JESSICA JOHNSON, HEAD OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, UNITED LEARNING, UK SARAH HORN, DIRECTOR OF SEND (SECONDARY), UNITED LEARNING, UK Over the past decade, the landscape of special education provision in England has changed significantly. In the nine years to 2023/24, the number of children with education, health and care plans rose by 140 per cent. This increase […]
ALEX TOMKINS, HEADTEACHER, GREENSIDE SCHOOL, UK; EDD STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF DERBY, UK In 2019, I wrote an article for Impact exploring how Greenside special school had developed a curriculum for our complex cohort (Tomkins, 2019). My school educates children aged three to 19 with severe learning difficulties (SLD), many of whom have an autism diagnosis. The […]
REBECCA MACK, PHYSICS TEACHER, LOUGHBOROUGH GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UK Introduction Physics has a long-standing image problem. The Institute of Physics (IOP) Limit Less campaign promotes diversity in physics by tackling stereotypes and broadening participation. It highlights diverse physicists, reframes problems to include different perspectives and addresses unconscious biases. The campaign supports underrepresented students at all stages, including […]
KATHRYN DOWNS, TEACHER OF MATHS AND EVIDENCE LEAD, DIXONS UNITY ACADEMY, UK I’ve been privileged to spend much of my teaching career working with a high number of students with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities). As a neurodivergent wheelchair user, I have a unique understanding of what it is like to face significant barriers to […]
EMMA LOUISE PRICE, PRIMARY TEACHER AND EDUCATION DOCTORATE STUDENT, BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction Imagine a school environment where every request, no matter how small, feels like an insurmountable challenge. From the perspective of a student with pathological demand avoidance (PDA), the rigidity of mainstream classroom learning environments only heightens their anxiety and avoidant behaviours, […]
AIMEE WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THREE SPIRES TRUST, UK As the future of education hangs in the balance, our trust’s principals gathered with a shared sense of responsibility to respond to Becky Francis’s ‘call for evidence’ on 25 September 2024 (DfE, 2024). This was more than just a conversation; it was a call to action! Through […]
STEPH HILL, ECT 1, SPRINGFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL, UK DAVID KERSHAW, SENIOR LECTURER IN EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF DERBY, UK In modern education, the imperative for an inclusive curriculum is undeniable. An inclusive curriculum ensures that all students feel valued, represented and equipped to engage critically with their learning and the wider world. However, traditional educational systems often fall […]
ANDY CROFT, MATHS LEAD, SNOWFIELDS ACADEMY, UK Introduction As a maths teacher in a specialist school for students with autism, I navigate a persistent tension: preparing students for qualifications and future study while ensuring that they develop the numeracy skills needed to thrive in daily life. A recent discussion at a Kent special schools networking event […]
MIRIAM HUSSAIN, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, WEST MIDLANDS, UK ELIZABETH FORD, INTERIM HEADTEACHER, WORCESTERSHIRE, UK The drive for consistent, high-quality instruction has led many schools to embrace pre-planned curricula, promising efficiency and standardisation. However, this trend carries a significant risk: the potential de-skilling of teachers, particularly those early in their careers. This is especially concerning in today’s classrooms, where […]
IAN YOUNG AND SEAN STOCKLEY, THE BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM Introduction: The first study It began in a corridor at the British International School (BIS) of Ho Chi Minh City in around February of 2022. Two department leaders – one for learning support (LS) and the other for physics – were […]
TIM BROGAN, HEADTEACHER, ST ALBAN’S CATHOLIC VOLUNTARY ACADEMY, UK This case study explores the successful implementation of ‘priority pupil meetings’ (PPMs) in a multi-academy trust school in Derbyshire, highlighting their effectiveness in reducing barriers to learning for vulnerable and disadvantaged students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). PPMs align effective safeguarding practices […]
SAMUEL FOXON, HEAD OF MUSIC, ST BIRINUS SCHOOL, RIDGEWAY EDUCATION TRUST, UK Introduction The reason boys may not be singing is because something is wrong with the music teaching not the boys. Ashley, 2015, p. 190 The inclusion of boys in singing within the secondary music curriculum is an essential yet often overlooked aspect of music […]
TOM MOLLOY, DIRECTOR, TOMMY FLOWERS SCITT, UK As the director of an initial teacher training (ITT) programme and an external moderator for others, it is a privilege to be welcomed into classrooms across the country and to see student teachers develop. Observing and holding discussions with novices and their mentors also gives an insight that few […]
WILL BERARD, DOCTORAL STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF ROEHAMPTON, UK At the age of 38, when I trained to teach computing in 2021, I started becoming aware of my ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), this thanks to the emphasis put on SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) in both my PGCE (postgraduate certificate in education) programme (at the […]
LIZZIE NURSE, ASSISTANT HEAD SENDCO, SHERBORNE GIRLS, UK This perspective piece considers the importance of school belonging to all students, but especially to students with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), who tend to have a much lower sense of belonging than their peers. In the current school climate, where absenteeism and mental health issues are […]
MATTHEW TRAGHEIM, LECTURER IN PRIMARY EDUCATION, OPEN UNIVERSITY, UK Inclusive education has been the leading educational principle in the Western world since the ratification of the Salamanca Statement in 1994 (UNESCO). Although Schuelka (2018) and, more recently, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF, 2024) have sought to influence the depth, design and delivery of inclusive education policy […]
In this interactive webinar, the OECD will unveil new data about which jobs young people want and unpack why those job aspirations often fail to recognise the realities of the labour market. This is the largest ever study on the job ambitions of 15-year-olds, speaking to 700,000 students in 80 countries and economies. You will […]
Equipping Teachers in Mainstream, PRUs, and Alternative Provisions to Foster Purpose and Safer School Environments. This webinar, presented by Life Lessons in partnership with the London VRU, offers practical, evidence-based strategies for secondary school teachers across mainstream, pupil referral units (PRUs), and alternative provisions to address violence, improve student behaviour, and cultivate a sense of […]
The TV series ‘Adolescence’ has received a lot of attention on and offline since it first became available to watch. It tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who brutally murders a female classmate and explores important issues including adolescents’ social media use, misogyny and gender stereotypes. Following announcements from the streaming service to make […]
To inform The Chartered College of Teachings’ Ofsted consultation response we would like to invite Secondary and HE practitioners to attend a focussed workshop event. This will be focussed on the question ‘What should be in the framework to ensure that inclusion is a central strand to all inspections?’ We are looking for current practitioners […]
