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What is the Engagement Model?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The engagement model is an assessment tool which has been developed to help schools support children who are not working at the level of the national curriculum. Since becoming a statutory requirement in September 2021, it has replaced what in the previous system were P-levels – one to four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who Should Be Assessed Using the Engagement Model?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Children not engaged in subject specific study <\/strong>should be assessed using the model. These will usually be children who have serious cognitive impairments and learning difficulties, which in turn lead to significant delays in reaching developmental milestones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The DfE<\/a> defines subject specific study as \u2018where a pupil can demonstrate recognisable and specific skills, knowledge and understanding in English language comprehension and reading, English writing and mathematics.\u2019 If a child is working below the level of the national curriculum but can demonstrate such skills, then the engagement model should not be used for them. Instead they should be assessed using the Pre-Key Stage Standards<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n The Engagement Model uses a pupil-centred approach<\/strong> that focuses on abilities rather than disabilities, enabling the pupils\u2019 achievements and progress to be measured over time. Used as part of the Graduated Approach<\/a> that should be used to support children with SEND, the engagement model, enables teachers to assess:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n Sustainable learning can occur only when there is meaningful engagement. The process of engagement is a journey which connects a child and their environment (including people, ideas, materials, and concepts) to enable learning and achievement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Carpenter et al, 2011. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n The model was based on work led by Professor Barry Carpenter which found that engagement was the single best predictor of successful learning in children with special needs and\/or disabilities. Through regular observational assessment, the engagement model measures progress against five interrelated areas of engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It aims to identify and celebrate the small steps of progress that might be made by those children with the highest levels of SEND. The areas in which each child is assessed will depend upon their individual EHC plans. The areas are not hierarchical<\/strong> and there is no expectation that a child will make progress in all five areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The engagement model does not provide the curriculum for those pupils, or provide any teaching tools or strategies. It must be used alongside, rather than in replacement of, a school\u2019s existing planning, assessment, and reporting systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a look at our online education courses<\/a> where you’ll find everything from SEND in the Classroom<\/a> to Challenging Behaviour<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n The guidance<\/a> states that when a teacher observes a pupil, they should: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Trying to make sense of a pupil\u2019s responses requires skill and knowledge of that individual child. You may need to be able to observe small, nuanced variations in a child\u2019s behaviour or the way they approach an activity. These might include fleeting eye movements or pupil dilation, a change in facial expression, vocalisation, small changes in breathing patterns, momentarily freezing or \u2018stilling\u2019, or movements of the mouth, hands, or feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with all SEND provision, the key is to get to know the individual child. Based on your knowledge and experience of the pupil, you must be able to establish:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following dropdowns look at each of the five areas of engagement, suggest questions you might ask yourself during observations, and provide examples in context.<\/p>\n\n\n Is a pupil interested in or curious about a stimulus or activity? <\/em>– for example, during a science lesson where Year 1 children are planting sunflower seeds, does the child show interest in the activity as it is happening? Using what you know about their communication style, you will perhaps notice signs of curiosity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Does this translate to different contexts or environments? <\/em>– if you then go outside to plant some seeds in the school garden or outside space, does the child still show interest?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do they build on their initial response to it?<\/em> – do they perhaps indicate a wish to explore the seeds or the activity, or return to it after it ceases to be the focus, e.g. if the plants are on the windowsill to be observed as they grow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over time, if you can observe patterns regarding which stimuli or activities prompt exploration, this can help you to plan further effective activities for that child. In this case, you may notice that the child responds to the sensory experience of the seeds themselves, in which case you may be able to build on that engagement, incorporating seeds, or items with similar sensory properties, into other learning activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Does the child show they want more control of the stimulus or activity, for example by stopping it or trying to make changes to it?<\/em> Here a child might react with what familiar adults consider to be \u2018surprise\u2019, \u2018excitement\u2019, \u2018delight\u2019, \u2018amazement\u2019, or \u2018fear\u2019.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n An example of this might be in a music activity. When presented with some musical instruments to play, a child may express delight when the drum is played, may indicate that they want to play it themselves, and begin to explore what happens when they hit the drum in different ways, or with different things.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Realisation becomes more established when the pupil uses the newly developed skills or knowledge in new ways and in different contexts or environments. In this example, they may apply the skill of hitting something to make sounds outside using a tub, rather than using the drum they first encountered. Building on this realisation can help keep the pupil excited in their education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Does the pupil predict, expect, or associate a stimulus or activity with an event? <\/em>They may interpret different prompts, such as auditory, tactile, and visual cues, to anticipate that a familiar activity is about to start or finish. For example, when the box containing the PE bags is wheeled into the classroom, they begin to associate that with the upcoming PE lesson.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Anticipation is considered to be more established if the pupil shows awareness that a familiar activity is about to start or finish, even when cues and prompts are reduced. \u00a0 This is important in measuring the pupil\u2019s understanding of cause and effect which in turn prepares the brain and helps with the pupil\u2019s memory and sequencing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Can the pupil sustain their attention in a stimulus or activity for long enough that they can actively try to find out more and interact with it?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This aspect of engagement is important as it will help a pupil to maintain an activity long enough to develop, reinforce, and apply their skills or knowledge. By observing what stimuli or activities the child is keen to persist with, you can again use this knowledge to inform future planning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n How much, and in what ways, does the pupil investigate a stimulus or activity in order to bring about a desired outcome? Do they do this independently and spontaneously during a familiar activity? <\/em>For example, if they have a favourite picture in a familiar \u2018lift-the-flap\u2019 picture book, which is concealed by the flap, on sharing the story with you, do they independently lift it to reveal their favoured image?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Initiation is important to assess the pupil\u2019s development independence, which is required for more advanced progression.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Using the engagement model is a statutory requirement for those children not working in subject specific study in Key Stages 1 and 2, but the engagement model can also be an effective assessment framework for young people up to 25 years old, where appropriate. It has many advantages, including.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Schools must report which primary-aged pupils are being assessed using the engagement model. However, they do not need to submit any attainment data.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The tool is designed to be used alongside<\/strong> school-specific systems of planning and assessment, and schools have autonomy<\/strong> over how they implement it.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Considerations will need to include:\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The engagement model offers a framework for celebrating the successes and building on the interests of those children who have some of the most significant barriers to accessing learning opportunities. We hope this article has given you some useful insight and will help enrich your practice to benefit all learners.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It is now a statutory requirement for schools to use the engagement model. Learn more about its key principles and how it should be applied in schools here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":58706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[81,13532,80],"class_list":["post-58676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safeguarding","tag-education","tag-sen","tag-teachers-and-parents"],"acf":{"schema_disabled":false,"schema_properties_FAQPage_question_answer":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_tools":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_supplies":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_steps":null,"schema_properties_WebPage_cssSelector":null,"schema_sameAs_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_override":false},"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Engaging-with-a-science-activity-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nPrinciples of the Engagement Model<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\nWant to Learn More?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\nEngagement Model Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conducting Observations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Exploration
![\"drop](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/down53.png\")
<\/h3>\nRealisation
<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Playing-a-musical-instrument.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nAnticipation
<\/h3>\nPersistence
<\/h3>\nInitiation
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\nWhy Should Teachers Use the Engagement Model?<\/h2>\n
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\nHow to Implement the Engagement Model in Schools<\/h2>\n
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\nFurther Resources:<\/h3>\n
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