nasen CONNECT, May-June 2023

av A l on aila so lin bl e e

ISSN 2631-5696

HELPING EVERYONE ACHIEVE M AY- J U N E 2 0 2 3 / I S S U E 3 9

www.nasen.org.uk

Engaging learners with SEND through project-led lessons We outline how project-led science lessons can inspire children with autism The SEND and AP Improvement Plan:

Filling the gap between where we are and where we want to be?

Building social and emotional wellbeing

The therapeutic benefits of collaborative model-building for children with SEN

“I can’t tell you how transformative the Behaviour Hubs programme has been for our school. We knew we had to change behaviour – we just didn’t know where to begin. But being a part of Behaviour Hubs made this process a lot more manageable.”

Tailored to support your school

Nadia Ouzain,

Fully funded by the DfE

Cornelius Vermuyden School (Behaviour Hubs graduate)

Benefit from the bespoke advice of our Lead Schools that support special schools, in addition to open days to experience exemplary behaviour in practice and cross-provision networking opportunities.

Training from expert behaviour advisers

Receive high quality training led by our DfE team of behaviour specialists including John d’Abbro, recipient of an OBE for services to special education, and Marie Gentles OBE, former principal of an alternative provision school.

All training, open days, networking events and resources provided by the programme are free. Your school will also receive a grant of up to £9,000 upon completion.

Applications now open for a September 2023 start

www.behaviourhubs.co.uk

EMAIL US: education@nasen.org.uk

WELCOME

Welcome

By Annamarie Hassall MBE, Chief Executive, nasen

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elcome to the May-June edition of nasen Connect.

What marks out the summer term for you?

At nasen, the excitement is building up as we finalise plans for nasen Live 2023 on Friday 7 July. Do book tickets to join us for a lively event, taking a person-centred approach to SEND, the holistic CYP, through a lens of intersectionality.

The month of May has become synonymous with mental health, marked with campaigns that seek to raise awareness and embed a culture of communication about good mental health and wellbeing.

While much of this is aimed at a broad population, it is equally relevant to our sector. Schools and colleges have confirmed an upward trend in reports of children and young people’s anxiety specifically, alongside an upward trend in SEMH needs generally. We also need to consider the well-being of the education workforce; read the first in a two-part series, ‘The emotional impact of teaching’.

The ambition and direction of the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan reforms continue to shape our discussions.

Take a look at the SENDAP article on page 28, written by nasen education director, Alison Willett.

Do you have an example of practice that stands out? This could be in your school or setting or in one you support as a specialist or in an advisory role. Do let us have those examples and stories. Also consider nominating the practitioner or setting for a nasen Award. Take a look at the website www.nasen.org.uk/awards for more information.

The month of May has become synonymous with mental health, marked with campaigns that seek to raise awareness and embed a culture of communication about good mental health and wellbeing.

Play your part in shining a light.

Tel: 01827 311500 Fax: 01827 313005 Email: education@nasen.org.uk Published by nasen nasen nasen House 4/5 Amber Business Village Amber Close Amington Tamworth Staffordshire B77 4RP

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Editorial enquiries: nasen House Tel: 01827 311500 Email: education@nasen.org.uk

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this publication, nasen cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or changes since compilation, or for consequential loss arising from such changes or inaccuracies, or for any other loss, direct or consequential, arising in connection with information in this publication.

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The views herein are not necessarily those of the editor or nasen.

Acceptance of advertisements does not imply recommendation by nasen.

Not all photographs in nasen depict children with special educational needs. Many of the photographs are taken in integrated classes. nasen would like to thank all those who have contributed photographs.

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INSIDE

Contents M AY - J U N E 2 0 2 3 / I S S U E 3 9 REGULARS

7 / Membership Focus

13/ Sector update

8 / Have your say

44 / Book reviews

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45 / Ask the team

nasen awards

10/ nasen Live 2023

46 / Events diary

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FEATURES

19 / Ready for work

35 / Building social and

21 / The emotional

Dr Gina Gomez de la Cuesta, clinical psychologist, examines the therapeutic benefits of collaborative model-building for children with SEN.

Kat Emms looks at how schools are preparing pupils for the world of work.

work of teachers

In the first of a two-part series, Dr Jon Reid looks at the impacts on teachers’ mental health and wellbeing.

25 / Engaging learners with SEND through project-led lessons

Caroline Maston looks at how these lessons can inspire children with autism.

28 / The SEND and

AP Improvement Plan

Education director, Alison Willett takes a closer look at what this means for the future.

emotional wellbeing

39 / Using technology to transform classrooms

Sal McKeown examines the role it can play to offer pupils a sensory experience that schools can accommodate more easily and provide extra benefits for pupils with SEND.

42 / Behaviour Hubs:

a lead school’s perspective

The experiences of being a lead school as part of the Department for Education’s Behaviour Hubs programme.

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31 / SEN2 Survey: is

live data on the horizon?

Gareth Copeland, education consultant, OLM Systems, looks at the role of data in decision making, how and what we collect and its impact.

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39 28 42

25 www.nasen.org.uk

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Discover the early reading SEND programme

from Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised Deliver a consistent and highly effective approach to teaching phonics, and help all children learn to read with the right level of challenge and a graduated approach.

Little Wandle for Letters and Sounds Revised is a DfE validated early reading programme used in over 4500 schools.

Visit littlewandlelettersandsoundsrevised.org.uk to find out more

Discover the SEND classroom resources

Supported by 254 fully decodable books matched to the Little Wandle progression from Big Cat

collins.co.uk/BigCatLittleWandleL&SRevised

MEMBERSHIP

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Welcome to May-June’s Membership Focus e would like to open this month’s Membership Focus with a reminder to members that nasen LIVE will return this year on 7 July. Have you considered attending?

A limited number of tickets remain available for the one-day event, themed ‘SEND and Beyond’ which will take place at Vox Conference Centre, NEC, Birmingham.

This is a great opportunity to hear about effective practice as well as network face-toface with like-minded professionals. A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Book your ticket here: https://bit.ly/41gZ91w

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from organisations and individuals who champion those within the SEND sector and deserve recognition. Do you know someone that goes above and beyond? Submit your nomination by 23 June! https://bit.ly/3o9gWsA

updates, resources and giveaways.

Please do remember to reach out and follow us on Twitter (@nasen_org), Facebook (@nasen.org) and LinkedIn (nasen).

Follow us to ensure you receive the latest SEND updates from across the sector.

nasen also has an active social media presence on several major channels. Please make sure that you follow us for news,

If you have any membership related queries, you are welcome to contact us directly at: membership@nasen.org.uk

We would also like to take a moment to inform you that nominations for the nasen Awards 2023 are now live. This year, the nasen Awards will take place on the 6 October at the Grand Hotel Birmingham. Nominations are welcomed

TEACHING READING TO ALL LEARNERS INCLUDING THOSE WITH COMPLEX NEEDS

Author: Sarah Moseley Publisher: Routledge, nasen / Spotlight series ISBN: 978-1-032-11475-0 Reviewed by: Alex Grady, head of education (nasen) and Whole School SEND

Become a member of nasen for an exclusive member discount on Routledge books

This is a very timely book, inspired

by Jonathan Bryan (author of Eye Can Write, 2018; also see https://www.teachustoo.org.uk/), which will go a long way to meet a need, in both special and mainstream schools, to develop the reading skills of all children and young people in a way which works for them. It is written in a very easy to read and ‘friendly’ way, with a real focus on the entitlement of everyone to the opportunity to learn to read and the wider benefits that reading brings. It also considers the relationship with curricular and Ofsted expectations for reading, including reference to the engagement model.

Each chapter, including ‘Where to begin and the importance of high expectations’ and ‘Where does phonics fit for learners with complex needs?’,

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is structured around a summary of theories, alongside real-life examples of ideas in action. Although most of these ‘case studies’ come from special schools, they are also very valuable for mainstream contexts. A range of useful resources are shared, either as copies or as links to online resources.

This book is highly recommended for all teachers (and others) with an interest in reading, whether or not you currently teach a child with complex needs.

It supports the deeper understanding of what reading is, why it presents so many challenges, and how we can help all children to engage with reading and develop independent reading skills; this includes turning pages, enjoying sensory stories, or reading words and sentences out loud. Inspirational and full of hope!

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HAVE YOUR SAY

e avsay...

Hyour education@nasen.org.uk

We would love to hear from you, so please send any comments or letters to education@nasen.org.uk In case your letter is chosen for publication, please include your name and setting.

Don’t forget, you can ‘Have Your Say’ via Facebook and Twitter too.

01827 311500

@nasen_org

@nasen.org

Have Your Say gives you, the reader, a forum to share your thoughts and opinions about current issues in the world of education and SEND. It is also the place to share your reactions to, and thoughts about, what you have read in previous editions of nasen Connect.

Twilight Talk

nasen Awards

I recently attended the Twilight Talk on supporting deaf and hard of hearing learners in education and found it very informative. It has had a positive impact on my considerations of how I communicate and how I can improve the learning environment for all learners, especially those with a learning impairment.

I noticed in the March edition that the nasen Awards are now open. I have the most amazing SEND governor at my school, they are really proactive in the school, they have been a huge help to the SENCO and have been instrumental in supporting the school when we had a recent SEND Review carried out by yourselves. I wonder if there is a place for me to nominate them in the awards?

Teacher, Lancaster

Editor: Thank you for your feedback, we are glad you found it useful in practice. If you were not able to attend live, the recording of both previous talks is available free to members: https://bit.ly/3zaTkGs

SENCO network We recently had our SENCO network meeting, and it was much appreciated that you had synthesised the SEND and AP Improvement report into such easy to read and digest guides for the different roles in school. I printed a copy of the SENCO guide and it made everyone’s life so much easier, especially at this busy time of year.

SENCO, Hampshire.

Editor: Nice to know it was useful for your group. If you haven’t seen them yet, the guides are available in the policy section of our website: https://bit.ly/3nniOO2. These are early guides for the report and we will continue to update all our members as more information and details are released.

Teaching assistant, London

Editor: Governors are the unsung heroes of schools, and it is great that your SEND governor is so involved and appreciated. There is a new category this year called ‘Changemaker of the Year’, which celebrates the courage, creativity and impact of those who serve as an inspiration to others and demonstrate what is possible when we come together to drive forward positive change.

This sounds like the perfect category for your governor. Fingers crossed we might see them at the Awards ceremony in Birmingham in October.

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Last month we had a member ask about accessibility of our magazine; you will be pleased to know that you can now download nasen Connect as a PDF. This means you can print specific articles if you wish, or even the whole magazine.

AWARDS

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nasen Awards 2023 T

could you be a winner?

he nasen Awards 2023 are now open for nominations, but be quick, you only have until 23 June to get your entry in!

Do you know someone who always goes above and beyond when it comes to ensuring the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are met?

Then why not nominate them for a nasen SEND Award today at www.nasen.org.uk/awards?

There are 16 awards up for grabs this year, and you can nominate as many people as you like in the following categories:

1. Early Years Provision of the Year sponsored by Nursery World 2. Primary Provision of the Year sponsored by Axcis Education 3. Secondary Provision of the Year 4. Further Education (FE) Provision of the Year 5. Specialist Provision of the Year sponsored by The Edwin Group 6. Alternative Provision of the Year 7. Co-Production Initiative of the Year sponsored by The Seashell Trust 8. Young Advocate of the Year (Aged 16 and under) sponsored by Filisia 9. Young Advocate of the Year (Aged over 17) sponsored

by Christie and Co 10. Leader or Leadership Team of the Year sponsored by NEU 11. Support Practitioner of the Year 12. Teacher of the Year sponsored

by Scanning Pens 13. Innovation in the Field of Inclusion 14. The David Ryan Award for Positive Media Impact 15. International Provision of the Year sponsored by IDL 16. Changemaker of the Year sponsored by Rockerbox News

N E W F O R 2023 – ALT E RNAT IV E PRO V ISIO N O F T HE YE AR The Alternative Provision of the Year award recognises a setting’s outstanding commitment to providing comprehensive social, emotional and academic support to students experiencing significant difficulties. It celebrates their unwavering dedication to ensuring that every student can thrive. The Award will celebrate settings staffed with a passionate and empathetic team that understands the unique needs of each student and which works tirelessly to provide a holistic approach to helping them regain their sense of belonging in education and rebuilding their self-confidence and academic self-concept.

THE CEREMONY

Shortlisted entries will be invited to our awards ceremony, which will take place on 6 October, at The Grand Hotel, Birmingham.

For more information, please visit www.nasen.org.uk/awards.

Good luck!

Please note that these awards are open to ALL settings, including mainstream, special and alternative provision. Self-nominations are also invited, as well as nominations made on behalf of individuals/ organisations.

TOP TIPS FOR WRITING AN AWARD-WINNING NOMINATION! 1

ake sure you carefully read the M awards criteria to check it matches well with your nomination

2

P rovide as much evidence as possible to show why your nomination should win

3

here possible, give yourself enough W time to complete the nomination

4

Don’t waffle or exceed the word count

5

P resentation is important.

Make sure the layout is clear (subheadings can be useful)

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NASEN LIVE

Live 2023 nasen

With just a couple of months to go until the return of our unmissable annual SEND conference, nasen Live, we wanted to give you a little taste of what’s in store for 2023!

7 July, The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham Theme: SEND and Beyond

Themed ‘SEND and Beyond’, our one-day conference will offer delegates the opportunity to share best practice for SEND and to learn about the latest sector developments from a diverse range of leading specialists.

Expand your knowledge, network with like-minded professionals and access useful resources and strategies to help you improve outcomes for all children within your setting.

Delegates will have the opportunity to hear from a wide range of high-profile speakers, including:

NICOLA LACE AND JASON SELORMEY

SEND operations manager and engagement specialist practitioner, Weston College Session: Unconscious Bias and the role of Ethnicity in SEND

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This presentation discusses intersectionality through exploring the over- and under-representation of special educational needs by different ethnicity groups. The session explores why enabling the less heard voices of parents and carers of colour shows issues of unconscious bias and outdated stereotypes.

The Vox

nasen Live is hosted at the Vox Conference Centre, Resorts World, Birmingham.

To make your visit as enjoyable as possible, make sure you review our handy travel and accommodation guide: https://tinyurl.com/3mb8eynd

REBECCA GONYORA

Director of inclusion (Every Child, Every Day Multi Academy Trust) Session: Inclusive Secondary School – SENCO Leading through Influence The session will focus on examples of distributive leadership and how the SENCO can work through others to positively influence change.

This session will also discuss the five levels of SEND Leadership influence and how to develop at each stage.

Attendees will learn the tools required to support SENCOs in becoming influential leaders.

LIZ SEDLEY

CEO and founder (Literacy Gold) Session: Struggling Readers – Unpicking the Problems Why do some children struggle to learn to read? And what can you do to help? This session will discuss four skills that need to be mastered for a child to read: eye control, phonological awareness, phonics and vocabulary.

We will discuss these skills and more, including abstract words and spelling.

Session: Developing a model of practice and bringing the green paper to life in an SEMH setting In this session, Mike will look at analysing the world of SEMH, SEND and AP provision through a flexible approach. Bringing the green paper to life whilst attempting to be a brave and forward thinking set of provisions.

S ECU RE Y OUR TI CK E T T OD AY !

Tickets are still available for this unmissable SEND CPD Conference, but be quick, there’s not long to go until the show.

Attendees will enjoy an outstanding range of seminars and workshops from leading figures within education and SEND, helping delegates to support children and young people with SEND and learning differences across early years, primary, secondary, and post-16.

NICOLA TURNER

Senior fair access adviser (UCAS) Session: Next steps – The Experience of Disabled Students Applying to Higher Education

MIKE PRIDE

Executive headteacher, The Kingsmead School

We can’t wait to see you there! #nasenLive2023 #SENDandBeyond

JEAN GROSS

Best selling author and popular speaker Session: SENCO workload: how to make it manageable In this session, Jean will describe ways of working with colleagues to increase the range of what is ‘normally available’ through inclusive environments and teaching, and so reduce the numbers of children needing to go on SEND registers unnecessarily.

In 2022, UCAS published Next Steps: What is the experience of disabled students in higher education?’, which looked at the experience of the 80k+ disabled applicants to higher education each year.

This session will explore the UCAS data to learn more about their preferences when making decisions on their next steps and examine the intersectionality of disability with other personal characteristics which can present hidden challenges.

In this session, we will concentrate on the findings where key influencers, such as SENCOs, could play an important role in supporting and guiding young people with their research, decisions and application.

E XHIBIT O RS nasen Live 2023 also provides access to a dedicated SEND exhibition, offering the opportunity to hear from a wide range of award-winning suppliers. Attendees will also receive a complimentary giftbag filled with nasen goodies and resources.

For information about the exhibitors, please visit: https://nasen.org.uk/nasenlive-exhibitors

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Don’t want to wait for the next issue?

Check out https://nasen.org.uk/news

SECTOR UPDATE

Sector

A L L T H E L AT E S T NEWS FROM ACROSS SEND

Update education@nasen.org.uk

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The SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan published he long-awaited improvement plan was published in March to mixed reviews across the sector.

The plan is the culmination of the government’s consultation on proposals laid out in the SEND Review: Right Support, Right Place, Right Time. Responses to the review highlighted real concerns and a need for change in a system hampered by inequity, difficult and lengthy processes and funding shortfalls. The plan presents the first steps that the government will take in addressing the issues raised.

Annamarie Hassall MBE, nasen CEO and chair of Whole School SEND, said: “We feel encouraged by the plan that the government has put before us today. It appears that they have listened, acknowledged the issues, and committed to change. We recognise alignment with nasen’s vision of an equitable learning experience for all. The government’s reimagination of what a more positive experience for children and young people with SEND and their families should look like is warmly welcomed. The ambition of achieving a ‘more inclusive society that celebrates and enables success in all forms’ outlined in the plan is central to nasen’s work and was a key pillar in our response to the consultation.”

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Among the changes set to be implemented is the introduction of a leadership level SENCO National Professional Qualification (NPQ), which will be mandatory for those who do not already hold the National Award for SEN Co-ordination (NASENCO).

Additionally, the plan confirms the intention to introduce new evidence-based SEND and AP National Standards, which will establish what support should ordinarily be available in mainstream settings, and for those receiving SEN Support and with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHC Plans). They will also clarify who

is responsible for delivering provision and from which budgets. This should result in the financial responsibility for SEND being shared more fairly across education, health and social care, and provide clear sightlines of accountability, reducing the need to pursue routes of redress. Since the intention is that the National Standards will raise the quality of universal provision, it is hoped that more needs will be met at an earlier stage.

The National Standards will also provide the basis for developing a national approach to funding bands and tariffs, leading to greater equity between local areas.

To gain further insight into the proposed changes, see pages 28 to 30 in the Leadership section of this edition for an explanation of the changes from nasen’s director of education, Alison Willett. Also, check out nasen’s policy hub for how this may impact on the different roles within school: https://bit.ly/41fFM8M

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SECTOR UPDATE

New government guidance on supporting pupils with mental health needs to access school Additional guidance is now available for settings to support young people who are struggling with attendance at school through experiencing social, emotional or mental health issues (https://bit.ly/41yeCtz). The guidance runs alongside the Working Together to Improve School Attendance document (https://bit.ly/41fBM8f) issued last year.

The guidance reminds schools, parents, and local authorities (LAs) of responsibilities around attendance. Key messages include: Parents’ legal duty to ensure full-time education and good attendance.

Parents are encouraged to communicate issues openly, engaging with any support offered.

When implementing reasonable adjustments to support attendance, school staff should involve parents/ carers from an early stage, emphasising that the plan aims to “maximise face-toface attendance as much as possible”.

Schools can authorise absences where physical and mental health prevent attendance.

edical evidence is not M ‘routinely’ required. Schools should notify the LA if attendance is likely to exceed 15 days.

Beyond 15 days, schools and LAs should consider if Alternative Provision is needed.

Individual circumstances, including for those with SEND and EHCPs, must be considered.

While safeguarding remains paramount, schools have also had funding to train a senior mental health lead with strategic oversight of the support within school for mental health and wellbeing. The sector-led examples provided (https://bit.ly/41wmT1h) show that responding to each case on an individual level will ensure the best response and outcomes. Working with the voice of the child or young person and their parent or caregiver will enable the cause to be established and the steps put into place for a successful return to school.

Recent research (https://bit. ly/43HIWUK) shows mental health

New parent course supporting those whose child has Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Afasic and NAPLIC have collaborated to create a free online course for families of children and young people with DLD. The course consists of seven weekly sessions, each lasting 60-90 minutes, led by professionals who work with children with DLD. The course has been created to help improve outcomes by empowering parents and building networks.

The course aims to help parents: To understand about DLD and how it applies to their child To develop an understanding of their child’s individual language profile To develop strategies to support their child at home

learn how they can support To their child’s learning To meet other families of children with DLD. Further details can be found here: https://bit.ly/3mFl6rW

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services are experiencing a shortage of psychiatrists and specialist nurses.

Additionally, with the CAMHS criteria for acceptance now requiring that patients have made ‘multiple attempts’, this is now about crisis management rather than proactive support. Schools are dealing with the outcome of this with fewer staff and resources to support.

The children’s commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has made child mental health a ‘key pillar’ of her work and has evidence of an increasing ‘postcode lottery’ of support. (https://bit.ly/41jXYyb)

Minimum expectations on length of school week looming The education white paper calls for a minimum length week of 32.5 hours to be delivered from September 2023 at the latest.

Many schools deliver this already but lack of detailed guidance has left some unaware of the deadline.

The confusion could result from the fact that, although the white paper was withdrawn, this change will still be implemented. Data will be collected in the spring census to analyse compliance. This does not apply to early years, 16-19 education (including sixth forms) and specialist settings, which should continue to plan on the basis of pupil needs.

Don’t want to wait for the next issue?

Check out https://nasen.org.uk/news

DK boosts RNIB library with hundreds more audio books Review to take place into relationships, sex and health education A review will take place into the new relationships, sex, health and education (RSHE) statutory guidance that came into force in September 2021, in response to reports that inappropriate material is being taught in some schools. It will consider how children can be protected from inappropriate content, even if many schools already teach RSHE and engage parents in a positive way. The review will be informed by an independent panel with input from health, children’s development, curriculum and safeguarding to provide external expertise. It will also draw on close work with Ofsted to understand the materials currently used in the classroom and consider what improvements might need to be made.

The panel will advise on safeguards to prevent pupils from being taught contested and potentially damaging concepts, including introducing age ratings setting out what is appropriate to be taught at what age.

The government-funded Oak National Academy will develop curriculum materials to help ensure every school can access high-quality, compliant resources building on what is already available to support teachers as they develop their curriculum and lesson planning in this sensitive area.

The Education Secretary has written to schools to remind them they are required by law to publish a relationship or a relationships and sex education policy, consult parents on it and provide all curriculum materials to parents.

The review will also consider how to ensure all RSHE teaching is factual and does not present contested views on sensitive topics as fact.

The Government has stated its determination to ensure RSHE teaching leaves children equipped to make informed decisions about their health, wellbeing and relationships in a sensitive way that reflects their stage of development.

New statutory guidance will be subject to public consultation, concluding by the end of 2023, coming into statutory force as soon as possible after that.

Separately, the Education Secretary and the Minister for Women and Equalities will publish guidance on how to respond to children and young people who are questioning their gender identity.

Separately, the Education Secretary and the Minister for Women and Equalities will publish guidance for schools for the summer term on how to respond to children and young people who are questioning their gender identity.

Oxfam produces guide to inclusive language Oxfam has developed an ‘Inclusive Language Guide’, designed as a resource to support people to think about the way they write and the words they use. Oxfam, as nasen, believes that words matter and that language should be respectful to the diverse range of people that the charity represents and works alongside. The guide covers ableism, inclusion, ethnicity and other topics that require sensitive and positive framing of language. See the guide here: https://bit.ly/3AnsxY9

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DK, a publishing company specialising in some of the UK’s most popular reference books, has donated its entire collection to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB’s) online library. The selection includes more than 200 recent audio books, covering everything from science, sociology and history to health, environment and economics. Major series include the ‘Complete Idiot’s Guide to’ collection.

It also contains a range of non-fiction books for children with enquiring minds.

Many of the 200 titles are already in RNIB’s library. DK will also be donating all future book recordings to RNIB. RNIB provides talking books in various formats to blind and partially sighted people across the UK for free. Last year, RNIB launched a new online library offering people with sight-loss instant access to thousands of free books in formats they can read, including audio. The library now has 33,000 in its collection.

To become a member, please visit https://bit.ly/3L7jJMa or call the RNIB helpline on 0303 123 9999.

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NORTHERN IRELAND UPDATE

Sensory learning for wellbeing Research by the UK government has found a significant increase in children with symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD since the pandemic began in 2020. Lorraine McAleer examines how sensory activities can help to counteract these effects and help all pupils. any schools are finding their student support and counselling services are overstretched, and although these are worrying findings, the importance of general good mental health practices is being pushed to the forefront.

As schools continue to recover from the impact of Covid lockdowns, there has been a noticeable increase in the need for mental health and wellbeing support in schools. Sensory Paths are a new resource designed to support all

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Available in several formats, the paths can extend as long as 20 metres in length, meaning a long school corridor can suddenly be transformed into a fun, interactive activity path.

For children with special education needs, such as autism, the path can provide an opportunity for them to have a few minutes to find calm, in what could otherwise be an overwhelming environment. The paths use proven techniques, such as mindfulness, or encouraging children to use their senses – to touch, smell or move body. These techniques, however, are not only for pupils with SEND; all children can benefit.

For children with special education needs, such as autism, the path can provide an opportunity for them to have a few minutes to find calm, in what could otherwise be an overwhelming environment.

pupils throughout local primary schools.

The Sensory Paths can be used indoors along school corridors and promote daily positivity, providing pupils with an opportunity to take time out from the rush of a busy school day. The activity helps pupils check in on their breathing, tap into mindfulness, and engage with the fun visual prompts that have them clapping hands, smelling the flowers, hopping, or even touching their toes!

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

There are fun activities such as push-ups, squats, touching their toes, hopping, balancing on one leg, ‘thinking mirror’ and breathing exercises.

The path helps them get deep pressure and movement stimulating their proprioceptive and vestibular sense. It also gives time to think positively and focus on their breathing.

Overall, the paths are designed to help children feel regulated, calmer and more focused to take on their day.

Joanne Smyth, principal of Sacred Heart Boys Primary School, said: “We are finding children are more focused when they return to class after using the path.

It helps them take a brain break when they were feeling out of sorts and helps them get movement and deep pressure in their joints that their body craves.”

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Mindful and Movement Sensory Pathways from Learning SPACE are a series of guided movements and mindful activities for children to follow through fun, nature-themed graphics on the floor and walls. They were carefully and thoughtfully developed, with input from Principals, SEN teachers and children to ensure both mainstream and special needs environments can benefit from this sensory experience.

Learning Space began in 2007 and was started by local sisters Lorraine and Mary, who were inspired to start the business by their sister Emma, who has Soto Syndrome.

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TEACHING + LEARNING

SEND schools helping learners to enter the labour market We know that we are facing huge skills shortages in the UK, with reports of unfilled posts in many sectors, but how are schools preparing young people for their future?

Kat Emms, senior education & policy researcher at the Edge Foundation, discusses the views of respondents to the organisation’s recent research project.

In February 2023, the Edge Foundation published ‘The perspectives of learners – How are schools developing employability skills?’ https://bit.ly/3zsFijH).

The recent research included a survey of 67 learners (between the ages of 14-18) in Years 10-13, focus groups with 21 learners from a school or sixth form college in England and focus groups with learners across two schools for learners with SEND aged 14-16 and 16-18.

Earlier research into skills shortages can be accessed here https://bit.ly/42L29Ea.

n the course of its recent research, the Edge Foundation ran focus group interviews with 18 learners (Years 1013) across two schools for young people with SEND. During these visits, we also spoke informally to some of the staff in the schools, and carried

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our mind ‘How are we going to prepare our learners for a pathway into employment?’ because most of our learners, if they have the right support surrounding them, could go into work….they are able young people.”

Many schools and colleges are in the same boat. While they may provide skills for life and access to curriculum or qualifications, are they developing ‘work readiness’ in their school leavers?

We’re hugely driven here to do something about the fact that only 3.8 per cent of our children will go on to a job in our area.

out’ one formal interview with a headteacher, to gather their views on this crucial topic.

“We’re hugely driven here to do something about the fact that only 3.8 per cent of our children will go on to a job in our area,” said a member of one SEND school’s senior leadership team. “We have a large number of employers in our city… so when we are developing the curriculum, we really keep in

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WHY THE FOCUS ON SEND?

SEND schools focus on developing learners’ independence and confidence and this permeates every aspect of the school day.

As a result, young people could name individual skills, and discuss their importance: “Listening skills are important for a job because if you’re not listening you won’t be able to learn what you’re doing,” said one Year 11 student.

They could also see that some skills were transferable: “Leadership skill is the most important skill for working, to lead a team to come up with different ideas. I’ve been developing that through leading a group of people to create something through a project – we made a leaflet in a group.”

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BIO KAT E M M S

FEATURE

Kat joined Edge in early 2018 as a Senior Researcher in the Research & Policy Team. She has worked within the field of education for the majority of her career. She started working in the social care and education section at Sheffield City Council, analysing and monitoring the city’s education and young people’s social care outcomes. Visit https://www.edge.co.uk/

TEACHING + LEARNING

RESILIENCE Across all respondents, mainstream and SEND, the quality of resilience received the largest number of ‘Don’t Know’ responses (8.1 per cent), in terms of knowing where they were developing it.

In mainstream settings, exams were seen as a test of resilience. An interviewer explored this further, asking “So you said, resilience through assessment in exams? How do you develop this?” A Year 9 learner’s response was: “By failing, pretty much.”

The number one employability skill that is important for our students to develop is resilience.

SEND schools provided a contrasting view, however, with a senior leader explaining that “The number one employability skill that is important for our students to develop is resilience.

It is really important, and something that our students find difficult. So, we talk to them a lot about that and try to make the curriculum very open-ended … [I] can

honestly say that resilience is the most important thing we can give them.”

A Year 10 learner from a SEND school came up with a description of resilience that was not about assessment, competition or failure: “Resilience is like when you are struggling for something, sometimes in your mind you feel like you want to give up. It’s like (that) for me when I do sports. I do coaching and I was struggling since the beginning of the year but then, as I was developing, I got better and better at coaching.”

DEVELOPING EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS Teachers talked about providing open-ended tasks so learners would need to be decisive and think for themselves. They and their pupils talked about the importance of ‘being out of their comfort zone’, to develop their confidence.

This was reflected in learners’ examples of how they built their skills: ommunication – playing team sports, C showing visitors around the school and speaking to new people Confidence – work experience, residential trips, Duke of Edinburgh’s award and the Prince’s Trust Creativity – ‘interacting with peers throughout the school day and we can bounce creative ideas off each other.’ (Year 10 learner)

The low numbers of young people with SEND who are transitioning into jobs is cause for concern.

One school ran career days, organised mock interviews and brought local employers into school so they could meet learners face to face, and set tasks to expand their employment skills.

This may lead in the future to closer links between teachers and careers services: “We did not realise how well supported apprenticeships can be,” said one teacher. “We thought unpaid apprenticeships were the only option. We did not realise they are not.

Apprenticeships are a realistic future for our learners.”

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FEATURE

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Why we need to talk about the emotional work of teachers In part one of a two-part series, Dr Jon Reid examines the emotional work of teachers and its impact on teaching, learning and teachers’ mental health and wellbeing. hatever our role, the age phase we work with or our location, our work always involves relational activities, daily emotional experiences and a range of complex emotions which can positively or, perhaps, negatively influence our wellbeing. If, in our professional roles, we support children with more complex profiles, we are more likely to navigate and negotiate complex social and emotional experiences on a frequent basis.

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BIO D R J ON RE I D Dr Jon Reid is a senior lecturer in child development, special educational needs/ disabilities and inclusion at Oxford Brookes University where he works with Initial Teachers Education, undergraduate and postgraduate students.

He is the MA Education: SEND strand leader, liaison manager for the Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Association (SEBDA)/Oxford Brookes University collaboration and a trustee for the Institute of Recovery from Childhood Trauma. As part of his doctoral research, he explored teachers’ emotional work, support for their wellbeing and the role of compassion.

HOW IS EMOTIONAL WORK DIFFERENT? Emotional work is different from the physical aspects of our roles. Such aspects may involve movement around classrooms or school environments, playing or engaging in energetic games with children, participating in outdoor activities or teaching curriculum areas such as physical education or drama. Emotional work is also different from the intellectual aspects of our roles. These involve our planning and preparation of engaging lessons, assessment and monitoring of learning, development of classroom practices or organisational approaches, staying up to date with contemporary issues and debates and engaging in professional development activities, further learning, and research.

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Emotional work, however, involves emotional experiences. Such experiences can mean considering the impact of our behaviour on others and thinking about the behaviour or experiences of others. Emotional work involves exhibiting a variety of feelings and investing emotionally during our daily experiences.

This emotional work occurs during social interactions, in particular contexts and in response to experiences. Such social interactions can involve experiences with (and between) individuals, such as children, parents and carers, colleagues, senior leadership, and external visitors.

Contexts might include teaching, responding to distress, understanding behaviour, reflecting on our own pedagogy or being available to support colleagues. Experiences may relate to specific schools, classrooms or playgrounds.

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TEACHING + LEARNING

While some interactions, contexts and experiences involve care, enthusiasm and sensitivity to ensure that others feel emotionally safe, engaged and comfortable, other interactions, contexts and experiences may require that our emotions and feelings are disguised or hidden, such as fatigue, irritation or fear. While we may experience excitement during our teaching and joy when children learn or overcome a challenge, we may also feel worried about aspects of our professional experiences or concerned about the children we support. Consequently, in our professional roles, we are often required to regulate our emotions and feelings due to an awareness of what is deemed to be acceptable in different contexts. We may or may not, therefore, express our authentic emotions, feelings or behaviours.

Essentially, emotional work occurs daily, is pervasive and is often complex and contradictory. Because emotional work is difficult to contain, such work can have an impact, both professionally and personally.

that their experiences are influenced by professional expectations, organisational requirements and external demands.

When teachers support children’s learning, they hope to inspire interest, enjoyment and engagement.

When teachers support the wellbeing of children, they hope to demonstrate ‘attunement’, availability and kindness.

However, in their professional roles, teachers may also experience a variety of difficult emotions and dilemmas that are associated with emotional work.

Difficult emotions can be experienced by teachers when they are concerned about the previous, present, or possible future experiences of children. When teachers are concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of children, they may feel helpless or hopeless. When teachers are concerned about the behaviour of children, they may feel hyper-alert or hyper-vigilant.

When teachers feel uncertainty with regards to how to support the learning and engagement of children, they may experience self-doubt, self-criticism or self-judgement.

When teachers reflect on some of their own professional experiences, they may feel overwhelmed, exhausted and vulnerable. These emotions are particularly likely to be experienced when thinking about or observing the impact of adversity, abuse or trauma.

Teachers’ emotional work can also be experienced as emotional dilemmas.

These emotional dilemmas become more likely and more frequent when teacher beliefs about how best to support children are in opposition to professional expectations, organisational requirements and external demands.

Emotional dilemmas might be associated

When we support the social, emotional and mental health needs of our children, these considerations are particularly important to recognise, understand and appreciate.

HOW DOES CONSIDERING EMOTIONAL WORK HELP? The act of considering emotional work can offer useful insights into teachers’ professional roles by acknowledging the human connection, relational associations and personal authenticity. It also recognises

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with pedagogy and practice, such as how curriculums are designed and delivered.

Or there could be assumptions about effective learning, whether opportunities to support the social and emotional needs of children are available and expectations with regards to ‘managing’ behaviour.

In these examples, teachers may consider alternative approaches to be more appropriate than those being encouraged.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INFLUENCES In light of concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of our children,

a significant emotional dilemma may be recognised as a therapeutic dilemma.

With regards to their professional roles, teachers’ pedagogy and practice may be influenced by national or school policy initiatives, but they will also be concerned about aspects of the emotional work that they engage in. In addition to supporting learning, teachers also recognise the importance of developing positive relationships with children through exhibiting care and sensitivity. This can entail empathising with their experiences by attempting to create feelings of emotional safety and through their sympathetic

The extent and impact of teachers’ emotional work has been largely neglected or underestimated in previous research and is completely ignored in the current policy context.

responses to difficulties and distress.

A therapeutic dilemma is therefore introduced to teachers, because they are responsible for supporting the learning of children, while also supporting their social and emotional needs.

When teachers engage in emotional work, they engage in complex thinking.

This thinking is influenced by experience, context, and the availability of time.

In some situations, such as trying to understand the reasons for a child’s distress or behaviour, emotional work requires rapid, analytical, dynamic thinking and decision making. In other situations, such as when children appear to struggle with learning or lack motivation, increased time is available for emotional work. This may then involve professional reflection through considering how to adapt future learning to support learning or increase engagement.

When teachers reflect together on aspects of their emotional work, collaborative inquiry, problem solving and deliberate decision making can be encouraged.

Consequently, teachers need opportunities to reflect individually and collectively on the emotional work that they experience as part of their professional roles.

The extent and impact of teachers’ emotional work has been largely neglected or underestimated in previous research and is completely ignored in the current policy context. We need to talk more about the emotional work of teachers, because this work is such a pervasive aspect of their daily professional experiences.

To be able to support the wellbeing of our teachers, their emotional work must become more recognised, better understood, and genuinely appreciated.

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FEATURE ➜

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TEACHING & LEARNING

Engaging learners with SEND through project-led lessons Caroline Maston, science lead at Lighthouse School, outlines how project-led science lessons can inspire children with autism. t Lighthouse School, our mission is to support all learners to develop into confident and independent young people with a clear sense of their value and place in society. In my experience as a teacher of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), science provides children with numerous opportunities to grow as creative and independent learners. Furthermore, science helps students to better understand their context and connect with the world around them – skills that are important for children who have more challenges than others to engage with the outside world.

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HANDS-ON LEARNING Children with autism can be highly sensory and creative learners with a great appetite for knowledge. At the same time, they also face unique barriers to learning that often inhibit their ability to participate as much as they would like. To address this in our science classrooms, we explored different strategies to help increase engagement and create an inclusive and inspiring learning environment.

This led us to project-based learning: an approach which encourages students to take the lead and run their own science investigation, helping to build key skills through hands-on activities. This method of learning is ideal for multisensory learners and has proved highly effective for engaging more of our students with science.

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BIO CAROLINE MASTON Caroline Maston is science lead at Lighthouse School, which specialises in supporting learners with autism.

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FEATURE

TEACHING & LEARNING

WHEN IT COMES TO SCIENCE, BRINGING THE LEARNING TO LIFE IS IMPORTANT TO HELP CHILDREN WITH AUTISM REMAIN ENGAGED AND FOCUSED IN THE LESSON. Implementing more practical activities that are based in a real-life context has helped students feel more connected and excited during lessons. For example, we have been running the British Science Association’s CREST Awards (https://bit. ly/2FRO9yQ), which provide guidelines and resources for students to create and build various projects. Each project-based activity is linked to a scenario that students might encounter in everyday life or an environment challenge they are aware of. This can range from investigating how toothpaste is made (https://bit. ly/3LD3p6e) to exploring the impact of water pollution (https://bit.ly/404brtc).

The activities are intuitive and provide a full plan to guide each project, so it is easy for teachers to supervise the learning and provide direction as needed.

BOOSTING CONFIDENCE AND PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT The benefits we have seen from employing a hands-on, project-based approach have been incredible, both for our students and for teachers. Many of our students have come out of their

shell and grown their confidence through leading their own projects.

For example, one student who was interested in what makes the perfect biscuit for dunking into tea created a state-of-the-art biscuit dunking machine to put his theory to the test. Using the CREST Silver Award as his framework for the project, he designed and programmed the machine to perfectly pick up and dunk a biscuit at timed intervals. Like many of our class projects, the biscuit dunker was built using LEGO® bricks.

It features a rubber claw and arm to grasp the biscuit and is mechanically coded to operate automatically. The process enabled the student to develop a whole host of skills, including improving his communication, problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. Critically, it also provided him with a grand sense of personal accomplishment.

This is exactly what we are aiming for with our project-led approach: equipping students with the skills and resources they need to feel empowered and confident.

SELF-PACED LEARNING Another benefit of this approach is that students may progress at their own pace with each project. While some learners prefer to focus hard and work in concentrated intervals, others enjoy a slower method which allows them time to think deeply about their goals and the steps to achieve them. We therefore encourage each student to take ownership of their project and develop it in their preferred way, that way they will get the most out of it and, crucially, enjoy the journey.

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We also support our students to be creative and explore their areas of interest.

For example, if a learner is interested in a topic that we do not have guidance for, we encourage them to brainstorm possible research questions and build a plan to craft their own project guide. This has helped us to foster independence in our students as they are encouraged to set the direction and enhance their passion for science.

As teachers, nothing is more rewarding than seeing your students engage and excel in their studies, especially when they lead their own projects and see such satisfying outcomes. It can often be difficult for learners with SEND to fully grasp the subject when the material is not well-fitted to their needs. It is important to choose project-based activities with different levels to suit all learner abilities.

This not only leads to better teaching and learning outcomes but also allows us to make holistic breakthroughs as students feel more understood and supported in their learning.

In the classroom, making learning fun, accessible and inclusive is always the goal. Project-based learning resources such as CREST have enabled us to transform science lessons and give students an opportunity to be independent thinkers and let their imaginations run wild, which is vital for fostering a genuine passion for science and its possibilities.

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FEATURE

SEND CONSULTATION

The SEND and AP Improvement Plan:

filling the gap between where we are and where we want to be?

Even before the SEND and AP Improvement Plan from the Government was published this March, there was a growing sense of this being a chance for real progress; a significant opportunity, a ‘moment in time’. Alison Willett, education director at nasen, takes a look at the plan, and what it could mean for the sector. t feels as though momentum for greater and more fundamental system change in education broadly and for SEND specifically has been growing. Thought leadership in this space has been exploring the ‘what ifs…’ with much consensus around the need for fundamental shifts in thinking and approach. Rather than continue to conceptualise SEND as ‘additional to or different from’ regular teaching and learning, what if we could commit to inclusion by design, thereby accepting the diversity of all learners as integral?

If we accept that the current education system would require radical re-thinking to get closer to this ideal, and that this isn’t happening yet (despite signs of interest in change, such as the Education Committee’s recent call for evidence on secondary education and its suitability), it seems what’s needed are steps towards this ideal.

Everyone serving in education must work to the system and all its inherent constraints (such as a lack of time for sustained professional development) and so the gap remains between where we are and where we would like to be, remains.

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ALISO N WIL L ETT As nasen’s education director, Alison Willett leads the education team and is part of nasen’s executive leadership team.

Alison has overall responsibility for nasen’s educational objectives.

In this context, we now have the SEND and AP Improvement Plan, so how much closer does this bring us?

What was really heartening was to see a reflection back of the vision that certainly nasen, and likely many others, urged the Department for Education (DfE) to recognise and to share.

This is seen in their stated aim to: ‘…create a more inclusive society that celebrates and enables success in all forms, with the cultures, attitudes and environments to offer every child and young person the support that they need to participate fully, thrive and fulfil their potential’ with the ‘…process of identifying needs and accessing support to be early, dignified and affirmative, focusing on a child or young person’s achievements, talents and strengths… and … easier to navigate, with parents being clear on what support they can expect for their child and where they can turn for help…’

Perhaps next we could describe SEND and AP as processes within an education system rather than as separate systems of their own.

In this vision, learning is designed for the ‘margins’ and so works for all; it is truly universal. It is about creating enabling environments, in the broadest sense, in which all children and young people can thrive.

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BIO

IN CONSULTING ON THE GREEN PAPER, THE GOVERNMENT IDENTIFIED THREE KEY CHALLENGES OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM: ailing to deliver improved F outcomes for children and young people with SEND Declining parental confidence in the system Financial unsustainability, To address these challenges, the Improvement Plan lays out a range of actions, the detail of which is in the plan (https://bit.ly/3G4cX6R).

There are also useful summaries on the nasen website (https://bit.ly/43IHP7a).

Interestingly, a strong feature of the proposed reforms is the emphasis on how they will be implemented. The Government listened to the consultation responses which identified that the primary reason the aspirations of

the 2014 reforms weren’t achieved was a lack of attention to implementation.

This time, delivery will be supported through a Change Programme which will structure the testing and refining of key proposals, as well as supporting local SEND and AP systems to manage local improvement.

This Change Programme will be the delivery vehicle for the work through the creation of up to nine Regional Expert Partnerships, each made up of three to four local authorities, one of which would be the lead.

One of the tensions for reform is timescale.

We are acutely aware that problems need

to be addressed immediately and that the children and young people currently within the system deserve the best experience now. To achieve meaningful engagement with all stakeholders, to get anywhere near real co-production and to properly test and refine the elements of the reforms, however, means being realistic about the length of time needed for the process.

The worst-case scenario here is that nothing that would have a positive impact on outcomes for at least two more years will happen, and then only if there is no change in government.

Securing accountability for enacting the changes within the reforms is another area under question. The aspects which will make up the suite of National Standards are to be underpinned with legislation, enabling intervention if standards are not met: lear expectations for what good looks like in identifying and meeting a range C of needs (what provision should be ‘ordinarily available’ and what provision should be made through Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans) Who should secure what provision Where funding provision should come from (which budgets) Evidence-based approaches to identification and intervention (for SEN Support).

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SEND CONSULTATION

The Improvement Plan sets out an intention to ‘design accountability measures’ as new work is undertaken, including the role of Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The DfE has agreed with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to engage health and social care bodies on specific standards, so that the standards will recognise roles and interdependencies but within existing statutory frameworks for health and social care.

Where there is accountability, the need for training to meet the responsibilities to be discharged must be assessed.

Chapter four of the Improvement Plan focuses on the development of a ‘skilled workforce and excellent leadership’.

IN SUPPORT OF THIS, INTENTIONS FOR EDUCATION INCLUDE: new leadership level SENCO NPQ (National A Professional Qualification) for schools A review of the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Early Career Frameworks Funding for up to 5,000 more early years professionals to gain a Level 3 SENCO qualification Funding to train two more cohorts of educational psychologists and Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pathfinders to improve access to speech and language therapy Publication of three practice guides for ‘frontline professionals’, focusing on autism, mental health and wellbeing and early language intervention A research project leading to the development of a ‘longer-term approach for teaching assistants’ to ensure their impact is consistent.

It’s likely that many schools will need access to high quality professional development for their staff to be confident that they can make the required provision to be set out in the National Standards available.

This should be easier to plan for, knowing that the schools’ voice will be heard through representation in any group tasked with writing the standards, and by a timescale which doesn’t see the majority of them rolled out until the end of 2025.

Whilst there are more points of action within the Improvement Plan, it inevitably sits alongside the existing ‘system’ and tries to make it work better. Anything radically different was pragmatically unlikely.

If we want to take steps towards the ideal of inclusion by design, perhaps building upon the foundation of what will become the national standards will be a starting point. Rather than risk any ‘race to the bottom’, where these standards become a comfortable benchmark, they should be a minimum expectation upon which further professional innovation will build.

Great practice and provision should be in the hands of educators and the ability to engage in professional development and learning is how to unlock inclusion by design.

Great practice and provision should be in the hands of educators and the ability to engage in professional development and learning is how to unlock inclusion by design.

Look out for opportunities to work with nasen to do this and let us know if your school or setting is already innovating; perhaps our own test and refine process can bring us closer to where we want to be.

SEN2 Survey:

is live data on the horizon?

Gareth Copeland, education consultant, OLM Systems, examines the role of data in decisionmaking, future changes to how and what we collect and asks whether live data could be on the horizon. ften referred to as the ‘SEN2 Survey’, the special educational needs survey is now changing. For many years, local authorities have been submitting aggregate data on their SEND cohort. This return gives the Department for Education (DfE) an overview of the SEND landscape and allows it to identify trends and patterns, yet its usefulness is somewhat limited, and this type of data collection is outdated for today’s social care landscape. However, the new format of the special educational needs survey presents both challenges and opportunities for all local authorities.

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WHAT HAS CHANGED? Every January, this statutory data collection takes place. Local authorities complete the return with data from the previous calendar year and submit the data back to the DfE. The survey collects information on children with education, health and care (EHC) plans across England. The reason for its importance is that these returns are the only complete source of data on EHC plans maintained by local authorities across England. With few amendments for several years, this is now all set to change in 2023.

This has implications for local authorities, ranging from the need for more accurate data recording, to less reverse engineering of aggregate numbers, as well as new questions being asked. So, what’s next?

Is live data on the horizon?

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BIO GARE T H CO PE LAN D Gareth Copeland is an education solution consultant specialising in SEND at software firm OLM Systems. He has worked in and around education systems and supported SEND teams for more than 15 years. Gareth has worked with almost 100 local authorities throughout his career implementing, developing and demonstrating software in the education sector.

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➜ LEADERSHIP TEACHING & LEARNING

As the new return is not aggregated, fewer calculations are needed, which should mean that the data submitted is more robust and accurate.

Historically SEN2 as an aggregate level return means that, rather than receiving information on individual children, the DfE collected high level data counts of children who fit into particular predetermined criteria. For example, a local authority would be expected to submit the total number of children with an EHC plan for a specific age range.

However, there will be a shift this year.

With data backdated through the 2022 calendar year for assessments, and even further for all EHC plans, local authorities will instead be expected to submit detailed information on a per child basis. This additional data encompasses details such as the child’s name, date of birth, gender and ethnicity. It also includes details on information contained within the child’s EHC plan, such as the start date and the establishment named in the plan.

Although the DfE has not released much insight around the reasons for the change, the advantages of person-level returns over aggregate data may be the driving force behind the decision. In addition, another driver could be the proposed plan to digitise the EHCP process.

LIMITS OF CURRENT DATA, AND FACILITATING ANALYSIS

MORE ROBUST, ACCURATE DATA

As it can’t be ‘sliced and diced’ in any meaningful way, aggregate data is of limited usefulness. Without the context of individual data, anything more than rudimentary analysis of the predetermined criteria is impossible.

For instance, under the previous return, it was impossible to establish even the most basic of questions (for example, identifying how many four-year-olds across the country had an EHC plan).

In other sectors, children’s social care for example, returns are already submitted with personal level details. Therefore, making the change to SEN2 means it would be possible to match this information with other collections, allowing even further detailed analysis.

One of the new requirements for 2023 is the inclusion of a Unique Pupil Number (UPN), issued to pupils by schools at the beginning of their education, which are often used to match information between datasets.

The DfE publishes guidance every year on how each of its predetermined aggregate questions should be calculated.

This document is quite lengthy, and criteria can be complex, which increases the potential for local authorities to misinterpret the requirements and submit inaccurate data.

As the new return is not aggregated, fewer calculations are needed, which should mean that the data submitted is more robust and accurate.

With the previous return, any new questions the DfE wanted to ask in the predefined criteria, needed to be published in advance in order for software suppliers to make the change and for local authorities to update their processes.

However, as the DfE is now requesting the details of each individual, it is now possible to ask almost unlimited questions of this data going forward without having to pre-warn every local authority and supplier in the country – unless of course the new questions require more data to be added to the return.

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WHAT A RE T H E I M PL I C AT I O N S FO R LO C AL AUT H OR I T I E S ?

The DfE can undertake a great deal more with data submitted via the new return, but what are the implications for local authorities?

Throughout 2022, OLM has been working closely with local authorities to develop the return from our software, and several implications have been identified: T he return requires more data to be submitted, which will mean that this data needs to be recorded by the local authority in the first place. In reality, all of the data the return asks for is most likely being recorded by the LA but not necessarily all in the place they would generate the return, usually the case management system.

Many local authorities will hold EHC plan details in specialist plan writing software rather than where they manage the assessment and review processes. The new return requires all this information together for the first time. This could give additional benefits to local authorities in the long term, but will be a significant undertaking initially.

This will undoubtedly mean local authorities would have needed to backdate and fill in the gaps on their entire cohort before the return date back in January.

FILLING THE GAPS As mentioned at the beginning of this piece, the 2023 return contains data for the 2022 calendar year, and indeed for every child with an EHC plan in the local authority. The DfE issued the current guidance in August 2022, which means local authorities didn’t know everything they needed to return at the start of the reporting period in January this year and certainly not when they previously issued EHC plans.

This will undoubtedly mean local authorities would have needed to backdate and fill in the gaps on their entire cohort before the return date in January. With roughly half a million EHC plans in place across the country, that is a substantial amount of work for already stretched teams.

BETTER PROCESS One significant advantage of the new return for local authorities is that it’s much easier to troubleshoot. SEND staff would often previously spend significant time trying to reverse engineer the aggregate data to check for accuracy before submission. That time should decrease now that they are doing less processing before the return is submitted.

Moving to a more detailed, person-level return has significant benefits to the DfE and could help them with better planning, analysis and provision of the EHC plan cohort moving forward. There are likely benefits for local authorities in having their data more integrated in order to provide the return easily. It may take a few years of providing the return before they break the back of the extra workload it will place on them. However, the big question remains, is live data on the horizon?

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Welcome to th he Learning Evolu ution OrCam Learn is an integrative solution that assists and builds confidence of students with reading and learning differences and supports their educato ors. It consists of: A personal learning companion for studentts Read any text, printed or digital

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Applications open for September 2023

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FEATURE ➜

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SPOTLIGHT

social and emotional wellbeing Dr Gina Gomez de la Cuesta, clinical psychologist, examines the therapeutic benefits of collaborative model-building for children with SEN ll children need opportunities to play, make friends and feel accepted.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw how essential social interaction and social play is for all children and how missing out on these opportunities can negatively affect a child’s social, communication and emotional development.

It is imperative that all children, including neurodivergent children, are given opportunities to develop meaningful

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relationships and are given the tools and support they need to thrive in the world.

Children have different natural ways of communicating, socialising and experiencing the world.

Unfortunately, society can lack understanding and acceptance of children who are neurodivergent, who think and experience the world differently. For example, we know that autistic children experience high levels of exclusion and are often not given the same opportunities as other children to socialise in ways that support and accept them.

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This can lead to children with autism feelinglike they don’t have a place to belong and experiencing high levels of anxiety and low moods.

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FEATURE ➜

SPOTLIGHT

A study from the University of British Columbia’s department of psychology and the AJ Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University (Pennsylvania) found that nearly 78 per cent of children with autism have at least one mental health condition. Research indicates that anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions are more prevalent in autistic children.

Experiencing high levels of anxiety can significantly impact a child’s physical and mental health, their confidence, and their desire to form friendships.

We have worked with the LEGO Foundation, consultants and academic experts to develop a play-based group programme designed to support children’s social, communication and emotional development. Children know it as ‘Brick Club’. Clinically devised from research on the importance of learning through play and acceptance of neurodiversity (https://bit.ly/3KVOHFJ), the Brick-byBrick programme represents the latest thinking in LEGO® based therapy.

We know that many children get tremendous joy from building LEGO models in a supportive environment with peers. With the right adult facilitation that encourages learning through play, acceptance, child agency, and collaboration, children coming to Brick Club develop various social, emotional, communication and motor skills. Over several months of weekly sessions, children may start to feel more confident, less anxious and start to see improvements in communication, emotion understanding and social wellbeing.

RELATIONSHIPS Relationships in this programme develop through the meaningful activity of building LEGO models together. Each club provides a safe space for children between six years and adulthood, to collaborate with other children who have a shared interest. Children are encouraged to relax and be themselves, facilitating the development of relationships with others through their common interest and the shared task of building. The learning-throughplay concept can be adapted to meet children’s different strengths and needs and can take place in a school or alternative setting; it is a flexible and adaptable approach.

Children who take part can take turns or work together to build LEGO models: they can either build sets following instructions or creatively design their own models; depending on their preference and how far along in the programme they are. As they build, children talk to each other and communicate together about their task, often making friends in the process.

COMMUNICATION Research (https://bit.ly/3Li6acz) has found that children with autism often communicate very effectively when they are with other autistic individuals. In the programme, children are encouraged to communicate in a way that works for them and that allows everyone to understand each other. Different communicative styles are welcome, and this safe environment for children to be themselves is crucial to reduce anxiety around joining in conversations, asking questions and practising the use of new words and phrases.

The programme methodology supports listening skills, flexibility in language and the ability to describe colour, size, shape and position. Describing the pieces should not be the primary focus of the programme; it should be a means to allow the children to collaborate successfully and work together as a team.

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SOLVING CHALLENGES AND CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT Inviting children to brainstorm ideas with their peers allows them to think creatively and listen to and consider other people’s opinions. When children build LEGO models together, they will experience challenges and successes.

Perhaps a piece is missing, or they do not have enough of the right colour brick – this can be frustrating.

Perhaps something they have worked on for several weeks has been completed and they feel proud and excited to show their friends and family.

All these emotions can be experienced, validated and explored to support a child’s emotional understanding.

Best of all, they can work together with their team-mates to overcome any challenges, so they are not alone.

Building models is also a great way to experience that making mistakes is not something to be scared of. LEGO bricks can easily be removed or added back on if something doesn’t quite go to plan.

FEELING CONFIDENT One of the potential benefits of the programme is the fact that LEGO bricks are a methodical and predictable construction system, which can sometimes really appeal to neurodivergent children. Visual instructions, attention to detail, the ability to be creative, as well as follow instructions, are all important factors in the appeal of LEGO building.

Often, children tell us that building with LEGO bricks can be very relaxing, which can be helpful for children who

experience anxiety. Moreover, having a safe place to be yourself and collaborate with others in a structured, well-defined way, can help children feel less anxious in a group situation. The highly structured play system and the familiarity of the bricks themselves also makes a difference to anxiety levels.

As children develop feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem, they can start to feel less anxious about social situations in other aspects of their life.

Children tell us that building with LEGO bricks can be very relaxing.

IMPROVING UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE While the programme may be particularly helpful to support the social and emotional development of autistic children, many children could benefit from taking part.

During the sessions, young people learn that their personal qualities, individual strengths and needs are valued and accepted.

Relationship building is mutual and the programme is an inclusive concept enabling neurotypical children to learn and engage

alongside their neurodivergent peers.

It can also be a helpful place for children who share a diagnosis to come together with others who share similar experiences and preferences. Meeting and socialising meaningfully with others who share something in common with you, such as a diagnosis of autism, can be a validating and powerful experience.

The collaborative play with LEGO bricks also means neurotypical peers learn to understand, accept and

value children with autism. As such, it is a valuable tool for breaking down the barriers to understanding and acceptance that autistic people can face in their communities.

And so, by introducing LEGO building as a tool for learningthrough-play, young people will be supported to have meaningful social opportunities, develop friendships and a sense of belonging, enabling them to thrive in the world beyond the school gates and throughout life.

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BIO D R GINA GO M E Z DE L A CUE STA Gina founded Play Included (formerly Bricks for Autism) in 2018, supported by the Cambridge Social Ventures incubator programme, University of Cambridge. She is co-author of the LEGO based therapy manual and continues to be involved with academic research as well as clinical practice in the NHS, specialising in autism and child and adolescent mental health. She has published several academic papers on LEGO based therapy, including for the I-SOCIALISE randomised control trial. For more information, visit www.playincluded.com

LIVE CONFERENCE

Two world leading neuroscientists present:

The Impact of ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) on the Child’s Developing Brain How to interrupt the trajectory from painful life experiences to long-term social, behavioural and mental health problems.

Saturday 17th June 2023 10am to 5pm (including lunch) Dr Martin Teicher (USA) world-leading neuroscientist from Harvard University who has studied the impact on the brain of shouting, criticism, bullying, domestic violence, smacking, physical and sexual abuse.

Professor Eamon McCrory Professor of Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology at University College London and Co-Director of the Developmental Risk and Resilience Unit. Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. Research areas: Brain imaging on impact of childhood maltreatment.

Psychological approaches to emotional development and mental health.

This conference is a must for all mental health professionals!

To book: £89 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/617695553027 www.childmentalhealthcentre.org

Venue: Centre for Child Mental Health The London Art House 2-18 Britannia Row London N1 8PA

FEATURE ➜

SPOTLIGHT

Using technology to transform classrooms With budgets increasingly under pressure, and space at a premium for many schools, sensory rooms can be challenging to provide – but can software offer a solution?

Sal McKeown examines the role it can play to offer pupils a sensory experience that schools can accommodate more easily to provide additional benefits for pupils with SEND. harlton Park Academy in south London has embraced the concept of using software to create a sensory effect in all 32 classrooms. This means that staff can work together to create and share learning resources across the school so all the children can access them.

Karen Panter is one of the teachers who has been using it regularly. Her class consists of six pupils aged 11-19 with profound

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and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).

They receive therapy as well as education during their school day and may spend part of their time in a bed or a standing frame. In the past, staff would try to get learners into sensory rooms during the week but there were many obstacles for pupils with this complexity of needs. Now, using software, the sensory room comes to them.

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FEATURE ➜

SPOTLIGHT

ENGAGING LEARNERS AND ENCOURAGING RESPONSES In the morning, pupils start with greetings and a ‘Hello’ song before a more formal registration.

Everyone joins in because everything is accessible.

Pupils can interact using their voice, switches, or eye gaze via a connected iPad and their photograph comes up on the screen. Karen and her team have noticed that pupils are responding more readily, anticipating their picture appearing and reacting to photos of their friends.

Several have Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI), a disorder that affects the parts of the brain that process vision, so multisensory inputs are even more important. They use music, songs and sound effects to engage interest, and music to support their physiotherapy and their relaxation.

They can also use the input device to request sound effects or play accessible music.

One factor in increased engagement is that they are using the ceiling and walls as a screen, and this had been a revelation. For pupils in beds or on recliners this works especially well, and staff can see that their visual tracking is improving.

“The virtual aquarium has been magical for Rory,” said Karen. “Every time the dolphin appears, his face lights up and he tracks it across the ceiling.

The team keeps changing the image to make sure it is not an arbitrary response, but his reaction is always the same. We have a consistent benchmark now and can go on to assess his visual needs to see if he responds more to the dolphin on the white background or the black background.”

BUT WE’VE ALREADY GOT A SENSORY ROOM Many schools already have a sensory room.

Why change? Ask yourselves these questions:

MAKING PUPILS MORE INDEPENDENT I s it easy to keep clean and hygienic?

Is it easy to devise and manage stimulating new activities?

Will it adapt to a student with increasingly complex needs?

Can you incorporate web pages, YouTube, videos, sound effects and lighting into your activities?

Can pupils in wheelchairs and beds use it easily?

Can learners interact via speech, eye gaze, tablets, phones, switches, keyboards, breath, game controllers, microphones and more?

Will it translate speech to text or image symbols in real time?

Does it offer VR experiences?

Some software can offer templates that schools get as part of the package, including cause and effect activities. At Charlton Park Academy, animals are very popular. “The safari scenario has a lion that comes on and roars, and with the farmyard activity they become really vocal when different animals appear,” says Karen. “The more they communicate, the more staff can see of their personalities. Mike is so cheeky. When it is his turn, he will deliberately move his hand away from the switch and then smile to keep us guessing.”

Some groups work together and take turns: one person might press a switch that changes the main image, another one might change the background and a third call up their favourite character, so learners can explore and get different effects, and don’t necessarily have to rely on adults. For once staff can take a step back and let pupils make all the decisions.

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BIO SAL M CKEOWN Sal McKeown is a freelance journalist who writes about disability, education and technology.

For more information on sensory software, visit https://sensoryguru. com/

BRINGING POETRY AND DRAMA TO LIFE Bryher Pennells works with learners with PMLD and SLD, and teaches across the school and with the respite unit. Here she describes some of the fun she has had with software that the school uses to create a sensory experience: “I have the big screen, two further screens, a projector and UV in my room, activated by voice or switches. Poetry can be quite abstract and so I used software to enhance the poems that we were working on. Engagement is vital. Doing this encourages concentration and focus, tracking visual processing, and opens up fun activities. Many of our pupils do not access their imagination easily and experiences are not something

they can immediately conjure up.

“We do lively poems, such as Skimbleshanks and The King’s Breakfast, and I set out different areas to enhance whatever poem we’re doing. It’s working very well. Take the story of Matilda by Hilaire Belloc, with its climax: ‘That Night a Fire did break outYou should have heard Matilda Shout!

You should have heard her Scream and Bawl, And throw the window up and call’ “With this software and ultraviolet, the learners see the flames and the house burning down so they are in the poem, because the whole room becomes an immersive learning environment.

“It’s great for drama as well. In the past if we did a production of

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Cats you’d have a pair of cats’ ears on Alice bands, or you’d get an eye pencil to sketch out a couple of whiskers. Imagine the difference when the whiskers are fluorescent! A sensory room is not a distraction from ‘real learning’, it enhances it and focuses the pupils’ mind on the script. Of course, there is the occasional drawback to UV. I’ve got a few spare tops in case people’s underwear suddenly becomes visible!

“I’m still not using the tech to its full potential, but it’s a very easy tool to use. You can go straight into the software and do multiple things at the same time, so the world is your oyster.”

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FEATURE

➜ SPOTLIGHT TEACHING & LEARNING

Behaviour Hubs:

a lead school’s perspective Pete Hines OBE and Sarah Vaughan, headteacher and deputy headteacher of Perryfields Primary Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), share their experiences of being a lead school in the Department for Education’s Behaviour Hubs programme. he Behaviour Hubs programme was launched as a three-year pilot initiative by the Department for Education (DfE) in April 2021. The aim of the programme is to support school leaders by helping them to create calm, safe and supportive environments.

The programme offers tailored support, training and advice aimed at improving behaviour culture. Partner schools that choose to join the programme are matched with a lead school with an exemplary track record in behaviour.

Behaviour Hubs is by far the most exciting thing Perryfields has been involved with in the last 30 years. Perryfields, a primary PRU in Worcester, has long been involved with collaborative work and supporting other schools in South Worcestershire.

But as a lead school, we are now having a national impact supporting special schools, PRUs

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and alternative provisions across the country that have chosen to join the programme.

At Perryfields, we believe what underpins the positive behaviour culture and successful learning environment is the focus on high quality teaching and the relational approach we adopt with our pupils. After all, the most powerful tool at our disposal to influence pupil behaviour is the relationship we build with them. Behaviour Hubs place a strong emphasis on collaboration – whether through the one-to-one support we provide as lead schools, or the termly networking and open day events. All touchpoints on the programme are an opportunity for lead and partner schools to share their experiences and behaviour approaches.

Having a fresh and compassionate set of eyes to support and work in collaboration has been especially effective when co-producing action plans and forging a constructive path forward.

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BIO SARAH VAUGHAN Sarah is the deputy headteacher of Perryfields and leads on the Behaviour Hubs programme. Sarah had extensive experience of working in mainstream before joining the Perryfields team in 2018.

Sarah is passionate about improving the life chances of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils and shares her experience through training and supporting schools both in Worcestershire and further afield.

For more information about DfE’s Behaviour Hubs programme and how to apply, visit www.behaviourhubs.co.uk

After all, the most powerful tool at our disposal to influence pupil behaviour is the relationship we build with them.

BIO PETE HINES OBE

Though Perryfields has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, we have learned an incredible amount from other lead schools, as well as partner schools, on the programme. Ongoing continued professional development is a priority in order to enable our staff to continually grow and upskill their knowledge and ability.

The structure of the Behaviour Hubs programme has given us so much opportunity to share this insight, with both our own staff and our partner schools across the country.

The level and complexity of the needs of our pupils has grown rapidly and notably since the pandemic, and we constantly strive to improve our practice and boost pupil outcomes. The partner schools that we support respond strongly to this growth mindset: as long as there are pupils to teach, the behaviour journey continues and adapts with them. They understand that we are there in a supportive capacity and not to judge them. This leads to a spirit of openness, honesty and trust, forging relationships that will last long beyond the end of the programme.

Behaviour Hubs have enabled us to meet some truly inspirational people who are passionate about making a lasting impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils in special education and alternative provision settings.

After all, that’s why we became teachers and educators: to help pupils unlock their potential and maximise outcomes.

We need to be the lifeboat for those pupils who need us most. Thanks to being a lead school on the Behaviour Hubs programme, we have been able to reach more pupils than we ever thought possible.

Pete is the headteacher of Perryfields Primary PRU in Worcester, which provides behaviour support to the 113 primary, first and middle schools in South Worcestershire. Perryfields has been judged to be outstanding by Ofsted on four consecutive occasions and was one of the initial 22 national lead schools on the DfE’s Behaviour Hubs programme.

Pete is a strong advocate for High Quality Teaching and the importance of building strong and nurturing relationships with all pupils. He has been at Perryfields since 2005.

One of our partner schools, Burton Academy, now graduated from the Behaviour Hubs programme, commented on how their view of what a behaviour journey looks like has changed since joining the programme.

“The Behaviour Hubs programme has provided The Burton Academy with an opportunity to work in partnership with a team of inspirational educational professionals; not just from within the teams leading the programme, but also from the wider community of participating schools.

“We assumed (wrongly, it turned out) that our journey towards becoming a good or outstanding school would be a simple matter of adjusting and refining our existing model of delivery. Instead, the Behaviour Hubs programme taught us that outstanding schools need to be prepared to become leaders-for-change within their local community of schools – setting the agenda for a paradigm shift in aspiration and cultural change on a much larger scale.

“I can’t overstate how important this has been; we were given a golden opportunity to visit outstanding provision after outstanding provision and, crucially, to identify common themes within all of them.”

– Headteacher at Burton Academy.

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BOOK REVIEWS

Reviews

100 IDEAS FOR EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONERS: SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH SEND This handy, pocket-sized book is a musthave resource. It is filled with creative and engaging multi-sensory activities and strategies to support the learning and development of children with SEND in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

As increasing numbers of children are being identified with special educational needs when they start in the Early Years, this book is a valuable source of support for practitioners in private, voluntary or independent (PVI) settings and mainstream nursery and reception classes.

Susan O’Connor uses her experience as a former reception teacher and SENCO to present 100 practical ideas for practitioners to dip into to meet the

individual learning needs of children with SEND. A wide range of needs is covered in the book, including attention and behaviour difficulties, speech and language difficulties, early signs of dyslexia, autism and dyspraxia, and social and emotional difficulties.

With ideas focusing on fine and gross motor skills, working memory, social skills, early speech and language skills, and self-esteem and wellbeing, these quick, fun and practical activities are easy to implement for both indoor and outdoor learning.

The ideas are organised by skills in a clear, accessible way with great teaching tips, bonus ideas and suggestions of how to take the activities further.

Author: Susan O’Connor Price: £13.31 (Amazon) Publisher: Bloomsbury Education ISBN: 987-1-4729-7235-4 Reviewed by: Mandy Wilding, education officer, nasen (Early Years)

NURTURING YOUR AUTISTIC YOUNG PERSON

Author: Cathy Wassell Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978 1 83997 111 2 Reviewed by: Theresa Baldry-Lee, family support adviser

‘Nurturing Your Autistic young Person’ catches your eye straight away with its bold and bright cover. From the very first page, this book radiates honesty and authenticity. It is simply written in language that everyone should be able to access and understand. The author has also thought to add a content warning before a section on self-harm, together with the page number of the next section should you wish to go straight to it. In the chapter ‘Co-occurring Conditions’, it was interesting to learn of a selection of neurodifferences which tend to occur in autistic people. These conditions were clearly explained and included a ‘How Can You Help’ paragraph at the end of each.

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The book is written in such a way that it does not have to be read page by page. It is very easy to find the relevant chapter or piece of information you are looking for; however, the book is hard to put down once you start! It is broken down into three parts: What is Autism?

Living a Happy Autistic Life and Diagnosis and Beyond. The chapter on support and the appendices are extremely useful.

Positivity comes through on every page and the inclusion of case studies from ‘real people’ only enhances the validity of this book. You feel from reading this book that the author is not only knowledgeable but that she is writing from the heart – it definitely is an au-some book!!

ASK THE TEAM

team Ask the

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There is always a steady stream of questions arriving at nasen House and, of course, the Education Team answers them as soon as possible. But, while many of them are specific to a particular context, the answers to a number of them could be helpful to the wider nasen membership. ‘Ask the team’ provides the space to share these questions and answers.

01827 311500

@nasen_org

@nasen.org

If you have a question, and think the answer would be useful to everyone, please submit it to education@nasen.org.uk Of course, you can always give nasen House a call too.

TEACHING TRIADS

In our planning for next year, we have decided that our teaching triads will use research with a focus on SEND as the basis for their development within their subject, pedagogy or pastoral approaches.

Are there any recommendations for where they could be pointed to find this?

Teaching and learning lead, Rochdale

SENCO NPQ

As a headteacher in a special school, I read the new SEND and AP Improvement Plan with interest.

Currently, myself and my deputy are the nominated SENCO for the school and I am wondering if the new SENCO NPQ will be something that is required in special schools?

Headteacher, Staffordshire When the requirement for the NASENCO award to be mandatory for newly appointed SENCOs was enacted, it was only for mainstream schools and colleges. It is highly encouraged that special schools have someone named as SENCO who undertakes the role. The new SENCO NPQ received a mixed response upon release of the plan and the full details have not yet been made available. At the moment, it is unclear as to whether this will apply to all settings, including special schools, rather than the current requirement for mainstream.

Watch this space! As well as the article in this month’s magazine detailing some of the aspects of the plan, we will continue to feature the improvement plan in the magazine as this will have impact on all settings. In the meantime, nasen has produced some role-specific guidance and a response to the plan, available here: https://bit.ly/3Ll2zuK

What a great idea! As Michael Fullan said, “the principal’s role is to lead the school’s teachers in a process of learning to improve their teaching, while learning alongside them about what works and what doesn’t.”

Continuing development is key to improving schools and allowing autonomy and agency to staff is part of this. As part of the nasen membership, you have access to three journals of research. These are a great place to start, as well as Google Scholar (https://bit.ly/3JfofWK).

The journals are: • J ournal of Research in Special Education (JORSEN) – this has more of an international flavour https://bit.ly/3lcNtgl •B ritish Journal of Special Educational Needs (BJSE) – more UK focused but with some international articles https://bit.ly/3YFGbiU • Support for Learning (SfL) – very practice focused and might well be a good place to start https://bit.ly/3ZHnkVU

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ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

I have been looking to extend use of assistive technology within school to more pupils than those with SEND. We are fortunate to have had a class set of Chromebooks purchased by the PTA, however, we have been asked by our IT support about what we want installed to support learning. Is there a prescribed list of resources that you can recommend?

Assistant headteacher, Dewsbury We are not able to provide a prescribed list of resources. However, in the Assistive Technology section of our website (https://bit.ly/3z6GDwj) you will find an audit tool that will be useful in identifying areas that are most in need of development.

There is also a list of resources and products that may be useful, along with the webinars from Microlink that update you on what’s new in assistive technology, which will identify the latest in AT support.

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EVENTS

Events

Diary ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity: A New Paradigm Conference 2023 16 June 9.30 – 16.30 St George’s Hall, St George’s Place, Liverpool, L1 1JJ Internationally renowned leaders will share insights on best practice, innovation and technology; diversity in the workplace; and culture changes in the rapidly evolving technology driven context of 21st Century UK. Cost: £240 (20 per cent discount at Hilton Hotel) To book: https://bit.ly/3lcJXTf

National Autistic Society The Autism Show 23-24 June 2023 National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham Select from over 100 hours of free-to-access, CPD certified talks, clinics and workshops, plus hundreds of specialist products and services.

Cost: Online tickets: parent / family carer, £20, Professional, £25, Concessions (Autistic adult/ receiving DLA or PIP/ unemployed/ student), £18 To book: https://bit.ly/3YOax2E

Whole School SEND Identifying and supporting speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) – Secondary & Further Education 20 June 2023 16.00 – 17.00 Online webinar: Find out about the key signs that could indicate that a learner has a speech, language and/or communication need, and about universal, targeted and specialist support for learners with SLCN, using a graduated approach Cost: FREE To book: https://bit.ly/3IgscdT

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Early Years Fundamentals Webinar Series) 21 June 2023 16.30 – 18.00 Online webinar: From a global pandemic to a crisis in the cost of living, it is now more important than ever to ensure that children’s PSED is prioritised and supported. We will discuss the three main areas of PSED, as well as guidance for embedding PSED into your everyday practice.

Cost: £20 To book: https://bit.ly/3lHT9zm

National Governance Association Summer Conference 1 July 2023 9:00-15:30 The Lowry Hotel, Salford, Manchester The keynote will look at courageous leadership with workshops on collaborating across a locality, safeguarding, addressing disadvantage, whole school wellbeing and many more topics for governors and trustees.

Cost: Available to members To book: https://bit.ly/3pmffZq

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National SEND Conference 2023 21 June 2023 Central London Hear from the DfE about the latest requirements and expectations, explore the next steps in delivering high quality teaching interventions and assess how to successfully meet the standards of the SEND Code of Practice and the SEND Inspection Framework.

To register interest: https://bit.ly/3RUlbS7

nasen Live 2023 ‘SEND and Beyond’ 7 July 2023 Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham Cost: Early Release ticket £79, standard ticket £99 To book: https://bit.ly/3tRXMHg

Good mental health at the heart of your school CPD-accredited and DfE-assured online course for Senior Mental Health Leads This course will give you the knowledge and skills to implement a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, placing good mental health at the core of everything you do in your school.

BOOK NOW annafreud.org/smhl

Any questions, please email: SMHL.Training@annafreud.org