Purpose and Quality of Education in England

Purpose and Quality of Education in England

Written Evidence submitted by The Communication Trust

The Communication Trust is a coalition of over 50 not-for-profit organisations. Working together we support everyone who works with children and young people in England to support their speech, language and communication. Our work focuses on supporting children and young people who struggle to communicate because they have speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) as well as supporting all children and young people to communicate to the best of their ability, because of the centrality of communication as a life skill.

Executive Summary

The Communication Trust believes that there is not one single purpose of education for all children and young people in England, but a number. These are wide-ranging and diverse but should be recognised, valued and measured equally within the education system. In addition to the purposes of effective learning for all, positive social and emotional development and preparation for independent adult life and work, we feel that a crucial purpose of education is to enable children and young people to become effective communicators.

Good spoken language skills are strong predictors of later academic success. Children with poor language and literacy development at 5 years are at substantial risk of low achievement at 7 years[1] and beyond[2]. Good spoken language predicates reading and writing,[3],[4] with literacy gaps often widening as children progress through school[5].The evidence is therefore clear, on the vital role of language and communication skills for learning, attainment and social and emotional development and communication is strongly recognised by employers and organisations such as the CBIas a key employability skill. Additionally language and communication are fundamental to teaching and learning throughout education. Any assessment of the quality and purpose of education in England must therefore look at how these skills are supported and developed.

In order for schools and settings to effectively fulfil their role in equipping children and young people with strong speech, language and communication skills, enabling them to reach their potential, it will be essential for a clear focus on and evaluation of:

effective teacher training and CPD about speech, language and communication
an emphasis on understanding typical development to support early identification of additional needs (including a particular awareness of the increased incidence of speech language and communication needs (SLCN) in areas of social deprivation),
active development of children’s language and communication skills across all ages and stages including the use of effective talk in the classroom
a commitment to meaningfully involving children and young people (including those with SLCN) in decisions about their education and ensuring the outcomes and targets set with them are meaningful and relevant to them and their families.

An education system, including early education, which effectively provides this support and equips all pupils with the speech, language and communication skills they need, will be central to ensuring children can learn and achieve to the best of their ability and have the skills and confidence they need to lead fulfilling lives and be active members of society.

What should the purpose of education for all children in England be?

As outlined above, we believe the purposes of education for all children and young people in England are wide-ranging and diverse. Included within these, we feel that a crucial purpose of education is to enable children and young people to become effective communicators.

This is based on strong evidence of the vital role of communication skills for learning and attainment and social and emotional development, as well as the essential role of communication skills for life and employability.

All children are different, with different strengths and needs, different experiences of the world, and will benefit from different ways of being taught to allow them to reach their potential. However, communication skills are, without exception, fundamentally important for every child and young person in England and it is therefore vital to reflect this in a statement of the purpose of education.

Thisincludes:

Supportingall pupils to develop strong speech, language and communication skills

Evidence is clear on the importance of language and communication skills for key outcomes for children[6], highlighting the need for a strong and explicit focus on these skills in education for all children.

Additionally, there are significant numbers of children who, for a number of reasons, may particularly struggle with speech, language or communication. It is essential that the education system is able to fully develop the skills of these children and young people to enable them to achieve their potential throughout their educational journey.

For example, studies have found that in some areas, particularly areas of social deprivation, between 40 and 50% of children are starting school with delayed language[7].These difficulties often persist and, for some, get worse[8]. However, with the right support at the right time, many of these children can catch up. Education must therefore provide the opportunity for children who have delayed language skills, particularly those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds to ‘catch up’ and narrow the attainment gap.

Additionally, around 10% of children and young people are likely to have long term and persistent communication needs[9], requiring on-going and often specialist support, best provided within an educational context.

It is essential therefore that quality education provides a means through which all children, whatever their starting point, are supported to gain the speech, language and communication skills they need to succeed academically, in the work place and in terms of wider social outcomes. The most effective way in which to do this is to place language and communication skills as a key purpose for education and to ensure teachers are able to both accurately identify where children are struggling with their speech, language and communication development and to provide effective, timely support where it is required.

Identifying pupils with speech, language and communication needs and to support them to reach their potential

Staff working in education settings need to have the skills and knowledge to accurately identify children with additional needs, such as SLCN and implement support at the earliest opportunity.

SLCNis the most common SEN in state funded primary schools and in secondary schools it is the 4th most common[10]. Clinical data suggests that around 10% of children and young people have long term or persistent SLCN either as their primary need (5-7%), with around 3% having SLCN as part of another SEN(for example children with learning difficulties and social and emotional difficulties are likely to have associated SLCN).

Children with SLCN do not do as well in terms ofacademic attainment as children without SEN. In 2013/14 just 13.8% of pupils with SLCN achievedat least 5 GCSEs A* to C including English and maths, compared to 70.4% of peers with no identified SEN[11]. It is essential therefore that quality education ensures that teachers and staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to support children with SLCN academically; and that other positive outcomes from education such as skills for work and life, as well as social and emotional development have equal focus and status within the purpose of education.

Providing the opportunity for all pupils to develop the speech, language and communication skills they need to contribute and participate actively in society

Supporting and extending language and communication skills is a crucial aspect of every child and young person’s education and is an essential part of helping children and young people to be successful in longer-term social and academicoutcomes.

Language and communication skills form an important foundation for future educational success and are linked to social, emotional and mental health outcomes. Further, for children and young people with SLCN, outcomes in these areas may often be much less positive[12].

Children who have SLCN are at increased risk of social exclusion, particularly those whose needs have not been identified, or have been misinterpreted.Pupilsexcluded from school are more likely to have SEN, including SLCN[13] and upwards of 60% of young people in the youth justice sector have SLCN,many of whom have never been identified as struggling with this aspect of their learning.[14]

In terms of employment, soft skills are equally as important as academic achievement, and can be more meaningful to many employers. Young people with SLCN are over represented in those leaving school not entering employment, education or training (NEET)[15] and employers consistently report difficulties in finding employees with strong basic communication and interaction skills.A recent survey by I CAN of 40 employers identified specific communication skills that were valued – including employees being able to check when confused, and alter their style of talking. Over two thirds of employers surveyed reported not getting these skills in their recruits. Supporting all children and those with SLCN specifically, to develop strong speech, language and communication skills is also essential to ensuring they are able to find employment and that our economy has a strong and skilled workforce. To support these crucial skills,a number of our other Consortium members have relevant offers for secondary schools to support an increased focus on speech, language and communication,[16] including I CAN who are currently developing a ‘work readiness’ tool[17] to measure the impact of a programme aiming to developing communication skills to support young people’s transition to the workplace.

Education plays a crucial role in ensuring that children and young people who are at risk of social exclusion and poor long term outcomes are supported to reach their full potential, regardless of their additional needs and background, and including a strong focus on language and communicationskills can only be beneficial.

Reflecting the outcomes children and young people and their families value

Wellbeing and confidence are very important for all children and young people and are particularly important for children with SLCN and their families. Reports from children with SLCN about their quality of life suggest that they are particularly vulnerable regarding social acceptance and emotional well-being[18]. Outcomes around social inclusion and independence are valued highly by these children and their families and they recognise the vital role that communication skills play in the achievement of these skills[19].

Education must reflect this and provide for all children and young people, including those with SLCN, a focus not only on academic achievement but also the skills required for independent living and for building and maintaining relationships and friendships.

The reformed SEND system has very much highlighted this role for education and on ensuring that where children and young people have special educational needs, such as SLCN, education, health and social care professionals working with them must involve them in setting outcomes which are meaningful and relevant to them and their aspirations.

What measures should be used to evaluate the quality of education against this purpose?

To measure the quality of education against the purpose of developing effective communicators, including those children who may struggle with their speech, language and communication, a range of mechanisms are required, nationally and locally:

National Measures

Explicit inclusion of language and communication skills within the school inspection system; with schools being inspected by an inspectorate who themselves have sufficient skill and knowledge to assess accurately how well an education setting is supporting the speech, language and communication development of their pupils and those with SLCN. This needs to be valued when inspectors are making an overall judgement about the quality of education being provided.
Explicit and strong focus on speech, language and communication skills within the national curriculum, including a rigorous system for monitoring and tracking pupils’ spoken language skills; and an expectation that all schools, including free schools and academies include such a focus.
An appropriate focus on spoken language skills within national examinations, to enable schools to maintain a suitable strong focus alongside written language skills.
Inclusion of the requirement to effectively develop pupils’ communication skills as key to teaching and learning in teacher standards, including for QTS.
High quality early education. Quality early education in all early years settings plays a central role in giving children a solid foundation for their speech, language and communication skills. It is especially important for children from disadvantaged backgrounds who too often start school without the skills they need to be ready to learn. The quality of the early years workforce, paying particular attention to existing evidence around the importance of qualifications is an essential part of measuring the overall quality of education provision[20],[21].

School Measures

Robust processes in place to identifySLCN/SEND, so that every child who is struggling is identified as early as possible and provided with the support they need to achieve their potential
Effective professional development and training frameworks in place for staff to ensure pupils’language and communication are developed andchildren and young people with SLCN are effectively supported. Schools should prioritise and promote staff’s continued professional development(CPD), which in turn has an impact on pupil outcomes. We very much welcomed the recent call for evidence on a standard for teachers’ professional development and our response suggests this as a vehicle to measure quality education as this offers the opportunity to ensure that teachers become more knowledgeable and confident in supporting pupils’ language and communication[22].
Effective Implementation of theSEND processes for children and young people with SLCN, including: thegraduated approach to support for children with SLCN, with children, young people and their families at the centre of planning and decisions about the support they receive.
Pedagogy and interventions focusing on language and communication that are based on evidence. Using evidenced interventions and training as a way to influence pedagogy to support all pupils and plan for suitable interventions for those who require additional support is essential to achieving good outcomes.
Place a focus on the importance of language and communication in teaching and learning.‘Teacher talk’ is an integral element of education – it is the vehicle for teaching and learning. The way teachers use language and communication shapes the way pupils understand and can be involved. Research undertaken as part of the Effective Preschool Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) study looked at pedagogical practices and how these impacted on quality – the report highlights the benefits of lots of classroom talk and interaction between pupils and teachers and recommends that these pedagogical practices are given a higher profile within ITT courses and teacher CPD[23].
Involve children, young people and their familiesin discussions about the quality of their education. It is essential that all children and young people in education settings are involved in this way, including those with SLCN and other SEN. As we have already highlighted, the 2014 0-25 SEND Code of Practice is very clear on this requirement.

How well does the current education system perform against these measures?

The quality of education currently, as is well evidenced, is variable. In some schools and local areas we know there is excellent practice underpinned by a strong understanding and valuing of the importance of children’s speech, language and communication skills and needs. In others however, this is not the case. This inconsistency should not be a feature of education.

There has been a degree of erosion of the importance of language and communication within education over recent years within a number of national frameworks, such as the Ofsted Inspection Framework, national curriculum and GCSE English qualifications.

The removal of levels from the national curriculum in September 2014 has been challenging for some schools. The 2014 Spoken Language Programme of Study[24] is broad – covering all ages from years 1 – 6 in primary and years 7 – 11 in secondary. Schools are required to develop their own progression points for children across year groups. Some schools find this difficult to do accurately; teaching staff report limited expertise in language and communication development. This means that schools may not accurately monitor children’s progress in spoken language and importantly, may therefore be missing children who are not making expected progress in their spoken language skills.