My story
My career has spanned the many facets of working in special education, from mainstream SENCo and teaching in special education as well as being a strategic lead of local authority teaching and social care services for students with SEN/a disability. I enjoyed working with local authorities and schools developing and implementing resources for national dissemination.The focus of this work was to raise overall pupil achievement by addressing social and emotional needs to improve student engagement, behaviour and attendance. Most recently I have supported mainstream SENCos and special school head teachers in considering the impact of school budget reform for SEN students, and anticipating the forthcoming legislative changes to the SEN Code of Practice.
I joined SSAT in May 2013 at a time when nationally there are many opportunities and challenges for educators of children and young people with special educational needs. The current network of SEN member schools has already started to address the implications and share ideas for practice change in response to the new funding models and protocols, as well as the anticipated revised SEN Code of Practice. We are currently planning our 2013/2014 programme to include practitioner training and professional development workshops, conferences for SENCos and Special School head teachers and support for school to school partnership working.
I am committed to SSAT’s ‘Redesigning Schools’ agenda as the profession influences and informs new learning opportunities for all students. I think that school led change is the way to realise aspirations for our most vulnerable SEN students. SSAT is made up of enthusiastic and thoughtful professionals and by linking up nationally we strive to make a worthwhile difference.
Anything else?
I love to holiday anywhere by the sea – I think it’s because I have always been land locked, so the coast reminds me of good times, whatever the location.
