Behaviour & Communication
What and Why?
The current SEND landscape is a difficult terrain to navigate.
Growing Numbers and Need
Over 1.4 million pupils in English Schools have an identified Special Educational Need.
Numbers with a recognised SEN are still rising. Broad areas of need have been categorised into:
- Communication and Interaction
- Cognition and Learning
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs
- Sensory and/or Physical Needs
There is an intensity and complexity (Comorbidity) of need that has never previously been experienced. The sharp increase in mental health needs, across all age ranges, coupled with the impact of this in SEND is far reaching. There are extensive opportunities to work with our students and colleagues in order to develop whole school mental health, wellbeing and integration frameworks which would have a direct impact on the lived educational experience of all pupils.
The recent SEND Review:
- New standards and qualifications for SEND provision
- Staff training to identify SEND earlier and improve SENDCo skills
- Tools to monitor performance of SEND and AP provision to be introduced
- Multi-year budgets for APs and a framework to monitor pupil movements
- AP to become an integral part of the local SEND systems
- EHC Plans: a standard digital format, 'tailored list of settings' for parent/carers
- EHC Plans: Mandatory mediation to be introduced
- Greater accountability in academy-based system
- Introduction of over 100 new and AP specialist free schools into nominated regions
- £10 million to be invested in training of new EPs
- Continued funding for low-income families and Children in Care (Virtual School Head)
- Increase in funding Circa. £4 billion
- Levelling up funding to be introduced to support mainstream schools to develop the capacity to identify SEND needs early and deliver targeted intervention.
One of the standout statements within the SEND review is:
"...changing the culture of mainstream education, putting it on a par with specialist settings".
The implications associated with this statement are deep and far reaching. Whilst there is no shortage of desire from mainstream settings to achieve this there is, by it's very nature, a short fall in workplace skillset and whole school strategy.
To bridge any gaps identified, schools and training providers are encouraged to get in touch to discuss the specific needs of their setting. Tailored, bespoke support can be agreed which may take the form of INSET delivery, specific training packages, upskilling programmes, pre-planned ongoing visits and/or ad hoc visits.
Support can be offered for all areas of SEND with particular expertise in SEMH, attachment, trauma, whole school change and provision overview.
Additionally, support can be offered in writing quality EHCP requests, running annual reviews, support in setting effective targets, data system introduction/implementation and use of data tracking to identify trend/needs and illustrate impact.
We can use standardised assessment or informal methods to support and identify needs. Assessments can cover (but not restricted to) self-esteem, emotional literacy, language and social skills.
Our behaviour and communication training courses can also be tailored to individual settings, ranging from the design and delivery of ITT training, ECT modules, basic training/foundation skills, all the way through to more advanced extension techniques.
Training can be delivered as a one hour stand alone, more regular sessions, whole day sessions or bespoke tiered training packages. If you wish to discuss how this could look for your setting, please contact:
