 The November 2025 edition of the SENCO newsletter includes:
- Area SENCO update
- SEN Information Reports
- Ofsted’s New Framework: A stronger focus on inclusion
- Why Words Matter – a brilliant free resource for schools
- Update about MAIC
- Update about Exceptional Needs Fund
- Information sessions for parents
Update from Helen Jackson-Brench, Area SENCO
Welcome to the second SENCO newsletter of the autumn term. I hope you all had a restful half term and have settled back into school life.
It was wonderful to see so many of you at our recent training sessions on Tribunals and Mediations, and more recently on Annual Reviews. For anyone who was unable to attend, the recordings and presentation slides are available on the password protected part of the SENCO Hub.
Our next SENCO Network Meeting will take place in person at Highwood Primary School on Wednesday 26 November. We’ll begin with refreshments from 3.30pm, aiming to start promptly at 3.40pm. This session will be a valuable opportunity to hear from our specialist schools and schools with resource bases, helping us gain a clearer understanding of their admission criteria and the support they provide for their learners. There will also be time for questions about the process of placing a child in a specialist setting. Please do join us if you can.
Planning is well underway for our SEND Conference on 29 January 2026. We’re delighted to have secured two exciting keynote speakers and will be offering a range of workshops for you to sign up for. We’re currently finalising the booking system and hope to share more details with you in the next couple of weeks.
Hopefully, by now you’ve had the opportunity to roll out the Ordinarily Available Provision training to all staff in your setting, using the presentation available on the SENCO Hub. I’ve spoken to several SENCOs who have shared how positively the training has been received by their teams.
If you have already delivered the training and would like an additional copy of the booklet for your staffroom, please let me know.
If you haven’t yet managed to deliver the training and would like some support, please contact the Area SENCO Team, who will be happy to help
Wishing you all the best for the remainder of the half term as we head towards Christmas.
SEN Information Reports
Just a reminder that it is a statutory requirement that your School SEN Information Reports are published on your school’s website and updated annually.
They should be dated for 2025/ 2026 and be easily accessible to parents. Please also make sure that the Wokingham Local Offer link is on your website.
We will be carrying out website checks this term to make sure that everyone has an up to date report published.
If you require any assistance in writing your SEN Information Report, please do not hesitate to contact the Area SENCO Team.
Ofsted's new framework: A stronger focus on inclusion
Ofsted’s new revised inspection framework comes into effect this week. It places inclusion firmly at the heart of inspection.
A key change is the creation of a new evaluation area for Inclusion, where inspectors will consider how effectively schools support pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, and others facing barriers to learning. Inclusion will also feature as a thread running through all other judgement areas - leadership, curriculum, behaviour, and personal development.
Ofsted will also move away from issuing a single overall grade, instead giving separate judgments across key areas. Inspectors will take greater account of context, such as local disadvantage and pupil intake, when forming evaluations.
For SENCOs, this shift highlights the growing importance of inclusive leadership and whole-school responsibility for ensuring that every learner’s needs are met. It’s an opportunity to showcase the impact of effective SEND practice and its role in driving school improvement.
What this means for schools
Inclusion is no longer an isolated focus. Every aspect of leadership, teaching, and curriculum should reflect a shared commitment to meeting the needs of all pupils.
Our Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) Guidance is central to supporting schools in achieving this. It sets clear expectations for inclusive classroom practice and provides practical examples of how to meet pupils’ needs as part of everyday teaching.
Embedding the OAP guidance will help schools demonstrate to Ofsted that inclusive practice is consistent, evidence-based, and integral to the school’s ethos and provision.
Why Words Matter - a brilliant resource for schools
The Autism Education Trust’s Terminology Guide: Why Words Matter is a fantastic, free guide co-created with autistic young people. It helps schools think about the language we use around autism - and how simple changes can make a big difference to inclusion and belonging.
The guide encourages us to move away from deficit-focused terms like disorder or intervention and instead use positive, strengths-based language that recognises difference, not deficit.
It is clear, practical and easy to use and is a great resource for helping to make language more inclusive and respectful. Please do share it with staff in your settings.
Update on MAIC
What is MAIC?
The Multi Agency Inclusion Clinic (MAIC) is a fortnightly multi-disciplinary meeting where both primary and secondary schools can bring forward individual cases of pupils at risk of long-term absence. This absence may be due to reasons such as medical vulnerability, Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) or risk of permanent exclusion (PEX).
Why refer to MAIC?
MAIC provides a valuable opportunity for schools to access advice and guidance from a wide range of professionals. Regular panel members include representatives from PYJS, Virtual School, Educational Psychology, PMH4Y, Early Help, SEND and school staff. This collaborative approach ensures that each case benefits from multi-agency expertise and tailored recommendations.
Current waiting time
We are pleased to report that the current waiting time for a case to be discussed at MAIC is just two weeks, thanks to our fortnightly meeting schedule.
How to refer
The online referral form and further information are available on the SENCO Hub. MAIC - Multi-Agency Inclusion Clinic
Update on Exceptional Needs Fund (ENF)
ENF is ring-fenced budget of High Needs funding to support local schools and groups of schools to support pupils with complex needs who are entering the education system for the first time, had moved in from abroad or another borough without an EHCP but showed significant need or who had experienced a life-changing event for which they needed enhanced support.
We would like to inform schools that the ring-fenced budget for this financial year has now been fully allocated. As a result, no further applications for funding can be accepted at this time.
We recognise the importance of continued support for these pupils and are currently reviewing the future of this funding to ensure it remains fit for purpose. Any updates or changes will be communicated to schools in due course.
Information sessions for parents/carers
SENDIASS are offer offering two online information sessions for parents
EHCPs – A Parent’s Guide
For parents going through the EHCP process for the first time. Learn what to expect throughout the application process.
Tuesday 18 November from 10am to 11.30am
Preparing for Adulthood (from Year 9 onwards)
Explore how to plan and support your young person’s future, focusing on their strengths and aspirations.
Tuesday 25 November from 7pm to 8.30pm
Visit Events | SEND Voices Wokingham for more information.
A reminder that parents of learners with an EHCP can also book an appointment with a member of the SEND team to talk through any queries they have about their child’s EHCP or current support.
Bookings can be made via Wokingham Borough Council SEND Service event tickets from TicketSource.
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