The classroom experiences of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream primary schools—1976 to 2012. What do data from systematic observation studies reveal about pupils’ educational experiences over time?

Abstract

This paper presents results of an analysis of primary-aged pupils' educational experiences over a 35 year period. Data drawn from a set of large-scale systematic observation studies, conducted in the UK between 1976 and 2012, are used to describe pupils' average classroom experiences at six points in time over this period. These data are then used as markers for comparing the experiences of a subset of pupils-those with special educational needs (SEN)-over the same period. Results for the average pupil show an increase over time in the proportion of time spent interacting with teachers and peers. In contrast, relative to these non-SEN pupils, those with SEN have experienced a more moderate increase in the proportion of time spent interacting with the teacher, and almost no change in the amount of time spent interacting with peers and in whole class teaching contexts. The increase in the number of teaching assistants in mainstream primary settings, employed and deployed to assist the learning and inclusion of pupils with SEN, is identified as a key observable influence on the difference between the classroom experiences of pupils with and without SEN over time. This paper additionally defends the use of systematic observation methods, and concludes that the broad, but stable, measures of activity and behaviour, plus the rigorous approach to data collection it provides, are necessary for painting objective, descriptive and retrospective pictures of classroom life that can elude other research techniques.

Classroom contexts for learning at primary and secondary school: Class size, groupings, interactions and special educational needs

“…One strategy that might be adopted when faced with the problem of large classes is the use of whole‐class teaching, and indeed observation research shows this is a common approach (Webster, ). Whatever the overall benefits of whole‐class teaching—and this is the subject of debate (Kyriacou, )—it is much less likely to be appropriate for pupils with SEND, who often have particular difficulties in following instructions.…”

“…Valuable though it is, this research represents a picture that is now more than 30 years out of date. Webster () provides an analysis of data from six large‐scale systematic observation studies of primary‐aged pupils with and without SEND, conducted between 1976 and 2012, but this only focuses on the frequency of teacher–pupil and TA–pupil contact.…”

Innovation is possible, it’s just not easy

“…The first example has been selected to illustrate that large scale change at classroom level can happen, although the timescales involved are significant and it is hard to identify the specific drivers of such change. The evidence comes from Webster’s (2015) analysis of six separate systematic observation studies conducted in English primary classrooms between 1976 and 2012. Table 1 shows the time that pupils observed in each of the studies spent interacting in class with either: a teacher or teaching assistant (whether as part of a whole class, part of a group or individually), with their peers or with no one.…”

A Blueprint for Evidence-Based Practice? Assessing the Warnock Inquiry's Proposals for Research and Development in Special Education 40 Years On

“…Insights into how school organization has changed pre-and post-Warnock is provided by an analysis of the classroom experiences of 1,792 primary-aged pupils with and without SEN, between 1976 and 2012. Using results from the systematic observation component of the One in Five study and five other large systematic observation studies that produced comparable data, Webster (2015) found that results for the average pupil showed an increase over time in the proportion of time spent interacting with teachers and peers. In contrast, relative to their non-SEN peers, those with SEN experienced a more moderate increase in the proportion of time spent interacting with the teacher, and almost no change in the amount of time spent interacting with peers and in whole class teaching contexts.…”

“…Relatedly, in a series of publications from their Making a Statement and SEN in Secondary Education studies, Webster and Blatchford provide longitudinal evidence of the school journeys of a cohort of 48 pupils with high-level SEN, from primary mainstream into secondary mainstream and specialist settings (see Webster and Blatchford, 2013, 2015Blatchford and Webster, 2018). Efforts to coordinate separate investigations of the nature and quality of the school experiences of children and young people with SEN, in order to assess changes over time and in relation to the experiences of those without SEN, make useful contributions to the literature.…”