To wrap up Season 2 of the SEND Network Podcast, India speaks to Dr Susie Nyman about multi-sensory learning and how she creatively teaches her students science. 

 Susie explores how SENDCOs can use props to help teach students with SEND in a multi-sensory manner, even with items found in a charity shop, and shares some specific techniques listed in her Multi-sensory Teaching Toolkit.

Here are Susie's three main tips on providing great multi-sensory experience:

• Have fun with your students
• Use your imagination
• Take risks 

About Dr Susie Nyman

Dr Susie Nyman is a multi-sensory  teaching expert who has over 25 years' experience teaching science and as a SENDCO in Reading. She is also curriculum manager at The Sixth Form College Farnborough and has taught PGCE students at Kingston University.

Contact Susie
 
Twitter: @DrSusieNyman

In this episode of the SEND Network Podcast, India speaks to Nicholas Prempeh about the transition for students with SEND into post-16 education. They explore the challenges young people face and how SENCOs, teachers and practitioners can support their students going through this transition. 

Nicholas explains the importance of getting the right support at the right time, how parents and the school can work together and why it is important to give a young person with SEND autonomy over their future. 

To make transitions easier for not just the young person with SEND but also the practitioner, Nicholas suggests:

• Moving out of your comfort zone as a professional.
• Building good relationships with fellow SENCOs/practitioners.
• Be the support structure for the young person and their family.

About Nicholas Prempeh:

Nicholas Prempeh is a senior school leader, SENDCo, teacher and Child Protection Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the Secondary and Alternative Provision education sector.

Contact Nicholas:

• Email: [email protected]
• Twitter: @NicholasPremp

We hope you enjoy this episode! Please do share your thoughts in the comments as well as any other useful tips on transitioning to post-16 education.

This is a special bonus episode of the SEND Network Podcast! Recently, the SEND Network were lucky enough to attend the Tes SEND Show.

Izzy Felton caught up with some of the speakers and exhibitors at the show. To give you insight into what went on, whether you attended or not, we've put together a compilation of what they had to say.

Speakers featured in this episode

Taneisha Pascoe-Matthews - Assistant Headteacher and mother to two autistic children
Dr Tracy Packiam Alloway - An award-winning psychologist specialising in memory and the brain

Exhibitors features in the episode
 
The ADHD Advocate
Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity
Fired Up Technologies
The Autism Training Network
LiMoo
Your Space Therapies

The SEND Network

For more information and resources, access the Podcast Discussion Room here: https://send-network.co.uk/rooms/the-send-network-podcast

New to the network? Register here: SEND Network | An online community for SEND professionals (send-network.co.uk)

In this episode of the SEND Network Podcast, India and Kate speak about identifying the needs of children with SEND. 

SENCOs and the wider school need a mindset of curiosity in order to help children get the support they need and thrive in the classroom.   

Kate's key points on identifying what SEND support a child needs includes:

1. Using the assessment tools available   
2. Identifying gaps in a child's learning
3. Working as a community to give a child the best support possible
4. Regularly reviewing and re-evaluating whether support needs to be adapted

 
About Kate Browning

Kate is a consultant and trainer who has spent the last 20 years advocating for the role of the SENCO. Kate has worked as a class teacher, a SENCO, a Local Authorities School Improvement Officer for SEND and as an Education Development Officer for Nasen. Kate teaches the National Award for SEN Coordination and facilitates the SENCO Network meetings for over 200 schools across Leicestershire and Warwickshire.

Contact Kate:

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: Kate Browning @kate_browning2  

The SEND Network

For more information and resources, access the Podcast Discussion Room here: https://send-network.co.uk/rooms/the-send-network-podcast

New to the network? Register here: SEND Network | An online community for SEND professionals (send-network.co.uk)

In this episode of the SEND Network Podcast, India is joined by educational psychotherapist Angela Greenwood. They discuss supporting children to be safe to learn. Angela offers pointers on how practitioners can nurture relationships with SEND children and children who have experienced trauma. 

Angela notes that to create a secure base for learning, practitioners should nurture a secure relationship with SEND children. Some of the ways Angela suggests SENCOs can support children are as follows:

• Wondering and teaching children they are ‘held in the mind’ even when you’re not with them.
• Adopting attachment and trauma-aware teaching strategies and what that looks like.
• Setting boundaries between yourself and the child. 

Angela Greenwood

Angela Greenwood has been an educational psychotherapist for over 30 years. Before this, she worked as a SENCO in a primary school. Over the years, Angela has created and delivered numerous training courses, created educational posters for schools, and authored a book Understanding, Nurturing and Working Effectively with Vulnerable Children in Schools.

Contact Angela

Email: [email protected]

The SEND Network

For more information and resources, access the  Podcast Discussion Room here: https://send-network.co.uk/rooms/the-send-network-podcast

New to the network? Register here: SEND Network | An online community for SEND professionals (send-network.co.uk)

The SEND Network podcast is back for a second season and to kick things off, India is joined by Kate Browning to discuss three ways that SENCOs can manage their time.

These include:

1. How you plan out your year as a SENCO - which aspects of your SENCO role can you plan for over the year?

2.  How leadership for SEND is distributed across the school 
 
3. Admin support and how this works 

About Kate Browning

Kate is a consultant and trainer who has spent the last 20 years advocating for the role of the SENCO. Kate has worked as a class teacher, a SENCO, a Local Authorities School Improvement Officer for SEND and as an Education Development Officer for Nasen. Kate teaches the National Award for SEN Coordination and facilitates the SENCO Network meetings for over 200 schools across Leicestershire and Warwickshire.

Contact Kate:

Email: [email protected] 
Twitter: Kate Browning @kate_browning2  

The SEND Network

For more information and resources, access the  Podcast Discussion Room here: https://send-network.co.uk/rooms/the-send-network-podcast

New to the network? Register here: SEND Network | An online community for SEND professionals (send-network.co.uk)

The Tes SEND Show is for anyone and  everyone who works with children with special educational needs and disabilities.  This year it will be held on the 13th and 14th of October at the Business Design Centre in London. Registrations are open now!

In the season finale of the  SEND Network Podcast, India speaks to the director of the  flagship Tes SEND Show, Beverley Walters, gaining exclusive insight into the event, learning about why it is so special and also finding out about what to expect from this year's show.

The show hosts over 40 seminars and presentations over two days, as well as live workshops, a leadership summit, a teacher/parent/carer forum and, of course, the marvelous poetry competition.

The Tes SEND show covers a wide range of subject areas, stemming from the four main areas of need and reflecting the current landscape of the sector. The programme is representative and responsive, meaning that there is something for everyone.

Can you sum up the Tes SEND Show in 3 words?

1. FUN
2. COLLABORATIVE 
3.INCLUSIVE  

Register for the Tes SEND show here: https://www.tessendshow.co.uk/

   
New to the network? Join the community today!


Register here: https://send-network.co.uk/ 
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SEND_Network
Say hi on Instagram:  http://bitly.ws/JKVi 
Keep up to date on LinkedIn: SEND Network: Overview | LinkedIn 

When supporting children with SEND, parents and practitioners must work collaboratively and compassionately.

In this episode of the SEND Network Podcast, India and Jo speak about how practitioners can best support parents and carers at each point of their journey.

Jo's parent/carer journey:

1. Realisation
2. Information gathering
3. Enquiries
4. Empowered Parents

Jo's 3 main takeaways:

1. There are action taking and non action taking stages of the parent/carer journey and all journeys are different and not necessarily linear.

2. The key to successful collaboration with parents and carers sits within validating experiences and releasing 'professional armour'.

3.  Practitioners should guide parents by always striving for more, even when faced with barriers.

About Jo:

Jo is a specialist pediatric physiotherapist as well as the founder and director of SENStory CIC which is a team of specialises who deliver fun, play based therapy, leisure and learning opportunities in nature. She is determined to re-write the SEND narrative and provide inclusive environments for children to learn and develop.

Links: 

Order Jo's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Equipping-SEN-Children-Life-Neurodiversity-ebook/dp/B0B8CSZHKT
Read Jo's blog here: https://jomcmeechan.com/blog/
Order Jo's online services, including her toolkit builder here: https://jomcmeechan.com/shop-2/

Contact Jo:

Website: https://jomcmeechan.com/
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: (1) Jo McMeechan SENStory CIC (@JoMcSENStory) / Twitter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo_mc_physio/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-mcmeechan/

By having regular, meaningful experiences with language, a child is given the opportunity to make choices, express themselves, and better communicate how they feel.

Reading is an access point to a world of potential and in this episode, Dr Sarah Moseley talks to India about how we can best encourage children to engage with language by creating an inclusive reading framework for all children. 

Sarah's 3 main takeaways from this episode are:

1. We must diversify our understanding of reading to include more ways children can engage with language.

2. Go with the learner: start with what interests them and gradually introduce more reading as their interest and confidence builds.

3. Keep the fun in reading! Make reels, write rap, act out the story, built Lego words - keep the child engaged!

About Sarah:

Sarah is a consultant, trainer and author with over 25 years of experience working in both mainstream and specialist settings, filling roles from a teaching assistant to head teacher.  Sarah has spent nearly 20 years researching special educational needs and has a masters and PhD which focuses on the teaching of reading to all learners.

Her ethos is that every action, no matter how small, can make a difference and she aims to bridge the gap between theory and learning, to create a culture where high expectations thrive, improving outcomes for all pupils.

Her book, 'Teaching reading to all learners, including those with complex needs' is linked below.

Contact Sarah:

Website:  https://www.drsarahmoseley.com/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07740391970
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drsarahmoseley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drsarahmoseley/?locale=en_GB
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sarah-moseley-a7a32646/

Links

Order Sarah's book: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003220046/teaching-reading-learners-including-complex-needs-sarah-moseley
 
Read Sarah's blog: https://www.drsarahmoseley.com/blog

Attend Sarah's webinar 'Empowering Minds' here: Empowering Minds live online | Dr Sarah Moseley Edu

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The SEND Network is an online community for SEND practitioners. Register here free to access hundreds of resources and connect with your peers: SEND Network | An online community for SEND professionals (send-network.co.uk) 

How can educators create a culture of strength based, neuro-affirming practice?

In the final part of our 'supporting neurodivergent children' series with Cheryl Bedding, India and Cheryl discuss the importance of consistency within a setting and throughout the unique journey of each child.

Cheryl's 3 main take aways from this conversation are:

1.  Ensure that there is a whole-team approach, and that all staff are signing from the same hymn sheet when supporting children
2. Understand and consider the needs of children, staff and parents
3. Ensure that there is consistency in your narrative that children are unique, capable and competent learners   



About Cheryl:

Cheryl is an award winning SEND consultant and trainer who has nearly 3 decades of experience working in early years. In her consultancy, Aperion Training, Cheryl practices  a strength based, neuro-affirming approach which serves to create inclusive and inspiring environments.

Links:

Aperion Training: Home | Aperion (aperiontraining.co.uk)
Download Cheryl's FREE environmental audio here: Shop | Aperion (aperiontraining.co.uk)

Contact Cheryl:

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: Cheryl Jean (@cherylBedding) / Twitter
Instagram: Cheryl | Early Years Neurodiversity Trainer & Consultant (@aperion_training) | Instagram
LinkedIn: Cheryl Bedding | LinkedIn