Provision Maps?

[WarmAndFuzzy]

I asked the school for the boys' IEPs today and was told that they haven't been using them for about 5 years and are now using Provision Maps.

Is there anyone here who can tell me what these are? What's the difference between a Provision Map and an IEP?

I know I keep coming on here with questions, but just when I think I've got a handle on what I need to know, something else comes up (and everyone on here is always really helpful - thank you!).

Provision maps are like group IEPs, they cater for a group of kids at a certain level.

HW x

A provision map looks like this:

SALT advice available to school 1 hour per week
Small 1:1 room
Children have access to individual TA time
Visuals used throughout literacy and numeracy
School holds LA award for having all TA's educated to at least GCSE level
Laptops available
All rooms have wheelchair access
Toy library on site

So it's a list of what the school can provide, rather than a goal specifically for the individual child? Am I getting that right?

Ds's provision map has targets on it and what /who will help him e.g social stories,EP

Our LA has started calling them this too
Can be individual or whole school (eg all the provision a school offers for autism or dyslexia)
I think the idea is that should be more measurable and outcome focussed and less woolly than IEPs - but of course IEPs should always have been these things! So in effect its just a rebrand.
Ask for some egs the LA will have provided the school with templates.

Tell them you're more interested in an outcome map than a provision map!

The idea of a provision map is that it enables a school to map out its provision, and therefore be more efficient by working top down rather than bottom up. For example if they have a room where they teach small group phonics, and 3 TAs who need to use that room, they start by mapping out the room and then allocate childrens sessions. It also helps ensure they don't end up with 3TAs in one room and none in another. They are helpful but in my experience they are not a substitute for an IEP. Have they identified key areas for your child to work on? How is he supposed to know what his targets are? This is particularly key if the targets are social or behvioural. Eg my ds has a target of trying to greet adults appropriately in school. This is very appropriate for him, but it wouldn't appear on a provision map because it isn't directly linked to resources. Also if no-one had told ds this was his target, how would he be able to focus on it? Ask the school about personalisation....