In this podcast episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) podcast, Georgina Durrant and Lynn How explore the realities of being a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO). Lynn shares her passion for supporting children and young people with SEND, offering insights into the rewards and challenges of the role. She discusses the highlights of being a SENDCO, the pressures they face, and the ways they navigate their responsibilities, including the graduated approach (https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/nckeg) and the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process. Lynn provides guidance on the EHCP process (more information can be found here

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/15qn9c ) The episode also delves into the importance of collaboration with teachers, senior leadership teams (SLT), and parents, as well as practical advice on managing wellbeing in a demanding profession. A must-listen for educators and anyone invested in inclusive education.

EHCP Course: https://twinklpd.com/ehc-plan-explained-offer

Information on the Graduated Approach: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/nckeg

Lynn's links: https://positiveyoungmind.com/

This podcast episode from our Twinkl SEND podcast "SEND in the Experts" hosted by Georgina Durrant, focuses on supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Georgina is joined by Joe Faultley, an autistic and neurodivergent advocate with dyspraxia and anxiety, who works at the Council for Disabled Children and is an active member of the SEND and education community. Joe shares his personal experiences, insights on autism advocacy, and advice for improving education for autistic students, emphasising the importance of supporting children and young people with sensory processing differences, communication needs, and anxiety. He highlights his work in promoting awareness, acceptance, and understanding of neurodiversity through media and delivering training. This episode offers practical tips for educators to better support SEND learners, in particular autistic learners.

Find out more about using Twinkl Symbols to support children and young people with communication here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/ypt3j

or download the free Twinkl Symbols AAC app: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1asrsn

Find out more about supporting autistic children and young people here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/140sia

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disability podcast, Georgina Durrant chats to Colin Foley from the ADHD foundation. They discuss what ADHD is and how ADHD can present. Colin shares advice on supporting children and young people with ADHD and they also dispel myths surrounding ADHD. They also discuss the impact that puberty can have on ADHD symptoms.

ADHD foundation's website: https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/

ADHD resources:

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/krero

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) podcast, Georgina Durrant chats to the CEO of nasen. They discuss her career, her passion for supporting children and young people with SEND and her vision for the future of SEND education in the UK. They also discuss the nasen awards, nasen Live and the nasen assured status that Twinkl Symbols received.

nasen assured Twinkl Symbols: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/symbols Twinkl Symbols is a collection of visual symbols designed to support communication for individuals with speech and language difficulties or special educational needs (SEND), allowing them to express themselves through pictures and visual representations, often used in the form of communication boards or books created through the Twinkl Symbols app or web tool; essentially, it's a system to aid communication through visual imagery. 

SEND Small Steps resources - created for learners who need clear, structured lessons in maths that are simple and don't cause visual stress.: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1ia65m

nasen website https://nasen.org.uk/

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Podcast, Georgina Durrant was delighted to be joined by Dr Gavin Morgan, chair of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology at the British Psychological Society.

Georgina and Gavin discuss a whole range of topics, including:

• The role of an Educational Psychologist (EP) and when teachers might need them.
• When EPs are needed for EHC needs assessments
• The impact of a shortage of EPs
• Workload of EPs
• How schools can work effectively with EPs.

Find all of Twinkl's inclusion resources here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1a5ag2

• Find out how to apply for EHC needs assessment as a SENDCO here : https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/15d5ze
• Learn and understand what is involved in the EHC Plan review process here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/xchp3
• Learn more about the role of an educational psychologist here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1c4mxi

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Podcast, Georgina Durrant is joined by Jo, the CEO of the Down Syndrome Charity Learn and Thrive. Jo is Mum to a teenager with Down's syndrome. Much of the inspiration for the Learn and Thrive charity's projects come from her real-life experience of supporting a wide range of young people with Down's syndrome through her work in the charity and education sectors. The charity provides free online educational resources for the SEN community through two projects: Teach Me Too for early years (find out more here  https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/ppb1s ) and Learning for Life (find out more here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/zojn1) for young people (find out more here)

Georgina and Jo discuss what Down's Syndrome is and the common misconceptions. They also discuss Learn and Thrive's resources and the importance of teaching RSE to all children. Jo provides fantastic advice on how to talk about puberty and relationships with children and young people with Down's Syndrome and other SEND. Listen to our previous episode on Down's Syndrom here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/rvi19

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) podcast (SEND in the experts with Georgina Durrant), Georgina Durrant is joined by Natalie Packer. Natalie is an Independent Education

Consultant, specialising in SEND and school improvement. She develops and delivers a wide

range of training and support, including SEND reviews, to schools and multi-academy trusts. She

works closely with several trusts to support their strategic development of SEND and is a trustee

of Learn-AT in Leicestershire. She is an associate for national organisations Nasen, Whole

Education, Forum Strategy and Leadership Matters. Natalie regularly writes online articles for

Optimus and The Key for School Leaders and is the author of The Perfect SENCO, The Teacher’s Guide to SEN and her latest book 'Beyond Boundaries: Leading Great SEND Provision across a Trust'

Other podcast episodes mentioned and related:

Gary Aubin - Lone SENDCO : https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/send-in-the-experts-with-georgina-durrant/id1598292028?i=1000651993889

Ginny Bootman - Being a SENDCO :https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/send-in-the-experts-with-georgina-durrant/id1598292028?i=1000641910100

*Disclaimer: Please be aware that this episode contains strong language.*

In this episode, of our special educational needs and disability podcast, SEND in the experts with Georgina Durrant. Georgina speaks to Sue Cowley! Sue Cowley is a presenter, teacher trainer and author of more than 30 books on education. A qualified early years teacher, she has worked in early years settings, primary, secondary and international schools in the UK and overseas. Sue’s international bestseller 'Getting Your Class to Behave' has been translated into ten languages and is now in its sixth edition.

Sue has written articles for the TES, Teach Primary, Teach Early Years, Nursery World, Early Years Educator and Teach Secondary. She has featured in numerous education videos and was a regular presenter on Teachers TV. 

She has also written curriculum materials for Oxford University Press. Sue works internationally as a presenter, providing keynotes and training for organisations including Teach First, the NEU, Swim England and The Football Association. Sue has been part of the leadership team helped at her local early years setting for the past 15 years.

Georgina and Sue discuss strategies for good class behaviour, how to ensure you're neuro-affirming in your approach and the importance of clear expectations.

Find 'Getting Your Class to Behave' here and 'Learning Behaviours: A Practical Guide to Self-Regulation in the Early Years' here

Sue Cowley's website can be found here suecowley.co.uk

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disability Podcast, Georgina Durrant is joined by Steph Curtis. Steph, mother of two teenage girls aged 18 and 16, launched her blog, "Steph's Two Girls" on the day her younger daughter Sasha was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2.

Steph experienced a ‘lightbulb moment’ soon after when she came across descriptions of a specific profile of autism known as Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). The features of PDA resonated deeply with her, as they accurately characterised her daughter's unique challenges. This discovery served as a catalyst, inspiring Steph to utilise her blog as a wider platform for sharing her family's experiences in order to help others understand more about PDA.

With her newly published book "PDA in the Family" Steph has shared her family’s experiences since that day of diagnosis, in the hope that this will help families who are navigating PDA feel less alone. With unique insights from Sasha's father, sister, and Sasha herself, this book offers insider knowledge and advice from one family to another and provides a greater understanding for those working with PDA children.

Listen to our Podcast episode with the PDA society here : https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/send-in-the-experts-with-georgina-durrant/id1598292028?i=1000579397090

Find the PDA Society Podcast episode also on the Twinkl website here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/ujlk5

Find out more about the PANDA approach for supporting children with a PDA profile here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1jp34k

As well as how to 'pick battles' when supporting a child with a PDA profile here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/tvmcu

Steph's website can be found here https://www.stephstwogirls.co.uk/ and her book here https://www.stephstwogirls.co.uk/2023/10/pda-in-family-book.html

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) podcast 'SEND in the Experts with Georgina Durrant', Georgina Durrant chats to Stephanie Smith, Head of School at Cambridgeshire’s first state-maintained special free school provision for young autistic students the 'Cavendish School'

They discuss everything about making schools better for autistic children and young people.. from removing attendance barriers and supporting EBSA, trauma-informed approaches, creating a sensory space/room, working in partnership with autistic learner's parents, lunchtimes, playtimes to developing life-skills in a practical and authentic way. 

Useful links: 

⁠SEND Small Steps Curriculum 

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/10m1g3

⁠Sensory Room Information⁠

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/kj4fg

⁠Sensory Profile Assessment⁠

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/gcbif

⁠Cavendish School's Website:⁠

⁠https://thecavendishschool.org.uk⁠