A Code-A-Text analysis of reports submitted to statutory assessments procedures

Abstract

There has been much discussion within the educational profession on the nature of assessment. However, little study has been made of how this is used in the decision-making of statutory assessment procedures and the allocation of provision to children with special educational needs (SENs). This study complements earlier research by the author of a text analysis of educational psychologists’ reports, the effect of reported standardised test scores on decision-making and a study of the constructs of the decision-makers themselves.Using text-analysis software this study investigates the relationship between the text content within professional reports submitted for statutory assessment procedures in the UK and the actual provision specified on the Statements of Special Educational Needs issued by local education authorities (LEAs). The results show how certain assessment information within the reports associates more closely with some categorisations of SEN than others. A large group of children were identified as presenting ‘moderate learning difficulties’, but the content of the reports submitted does not associate as strongly with this category of SEN as others. The validity of this category is questioned and the implications for inclusion discussed. It is suggested that the research project provides a means to include both the authors and the consumers of professional reports in a critical overview of how children are selected for identification with SENs.