SMART targets
The target section on the termly PEP provides schools with an opportunity to support the young person to make progress and achieve success towards developmental, personal, and academic goals. The Designated Teacher should hold in mind the specific vulnerabilities of children who have had adverse experiences and/or trauma when setting targets with children and young people (see Understanding Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences section of this website and Virtual School’s Attachment and Trauma Toolkit).
Targets set for children and young people must reflect their needs, be communicated to the child and young person in a way that they understand and be SMART. A SMART target is a time-limited goal that a child / young person is supported to achieve. SMART targets must be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timebound
Some examples of SMART targets used by our Designated Teachers are below.
Early years
What we want the child to do:
- to be able to count
- to have the fine motor control to do up / undo buttons
- not hit and kick peers
SMART target that supports this:
- for XXX to count from 1 to 5 in sequence on 4 out of 5 occasions by next term
- XXX will be able to put on her coat independently on 4 out of 5 occasions by October
- for XXX to develop her social skills by using kind hands and feet on 3 out of 5 occasions
Primary schools
What we want the child to do:
- get better at phonics and reading
- improve attention
- ask for help
SMART target that supports this:
- XXX will know 36 of the 44 phonics sounds by the end of the Spring Term as measured using the school’s phonics assessment
- when taking part in an activity with a partner, XXX will maintain attention in a joint activity for 5 minutes by the end of June
- XXX will be able to ask an adult for help when feeling upset on 4 out of 5 occasions by next PEP
Secondary Schools and Post-16 Settings
What we want the child to do:
- to pass English GCSE
- have no further exclusions
- come to school more
SMART target that supports this:
- I will improve my ability to discuss Macbeth by revising the key theme of ambition. I will do this by making mind maps and character profiles with my English tutor. I will be able to discuss how ambition affects Macbeth and Lady Macbeth throughout the play and memorise 4 quotes that demonstrate this. I will use this knowledge and understanding to get a Grade 5 in my mock exam
- I will access the Student Support Centre during breaks and lunch time every day to check-in with my key adult and share one positive about the day
- XXX’s attendance will increase to 95% in the summer term
When targets are not SMART it is difficult to tell if they have been achieved successfully and if the support is working for the child. This can have a negative impact on the child/young person’s progress over time which is why Virtual School only accepts SMART targets on a child’s PEP.
More examples of SMART targets linked to an individual’s area of need can be found in Central Bedfordshire’s Graduated Approach (PDF). The use of these should be in careful collaboration with the school SENCO to ensure children/young people are accessing the right support and a graduated approach can be followed.