SEN bulletin July 2023
Message from Madhu
Dear SENCOs,
As we come to the end of the academic year, I would like to thank you all for your support over the last few months. It has been full of activity, with the launch of the LA ASEND strategy, planning conferences and training, I have had reverse mentoring from two young people from Spring Hallow Post - 16, met with parent partners to ensure we are providing fun and welcoming feedback spaces for parents, and had the pleasure of attending the SEND FSPA celebration.
It has also been a challenging time for everyone with the increase in ERSAs, lack of staff and resources. However, we have all continued to be committed and passionate in ensuring we do the very best we can. Your work has made a valuable difference to the lived experience for our children and young people with additional needs.
Next year we will ensure to capture and share more of the good practice that happens every day in our schools so that we can learn from and celebrate each other.
I know you would like to join me in thanking the Primary and Secondary lead SENCos for their support this year. They have offered advice and guidance to many of you and have shaped partnership conversations and work streams with the LA.
Finally, I would like to say a special thank you to Sam (consultation line) for the bespoke advice, coaching and mentoring she has provided for many SENCOs, senior leaders and LA officers this year. Sam has also ensured that our good work, training offer and communications with SENCOs has continued whilst I have been settling into my new role.
I wish you all a safe and restful summer break and look forward to seeing you in the new academic year.
HAF
The referral pathway is open, for any vulnerable children and families who you feel may benefit. More details were shared at the DSL network about who might be eligible, but you can also check here:
Link to the referral form HAF Vulnerable Children/Young People Application - Summer 2023 (office.com)
Mental health summer workshops for parents
Please share this information about summer workshops for parents from the Mental Health Support Team. This includes sessions on results day anxiety and transition to high school.
Inspections
Ealing can be rightly proud of our schools. All schools reported on in this academic year were good or outstanding. Provision for children with additional needs has been highlighted in many reports:
‘Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from the same rich experiences as their peers... Leaders make sure that they identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND as early as possible. Staff provide appropriate, tailored support to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve highly.’
‘Leaders provide excellent support for pupils with SEND. The needs of pupils with SEND are met in class and in the wider curriculum.’
‘Leaders also identify pupils with SEND quickly and accurately.’
‘Behaviour is seen as a form of communication and staff respond accordingly. Leaders ensure that staff at all levels receive appropriate training. As a result, adults respond to pupils with a high degree of consistency.’
Occupational therapy survey
The OT service would like your feedback on the service this year. You should have a link from your therapist, or click here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DZ23JHQ
Supply TAs to work with pupils with SEND
Ealing preferred supplier, Reed, currently have 20 supply TAs on their books looking for September work. Contact Maria education.msp@reed.com for more information.
Ealing speech and language therapy
Talking Walks
Supporting language development can happen at all times throughout the day and in a range of settings. We are encouraging parents and school staff to think about ‘Talking Walks’ when out and about.
You might:
- Label what you can see (i.e. nouns)
- Talk about what is happening (i.e. verbs)
- Describe how things look or feel (i.e. adjectives)
You could do this in the playground, at the park, at the supermarket… anywhere! We have posted a range of Talking Walks examples on our Facebook page. Check them out here! - https://www.facebook.com/SLTEaling/
Emotional Regulation
Understanding and regulating emotions can be difficult for lots of children and young people. Children might become physical towards themselves or others or they may withdraw from their surroundings. We can support by:
- Exploring emotional vocabulary
- Modelling emotional regulation strategies
- Linking emotions to real life situations and feelings
- Use visual resources such as Zones of Regulation
Check out our YouTube videos on how you can explore and support learning around emotions!
- Using drawings to help children understand social situations
- How to help your child manage their emotions
- How to help your child learn emotions words
Autumn term training
There are already 64 SEN/Inclusion Training sessions listed on ECPDO – Ealing Continuing Professional Development online. Share with staff and sign up! Development Opportunities | Ealing Schools CPD Online (ealingcpd.org.uk)
SENCO network and SENCO induction events
Primary SENCO network meetings:
- Wednesday 27 September 2023 from 2- 4pm
- Wednesday 22 November 2023 from 2- 4pm
- Wednesday 31 January 2024 from 2- 4pm
- Wednesday from 17 April 2024 from 2- 4pm
- Wednesday from 10 July 2024 from 2- 4pm
SENCO conference date Wednesday on 21 February 2024 from 9- 3pm
SENCO induction meetings:
- Tuesday 26 September 2023 from 1-3.30pm
- Tuesday 30 January 2024 from 1-3.30pm
- Tuesday 16 April 2024 from 1-3.30pm
Secondary SENCO network meetings:
- Wednesday 18 October 2023 from 9-12noon
- Thursday 28 February 2024 from 9-12noon
- Thursday 3 July 2024 from 9-12noon
Secondary SENCO and Inclusion lead joint networks
- Wednesday 31 January 2024
- Wednesday 24 April 2024
Supply TAs to work with pupils with SEND
Ealing preferred supplier, Reed, currently have 20 supply TAs on their books looking for September work. Contact Maria education.msp@reed.com for more information.
CAMHS waiting list groups
For parents/carers whose young people are on the CAMHS treatment waiting list - 8-week online parents/carers programme
Support Group is a safe and confidential space for parents/carers to gain information and skills to support their young person as well as receive peer support from other parents/carers. Please note this is not for parents of young people with a significant learning disability. Here is the referral form.
Free NHS wellbeing sessions for adults
The primary care NHS mental health service provides support and offers workshops and groups that can be delivered on site to all adults in school. The service focuses on supporting adults with common mental health and well-being difficulties.
We can offer generalised or bespoke workshops depending on what you feel would be most relevant to you and your team. Workshops use presentations in large or small groups. We find that larger groups can be more effective to reduce any concerns around stigmatisation, however, breakout groups are also effective if people are wanting a space to open up more.
Contact Ellie, the Community Engagement officer at Ealing Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) for info/to book sessions for your staff: ellie.jones24@nhs.net
View Ealing Improving Access to Psychological Therapies IAPT flyer
These sessions have been recommended by staff at Tudor Primary. If you have any courses, resources or outreach you would like to recommend to your SENCO colleagues via the bulletin, please let us know on sendline@ealing,gov.uk.
Action research or lesson study project with NASEN
In 2023 the National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) launched the new ‘Universal SEND Services’ programme. Funded by the DfE this project includes numerous free CPD offers.
Led by the University of Derby, this part of the Universal SEND CPD offer is designed to support schools/FE settings: setup, run, and disseminate, their own bespoke Action Research or Lesson Study project.
Each participating school/FE setting will work with a small team (including other participating settings) to develop a personalised project that addresses the inclusion needs of children/young people with SEND in their setting.
Delivered as 6 small group online twilight sessions; this CPD offer is suitable for Senior Leaders, Teachers or Teaching Assistants. The timing of the project (starting in Autumn 2023 and ending in the Summer 2024) is designed to mirror the Teacher Appraisal period, and the focus on progression to align with objective setting.
Reasons to get involved
- Gain support to address a challenge or put into place a good idea related to inclusion and SEND.
- Develop a research evidence base for embedding good practice.
- Directly address the removal of barriers for individual learners.
- As a marker of esteem, share your research findings locally and publicly.
- Receive a £300 honorarium as a thank you for sharing your findings with others.
How to get involved?
If you would like to find out more about this project, including how to apply, click here.
The next deadline for school/FE setting Action Research or Lesson Study applications is the 6.10.23 (17:00); all applications will be reviewed and notified as to their success by the 13.10.23. The first of the 6 online twilight sessions will take place after the Autumn half term break.
If you have any questions about this project, or the application process please feel free to email the project lead Dr Geraldene Codina g.codina@derby.ac.uk
Top tips
This tip is from Kate Moyses, Headteacher at Costons Primary School:
Set up a senco@yourschool.ealing.sch.uk email address. The office can check and divert to the right person if a SENCO is on leave or off long term and it is an easier email address for SENCos to give out. This helps prevent services trying to get in touch from having emails bounce back.
This OFSTED tip is from Kristian at Blair Peach Primary, inspected week of 19 June 2023:
- Know your EHCP children – who are they, their need and what provision are you providing – then their progress and next steps
- What is the graduated approach model in your school? How do you place children on the SEND register?
- Training – what have you and staff been doing? Impact?
