The law on SEND Local Offer websites: How good is yours?
When was the last time you checked out your local authority’s Local Offer website? Some are attached to the LA website, while others are stand-alone sites. Some have really useful …
Observing many ‘nows’ to infer a choice, for people with profound learning disabilities
Here is a situation you will probably have encountered: an adult holds out two toys to a child, asking, “Which do you want to play with?” The child indicates one …
SEND risk assessments and preparing for a return to school (or not)
*August update: EHCPs are now back in full force and all children are expected back in school in September. However, some schools are still using stringent risk assessments and updated …
SEND 2020: What’s the current state of Ofsted local area inspections?
Four years ago, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission started inspecting local SEND services. Thanks to COVID-19, inspections are on hold – so now’s a good a time as any …
Improving SEND provision: Co-produced resources for the whole school
Tania’s note: It may seem hard to believe but one day, we will get back to “normal” in schools. The question is, what will this new normal look like? Schools …
Lockdown gave me time to really appreciate my amazing children with SEND
While people are emerging out of lockdown, and some children are returning to school, other families remain carefully shielding. While same families have enjoyed the chance to spend more time …
SNJ Survey: Tell us about your disabled child’s education during Coronavirus
We’ve decided to create a quick survey to find out how families have been getting on while home educating and how the changes to EHCP duties and timescales have affected …
SNJ In Conversation: What legal rights do disabled children have left under the Coronavirus Act?
In Conversation with Steve Broach, public law barrister We wouldn’t normally churn out another episode of In Conversation so quickly, as it’s quite a big undertaking to produce. But with …
Shots fired! Secretary of State in legal challenge over SEND Coronavirus changes
The relaxation to the duties on LAs to make the provision in EHCPs has left disabled children without the legal protection to ensure an adequate education. But a parent has taken the steps to challenge this.
SNJ In Conversation: Awesome and Autistic in a post-pandemic world
with Renata Blower and Siena Castellon Today we’re bringing you another episode of SNJ In Conversation and again you can listen or watch to it below or find it on …
Coronavirus: Managing risk to get our special school ready for reintegration
with Ian Thorsteinsson, Principal, Gretton School, Cambridge The Government has confirmed it is pressing ahead with its plans to reopen schools for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 cohorts from …
Dear Prime Minister, not all education in lockdown is equal
A letter to the PM from Lilia, a year 10 pupil who believes that not all education in lockdown is equal and it is time the government recognised the possible consequences for pupils taking important exams next year.
Launching “SNJ In Conversation” First episode: Coronavirus and Disabled children’s mental health
Today we’re launching a new feature: SNJ “In Conversation”. It will feature both videos and podcasts where one or more of the SNJ team interviews someone about an interesting or …
Coronavirus: Disabled children’s education rights must be restored now, before any formal return to school
This week Boris Johnston announced that schools may start reopening to certain year groups again from June 1st. Around 80% of schools have remained open to “vulnerable” groups (disabled children with …
SEND with Daulby: Supporting Oral Language difficulties
Oral language is a term I became familiar with in my later years of teaching. Partly because I worked with speech and language therapists as head of a speech and …
EHCPs 2020: Postcode lotteries and the Hall of Shame
Yesterday, the Department for Education published their annual snapshot of statistics about Education, Health and Care Plans in England. So today we have our annual analysis and infographics to explain …
It is a mistake to assume all vulnerable children are ‘at risk of harm’
Coronavirus has divided Britain into those who are vulnerable and those who are not. But vulnerable means different things to different groups of people, and it’s important to still differentiate between vulnerable because of need and vulnerable because of risk, especially when talking about children with SEND
Public Accounts Committee Inquiry report adds pressure to #fixSEND. SEND Review MUST NOT delay further
It seems like a lifetime ago, but for most of last year, you couldn’t move for official inquiries into the state of SEND in England. Parliament’s Education Select Committee started …
Changes to children’s social care – implications for disabled children’s short breaks
With Alice Irving, barrister, Research Assistant The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 make wide-ranging changes to, amongst other things, the role of social workers and local authorities in reviewing provision …
What’s wrong with Oak Academy’s specialist curriculum?
with Karen Wespieser, curriculum lead for specialist content at Oak Academy A couple of weeks ago a group of volunteer teachers, backed by the Department for Education, launched an online …