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General

Any college is able to use the College SEND Review in order to self-evaluate the effectiveness of its provision for learners with special educational needs and disabilities.

The discussion will be hosted by Whole School SEND's National Delivery Coordinator, Caroline Sutton-Reid and CEO of Pathways Education Ltd, Claire Cookson. Everyone will be encouraged to join in, ask questions and share experiences

Webcasts

This informative session will introduce and signpost tried and tested resources from Whole School SEND, freely available to SENCOs / Teaching and Learning leads and CPD Leads, that will support their delivery of CPD in the next academic year.

Please note: This event booking is only applicable for invited registration for schools/settings within Astrea Academies Trust. If you are not part of this group, please contact us for further guidance.

Please note: This event booking is only applicable for invited registration for schools/settings within Hartlepool local authority. If you are not part of this group, please contact us for further guidance.

This Professional Development Group is open to all.

Bill was a Primary and Executive Headteacher for 28 years in West London. During his headship Bill led initiatives and programmes for NQTs and Leaders within the LA, followed by a secondment to lead similar work with the NCTL and DfE across London. As an NLE and leader of a TSA, Bill was involved in school-to-school support, coaching and mentoring, school improvement work, effective use of the pupil premium grant, and developing the capacity and quality of school leaders. Bill moved to the South West in 2015 and now works as an Independent Education Consultant, School Improvement Partner, Pupil Premium Reviewer and Ofsted inspector. Bill continues to develop and run CPD programmes, write and facilitate on NPQ programmes, and work collaboratively with groups of schools who are looking to develop effective partnerships. Bill also supports and challenges schools to review, re-evaluate, and improve their strategies for disadvantaged learners.

In a career spanning more than 30 years, Barry has held the leadership positions of Headteacher, Principal, Academic Director, Chief Executive, Inspector of Schools and Director of the Centre for Special Education at Westminster College, Oxford. In 2009, he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education as Director of the Children with Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Research Project. Since completing that research, Barry has overseen the development of a national project developing online ‘Training materials for teachers of children with severe, profound and complex learning disabilities”(www.complexneeds.org.uk).

He is the author of over 150 articles and many texts on a range of learning disability/special needs topics. His most recent book publications (with Carolyn Blackburn and Jo Egerton) focus upon Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Most recently he co-authored “Engaging Learners with Complex Needs” (Routledge).He is the co-founder of the National Forum for Neuroscience in Special Education. For the Mental Health Foundation, he Chaired the National Inquiry into the Mental Health of Young People with Learning Disabilities. He is currently Chairing a working group looking at the needs of Girls on the Autism Spectrum, which will be the focus of his next book.

Barry has 3 children – one a School Principal, one a Senior Occupational Therapist and a daughter with Down’s Syndrome, who now has a home of her own, published her first book in 2017, and is on an Apprenticeship as a Teaching Assistant.

Malcolm has worked in the field of SEND for 30 years and in that time has worked in adult provision, mainstream schools, and special schools. He has worked in with children throughout the age range and with learning difficulties ranging from moderate to profound. Malcolm has been a Headteacher of three schools and one federation. He is a National Leader of Education, a Member of the National SEND Forum, and Patron of the Centre Algarve holiday centre for people with special needs.

Natalie is an Independent Education Consultant specialising in SEN and school improvement. She develops and delivers a wide range of continuing professional development to schools and local authorities, and provides SEN leadership support to three multi-academy trusts across the Midlands. Natalie is a member of nasen's 0 to 11 Advisory Group and has supported the Whole School SEND school and MAT reviews. She is also a trustee of Learn-AT multi-academy trust in the East Midlands and a Leadership Matters Ambassador.

As a leading SEN expert for Optimus and The Key for School leaders, Natalie regularly write online articles and develops webinars for SEN CPD. She is the author of The Perfect SENCO, and The Teacher’s Guide to SEN, which was nominated in 2019 for a national Educational Resources Award. She is also series editor for Routledge’s All About SEND books for classroom practitioners.

Natalie has previously worked for the National Strategies SEN Team and DfE implementing the Achievement for All (AfA) project to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEN. Prior to this, she worked for several local authorities across the East Midlands as an Adviser for SEN and School Improvement. She has had primary headship experience and has previously been a SENCO. In 2015, Natalie was a member of the DfE Assessment without Levels Commission.