Spring term - 1 February 2022
DSLS Spring School Leadership Briefing
16 February 2022
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“Inclusion and Education – all means all.”
We have a growing number of children and young people in our mainstream schools with special educational needs including social, emotional, medical and mental health difficulties. These children and young people are the most likely to be excluded, become school refusers, achieve poor outcomes and struggle in our mainstream education system.
So how do we change the outcomes and life chances for these learners? We need to ask ourselves, are our schools really inclusive, what does an inclusive education look like and how do we start to transform the mainstream education system so it meets the needs of all our pupils?
At our Spring Briefing, DSLS is delighted to welcome a range of experienced SEND leaders from across Devon to share their experiences with us. Many of the pupils in specialist and alternative provision settings have had difficult experiences in mainstream education. Sarah, Rob and Mark will share with us what they have learnt from working with these children and young people and help us to reflect on how we ensure our schools are truly inclusive.
In the afternoon session, Paul Walker will share the perspectives of an experienced school leader reflecting on preparation for Ofsted when you receive that call and what to expect during an inspection including what a Deep Dive into supporting & meeting the needs of SEND pupils might look like.
Concluding the day, Andy Smith, Headteacher will share first-hand experience of a recent inspection at Haywards Primary.
We really hope you will be able to join us for what will be a stimulating and engaging day.
The DSLS Schools Executive Committee
Sarah Pickering - Headteacher, Mill Water School
“Nothing to do with me guv, I teach GCSE Latin”
It can be easy to think SEND is a special school issue however we know that isn’t the case. With numbers of EHCPs rising and more and more girls being diagnosed or slipping through undiagnosed, we need to be doing more in mainstream schools (even if you do teach GCSE Latin). I will hopefully leave with you with an understanding of the range of SEND provisions in Devon and some key information about ASC. I really hope to convince you that thrive rooms and therapy rooms are not the answer and that everyone can do this work.
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Mark Escott - Co-Founder of The Life Chance Group & School for Inspiring Talents
Refreshing our approach to SEND
(Looking at SEND through a Trauma Informed Lens)
Schools and organisations have had to adapt and innovate due to Covid-19. Leaders have had to make decisions, lead teams, adapted policies and manage their schools under circumstances they never could have imagined. In this session we will look at how the team at, School for Inspiring Talents. Supports its students through a Trauma Informed Lens. We will discuss what we have all learned collectively over the last two years. Sharing best practise between mainstream and special school settings. Helping to transform the life chances of our communities.
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Rob Gasson – CEO, Wave AP
Inclusion policy and practical barriers/ Emotional Based School refusal (help!)
We will look at the meaning of inclusion in your setting, what barriers are in place and how do we dismantle them, are we willing to? There is a significant rise in Emotional Based School Refusal, what can we do to help reduce this?
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Tracey Jones – Project Lead, Devon SEND 100 Project
This session will provide information and updates about the SEND 100 project and what is available to support Devon mainstream schools including:
- The SEND Helpline advice service for educational professionals.
- Specific SEND training modules to develop staff CPD.
- Outreach from Babcock LDP supporting learners with high needs at SEN support.
- Outreach from specialist settings (SW SSTA) supporting learners with an EHCP and providing strategic SEN guidance.
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