving outcomes for children and young people.

Client Issue

The review of the Inclusion strategy was prompted by:

Elected Members’ concerns about implementation of the Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (SILC) strategy.

A recent report to the Education Board which had identified that the operational and strategic plans had made a limited impact on success criteria set out within the Inclusion strategy;

An unprecedented agenda for change instigated by Every Child Matters, Change for Children and the 5 Year Strategy for Children and Learners.

Project details

The review set out to:

Establish an understanding of Inclusion in the authority that encompasses the key national agendas of:

Personalised Learning;

Greater autonomy for and collaboration between schools to raise standards and realise the full potential of all children and young people in their area;

Integrated planning and commissioning through local partnerships of services for children and young people.

Strengthen the coherence and synergy between key strategies, ensuring clarity around access and resources, as the basis upon which to improve further outcomes for children and young people.

The Integrated Children’s Services Steering Group oversaw the project and a small project team was established to:

Support the Project Manager in the planning and conduct of the review;

The principal elements of the project were:

An analysis of Education Leeds’ Inclusion Strategy and related accommodation and financial framework, mapping key priorities against the developing national agenda;

A detailed needs assessment to ascertain the impact of the Inclusion strategy and current service performance in delivering improved outcomes for children and young people in Leeds;

A needs assessment was undertaken to help inform local planning and priority setting, focusing on;

The current pattern of outcomes for children and young people and recent trends, against national and relevant local comparators;

Outcomes for particular groups of children and young people targeted by the Inclusion strategy;

The views of children, young people and their families, local communities, schools and frontline staff;

The nature and scale of the local challenge, resources available and priorities for action.

Outcomes

The review process, comprehensive report and detailed recommendations provided a context for the further development of the Inclusion Strategy in the authority. In particular, the process delivered:

A shared understanding of the Inclusion strategy in the authority and among Members, schools and other stakeholders that encompasses the key national agendas of:

Personalised Learning;

Collaboration;

Every Child Matters.

An assessment of the impact made by the Inclusion strategy and related accommodation and financial framework on outcomes for children and young people in the authority, particularly those from the most vulnerable groups, and how its implementation has affected the educational experience of children and young people and their families;

An assessment of the Inclusion Strategy’s current and future impact on schools;

A context within which to strengthen further the coherence and synergy between key strategies as the basis upon which to improve further outcomes for children and young people;

Wider understanding of the extent to which key developments in the authority, primarily under the auspices of its Inclusion strategy, embody and to some extent at the time heralded the national agenda;

A revised Inclusion strategy ensured close alignment with the CYPP, addressed key recommendations from the review and provided a sharp focus on outcomes.