SEND is increasingly becoming an area of most need for our schools. While there are experienced SENCOs in some schools, overall SEND expertise is seen as an issue to address and the increase in students with complex needs, in mainstream classrooms, means staff need support in how to effectively adapt their practice to meet the changing need. 

We also recognise that following the COVID-19 pandemic, SEND needs have risen, placing increased pressure on schools to service and meet SEND needs within their schools. We have concerns, too, about the external support for SEND, including associated agencies, and placements outside of mainstream education for those that require them.  

The work of the SEND Leads (Julia and Gill) is in both supporting schools operationally and working strategically to ensure we have alignment in policy, processes and practice. The key priorities and objectives for the year ahead are:

Priority Objective
Ensuring top quality first line classroom practice.  To ensure classroom practitioners throughout the trust have the knowledge and skills to effectively teach those with a range of SEND needs, in a mainstream classroom context.
Effectively identifying SEND needs.  To embed a common suite of screening and other identification tools to ensure all schools within the trust are effectively identifying SEND needs in a timely manner.
Delivering high quality SEND support in the classroom. Ensuring that support for those students identified as requiring SEND support is effective across all the core areas of need identified in the SEND code of practise. 
Supporting young people effectively through EHCPs.  To ensure schools effectively support young people and their families in securing an Education Health Care plan if this is considered to be in the best interests of the young person, and to ensure that such plans are met efficiently and accurately.
Ensuring effective SEND administration and school-level organisation. To ensure schools SEND departments are well organised, with clear roles and responsibilities, suitable support for staff, and that the management of SEND administration is effective, with clear, structured record keeping and monitoring arrangements.