SENDing Students Soaring: Improving outcomes for learners with SEND through contextualised adaptive teaching and leadership 

TANYA ROWLEY, DIRECTOR OF QUALITY OF EDUCATION, SHAW EDUCATION TRUST, UK ALISON PARR, EDUCATION CONSULTANT AND DEPUTY REGIONAL LEAD, WHOLE SCHOOL SEND, UK Introduction This case study explores the approach taken by a medium-to-large multi-academy trust (MAT) to enhance support and outcomes for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The context for the SENDing Students Soaring initiative is a MAT spanning a wide geographical area, from Lancashire to Birmingham, comprising nine secondary schools, eight primary schools and 13 special schools. The trust serves approximately 11,864 students, of whom nearly 3,500 (29 per cent) are identified as having SEND. The initiative was strategically designed to strengthen leadership, improve teaching practices and positively impact the progress and achievement of this significant group of learners. Step 1: NUTSHELLS The initiative uses the NUTSHELLS framework to ensure that SEND coordinators (SENDCos) have a deep under