GOALs AND LEARNING PLANS

Learning goals need only be written for areas where the student requires additional support. The Individual Learning Plan (ILP) should ideally contain no more than five goals. These goals describe social skills and learning behaviours which will make it possible for the student to access curriculum learning.

The goals are based on thorough assessment of the student’s needs and abilities, so that the program is as appropriate as possible. Teachers assess core skills which support learning and engagement. Click here for information about points to consider at the start of the process of developing goals. Members of the Student Support Group work together to identify goals for the student to work towards.

Sometimes the learning goals are longer term objectives. They may need to be broken down into achievable steps, with each step forming a goal for a current or future learning plan. Once a new goal has been agreed upon in general terms, it is vital to refine the goal using the SMART criteria. For more information about criteria for SMART goals, click here.

When the goals have been negotiated with the Student Support Group and then refined according to SMART criteria, the process of ILP development begins. The ILP is a working document which describes the student’s current skills at the beginning of the academic year and then sets out learning goals. The ILP is a working document. It is regularly reviewed, adjusted and adapted. For more information about the process for developing an ILP click here.