Person-Centred Reviews
Summary of this person-centered thinking tool
Person-Centred Reviews were initially developed in education to transform Year 9 Transition reviews, as a way of ensuring that the young person was at the centre. The annual review process is a way of learning what is important to and for the pupil, together with the people who are important in a pupil’s life and the focus of the review is on creating action plans. It is now widely used across all ages of schooling. The information from Person-Centred Reviews can be aggregated to inform school development plans through a process called Working Together for Change. The review looks at:
- what we appreciate/like and admire about the pupil
- what is important to them now
- what is important to them for the future
- what do we need to know or do to support them?
- questions to answer/issues we are struggling with
- what is working and not working from different perspectives
- action plan.
The review thus brings together the information from all the other person-centred tools. The review process includes the pupil and their family.
Benefits for the pupil
- A chance to attend an annual review meeting in a format that is truly pupil-friendly and where they can be effectively included in the meeting.
- Being listened to about what is working and not working in relation to school.
- Time to focus on what action could be taken to make things better or maintain what is working well.
- A way of starting to draw up a one-page profile so all teachers and assistants know what is important to the pupil and how best to support them.
- An opportunity to think about their future and make plans based on what they want and what is important to them as well as what is important for them.
- An opportunity to influence the action plan that is put into place for them, to address issues that are important to them rather than others.
Benefits for parents
- A chance to contribute to a review meeting on equal terms with professionals.
- An opportunity to share their views on what is important to and how best to support their child.
- Another way to contribute to a one-page profile or person-centred description of their child.
- A way to share what is and isn’t working at school from their perspective.
- A way to contribute to actions to bring about change.
- A way to contribute to school development and planning through processes like Working Together for Change.
- An opportunity to think about what their child wants for the future and to contribute to the plans based on this.
Benefits for school staff
- A process of holding a review meeting which is pupil- and family-friendly.
- An opportunity to learn from the information shared at a number of reviews to inform the school’s development plan (through Working Together for Change). This is a way of giving parents and pupils a direct contribution to the school development plan.
- A way of demonstrating that this school is listening to pupils and personalising education.
- A way of empowering the family to contribute to the review process and addressing issues that are important to the child and family and demonstrate partnership with parents.
- A great way for the school to ensure that actions arising from the review are pupil-focused rather than organisationally driven.
Benefits for others
- An opportunity for Governors to hear and act on contributions to school development plans from pupils, parents and school staff through Working Together for Change.
- A way of setting school objectives based on these direct contributions.
- A way of demonstrating listening to pupils and parents to inform the direction of the school.