Page 2 - Audit Formal One 2024 2025

SCHOOL AUDIT TOOL:

PERFORMANCE IN THE KEY
STAGES OF THE EMPOWERMENT SOMETIMES RARELY NEVER

APPROACH

STAGE 4: PREP4BEST: PLAN FOR CHILDREN TO DO WELL & ACHIEVE THEIR BEST
KEY GOAL: Staff plan lessons which motivate and meet the needs of the range of children in their class/es and
give students the opportunity to plan to be at their best before starting tasks / activities.
A. Staff think ahead to problems which children might experience. They plan support and scaffolds and teaching
experiences which reduce triggers for unmet needs and support Executive Function difficulties, ensuring children
can learn at their best (see Strength Based Approach to EF Skills for information to support this).
B. Staff plan teaching experiences that minimise EF difficulties and make the most of and build on children’s
strengths (see our Strength Cards).
C. For children unable yet to meet expectations, staff make sure specific support and provision is put in place so
that students are not put in environments in which they don’t yet have the skills to succeed.
D. Students are given the opportunity to Prep4Best at the start of the day and before activities. There are
routines across the school so that this is consistent across all aspects of provision.
STAGE 5: RESPOND APPROPRIATELY WHEN A CHILD DOESN’T MEET EXPECTATIONS
KEY GOAL: Staff respond calmly and positively in a solution focused way when a child presents with unwanted
behaviour.
When children struggle, all staff consistently:
A. Self-regulate before responding and always respond calmly and with positive regard.

B. Accept what the child says and acknowledge their view and feelings, even if they don’t agree.
C. Empathise and listen to understand the child’s point of view.
D. Offer support to help the child get back on track.
E. Help the child to problem-solve (instead of solving it for them)
STAGE 6: FOLLOW-UP (SHORT-TERM – Coaching Conversation: follow up, not mop up)
KEY GOAL: Staff follow-up even small incidents of unhelpful behaviour and problem-solve with the child to
find ways to improve the situation for next time.
When children struggle, staff:

A. Identify the specific triggers with the child and plan how to reduce / avoid / manage them for next time.
B. Recognise & understand the needs: help the child identify which physical, emotional or learning needs
weren’t being met properly and plan how these can be better met next time in ways that work for everyone.
C. Work out missing skills: identify skills that need to be improved; plan some ways these can be rehearsed and
built. Decide a strategy or scaffold to trial to scaffold these missing skills in the meantime.
D. Plan Repair: work with the child to plan repair and amends for any issues caused so that relationships are
mended and the student’s empathy built.
STAGE 7: FOLLOW-UP: LONG TERM (SUSTAINED ONGOING PROGRESS)
KEY GOAL: Staff ensure children make good ongoing progress by working with them to identify issues, plan the
right support in and out of class and track progress.
When a child has repeated a pattern of an unwanted behaviour (3 x or more), we always:
A. SUPPORT SELF-AWARENESS & METACOGNITION: help the young person in a non-judgemental way and with
unconditional positive regard to recognise their patterns, recognise when they are at their best and worst, know
the areas they struggle with, understand the triggers/factors at play and the physical, emotional and cognitive
needs that must be addressed along with lagging EF skills.
B. PLAN PRIORITIES: Using the info above, work with the young person to decide which are the priorities and
work out clear goals to include meeting unmet needs and building missing skills.
C. CREATE A PLAN OF ACTION FOR PROGRESS: Create a plan of strategies to trial, scaffolds to try out & the skills
to practise which the young person helps to design and is supported in doing so.
D. SUPPORT SELF-ADVOCACY: help the child notice when things are about to go wrong and request the support
they need before they go wrong). Help children prepare for things to go right.
E. SUPPORT SELF-EFFICACY & ACCOUNTABILITY: Have a process in which the child is supported to track their
progress towards 5C Needs being met better and their Executive Function Skill goals.
F. WORK IN PARTNERSHIP: Work with parents so they also understand the triggers and skill deficits and are given
the resources and info to help their child work on specific skills