Welcome from Iain Peel, interim director of education, strong start and integration
Thank you for taking time to read the October edition of the SEND newsletter. I know it's an incredibly busy time for parents and carers, young people, education providers, health services and third sector organisations.
This newsletter provides some important developments, but before going any further I would like to thank you all for welcoming me so warmly into Cheshire East.
I'm currently providing some capacity as interim director having spent my career working in schools, children's services, with government departments and working in the not-for-profit sector.
The environment within which we work is changing. Big policy announcements are on their way via an education white paper and through a new provider inspection framework. It means that SEND and inclusion will rightly take a bigger role for everyone. As the term progresses, we'll know more about these important areas, but one thing won't change: Children, young people and their families will remain at the heart of everything we all do.
I hope you find the newsletter to be useful, and I look forward to meeting with you later in the year.
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Meet your designated clinical officer (DCO) Ingrid Bell
The Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) continues to be a key role in supporting health services, following the implementation of the Children and Families Act 2014, part 3. The scope of the role is very broad and can vary regionally.
We are delighted to welcome Ingrid Bell, our new DCO for Cheshire East, who shared more with us about the importance of the role below:
"I am an experienced DCO, previously working in Merseyside and am delighted to have the opportunity to support the SEND children, young people and families in Cheshire East.
I am a strong advocate for co-production and value the strength of working within a multiagency forum, keeping children and young people at the centre of everything we do."
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Welcome to Tia Sohi, interim head of SEND transformation
We have also recently welcomed Tia Sohi as interim head of SEND transformation at Cheshire East Council. Hear from Tia below:
"I have previously worked within schools on SMT as a SENCO and subject lead within alternative provision and pupil referral unit, then transitioned into local authorities working my way through the various roles and layers of a SEND Team (SEN officer, manager, area lead, head of service).
I have been privileged to work on many DFE delivered projects such as safety valve, delivering better value and was appointed a sector led improvement partner to work alongside Local Authorities who required SEND expertise within transformation and improvement.
I have a huge passion for all things education, SEND, inclusion and belonging and recently submitted my Doctorate on ‘The place and space for alternative provision’.
Outside of this role I am a consultant executive headteacher of an alternative provision specialising in autistic spectrum condition, and a consultant delivering training, talks and reflections on new initiatives and products entering the market to make the world of SEND a more accessible place to work in (AI tools, profiling systems and academic attainment tracking).
I'm really excited to be here, and I am looking forward to meeting you all!"
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Celebrating success - annual SEND conference
  Earlier this month we proudly hosted our second annual SEND Conference— which once again proved a resounding success.
Led by our participation team alongside SEND youth group Jigsaw, the event brought together young people from special schools, including those supporting pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, the home education community, and a wide range of professionals from the SEND and Alternative Provision Partnership Board.
It was a vibrant day of learning, collaboration, and creativity, all focused on shaping better services and support for children and young people with SEND.
During the event young people took centre stage, co-delivering workshops on key themes in inclusion, our TOGETHER strategy and the Local Offer for SEND, and preparing for adulthood.
These sessions provided a platform for young people to share their experiences, ideas, and recommendations directly with professionals, ensuring their voices are heard in shaping future services. The day was also packed with fun and skill building activities, including team building challenges, circus skills, bush craft, marshmallow toasting and arts and crafts. These activities helped build confidence, spark creativity, and strengthen connections between young people and professionals.
All feedback and recommendations gathered during the conference will be presented to the SEND and Alternative Provision Partnership Board. helping to inform and improve services across Cheshire East.
If you know a young person with SEND who would like to have their voice heard and develop new skills, we’d love to hear from you. Contact participation@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Inclusion is everybody's business - strategy update
 Thank you to all schools and partners who attended and contributed to the inclusion strategy event in September.
The event was a well supported and collaborative conference where we officially launched the co-produced inclusion strategy. Together, we agreed on a shared vision for inclusion in Cheshire East:
“Everyone supporting the learning, wellbeing and safety needs of all our children so that they belong, achieve and thrive.”
Throughout the day, attendees reflected on how the six key priorities within the strategy align with the work happening across their settings. There was also valuable feedback on the focus areas identified during our previous event in the summer term.
One key area of collective commitment was: enhancing the knowledge and skills of our education community, parents, and partner agencies around the graduated approach — with a particular emphasis on Ordinarily Available and Inclusion Provision.
To help deliver on this priority, we’re excited to offer a series of training sessions in November and December, led by Gary Aubin, a nationally recognised expert in inclusive education. These sessions are open to all schools, parents, and wider partner agencies, supporting a unified and consistent approach to inclusive practice across Cheshire East.
Spotlight on The Orchard at Leighton Academy
Cheshire East Council’s SEND Locality Manager, Anna Pike, recently paid a visit to The Orchard at Leighton Academy — a specialist 20-place SEN unit designed to support children with cognition and learning, as well as speech and language needs. The unit welcomed its first cohort of students during the summer term.
Their aim is to create a calm, happy and structured environment in which children feel secure and can develop their skills, confidence and self-esteem. They deliver all areas of the National Curriculum by adapting mainstream plans. They also emphasise the development of fine and gross motor skills, play and social skills, and provide enrichment activities which support the development of life skills (e.g. cooking).
During her visit, Anna saw first hand how settled and engaged the children were. They were enthusiastically taking part in creative activities themed around dinosaurs, and we had the chance to view some examples of their written work. Staff spoke warmly about the positive impact the provision has had, not only on the children’s learning but also in supporting family life beyond the classroom.
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