The Engagement Model Training is the Department for Education’s official training package delivered by an accredited Engagement Model Lead Trainer.

The training is for Local Authority Advisors, Head Teachers, Senior Leaders, SENCOs and Governors in both mainstream primary and secondary schools and specialist settings.

The engagement model is an assessment tool that helps schools meet their duties in supporting pupils who are working below the level of the national curriculum and who are not engaged in subject-specific study.

The model has 5 areas: exploration, realisation, anticipation, persistence and initiation.

The engagement model will become statutory from the 2020/21 academic year and schools will be required to:

• Use the engagement model to assess pupils who are working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and not engaged in subject-specific study at the end of KS1 and KS2 — for the 2019/20 academic year, these pupils must continue to be assessed using P scales 1 to 4
• Report to DfE which pupils are assessed using the engagement model for KS1 and KS2 — schools are not required to submit any other data to DfE about the progress of these pupils
• Ensure that evidence relating to pupils’ achievements and progress is reported as part of the end of year academic report, which schools must provide to parents, as outlined in paragraph 6.64 of the SEND code of practice.

The session will be led by James Waller, the Deputy Head Teacher and Curriculum and Assessment Lead at Sunningdale School, a school for children with Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. Sunningdale School use the areas of engagement alongside other developmental assessment frameworks to support the learning of pupils not yet accessing the National Curriculum as part of their approach to personalised learning. The school was part of the original Rochford Review pilot of the areas of engagement.

James authored the feedback on the engagement model to the Department for Education on behalf of the expert groups: the Federation of Leaders of Special Education (FLSE) North and EQUALS. James is aDfE Engagement Model Lead Trainer.

The training is delivered via the Department for Education’s package which consists of 3 sessions aimed at helping schools and authorities to understand and embed the model.

For more information regarding the engagement model please read The Engagement Model Guidance for Maintained Schools, Academies, Free Schools and Local Authorities see Engagement Model 

Dates of the 3 sessions are:

• Session 1: 30th April: Understanding the model
• Session 2: 7th May: Making links between the model and Curriculum and EHC Plans
• Session 3: 14th May: Reporting and Accountability including the Education Inspection Framework

All sessions are 4-6pm at Sunningdale School

This training is Free but places are limited on this course so please book early to avoid disappointment.