Association of Educational Psychologists

The charity Achievement for All 3As would welcome help from EPs in making their schools aware of the government-subsidised Achievement for All programme.

Trialed in 450 schools, the programme has proved remarkably successful in improving the progress of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. An external evaluation found that 37% of the 28,000 children involved in the pilot made progress as great as or greater than that made by all pupils nationally in English, and 42% per cent in maths. In addition, persistent absence reduced by ten per cent, and the percentage of schools reporting excellent relationships with parents increased from 12 to 48%.

Achievement for All focuses on:

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school leadership – ensuring a whole school approach to working with children with SEN/D and other vulnerable groups;

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teaching and learning in the classroom - including assessment and target setting;

·                         parental engagement –  regular ‘structured conversations’ with parents, with training for class and subject teachers in using active listening skills to understand what parents  see as the key barriers to their child’s learning, what they think has worked well in the past and their aspirations for their child’s future;

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wider outcomes - seeking out resources beyond the school to enable students to use their talents, experience success and increase their engagement with learning.

To find out more, go to the website www.afa3as.org.uk.  If you would like to talk to the team or invite them to speak at a regional or local event for EPs or schools, please contact enquiries@afa3as.org.uk.