David Bartram (Author) A teaching assistant, history teacher and senior leader, David led special educational needs and disability provision (SEND) in London schools for over 15 years. He was a member of the Department for Educations SEND Review steering group and an expert advisor to the Timpson Review on school exclusions. David has worked directly with over 700 school leadership teams across the UK to improve their SEND provision. David is author of the SEND Review Guide, a national framework funded by the DfE. In 2018 he edited Great Expectations: Leading an Effective SEND Strategy in School, published by John Catt Educational. He was Director of SEND at the London Leadership Strategy and an advisor to the Mayor of Londons education team. As part of his international work, David has supported the development of Inclusion policies in a number of countries including Ethiopia, Seychelles, Thailand and Malaysia. David is a member of the Education Policy Institute Advisory Board and a trustee of the KPMG Foundation, which seeks to bring about systemic change in business and society and unlock the potential of the most disadvantaged children in the UK. David was awarded an OBE for Services to Special Education in the 2016 New Years Honours list. NATALIE PACKER (Author) Natalie is a SEND Consultant working with schools, multi-academy trusts and local authorities to support the implementation of SEND policy and practice. She supports trusts with the strategic development of SEND and is a trustee of Learn-AT multi-academy trust in Leicestershire. Previously, Natalie has worked with the National Strategies and DfE SEN Policy teams, as well as supporting schools internationally as a consultant governor. She has been a SEND and School Improvement Adviser for several local authorities across the East Midlands, has primary headship experience and has previously been a SENCO. As a leading SEND expert for Optimus and The Key for School Leaders, Natalie regularly writes online articles and develops webinars. She is the author of The Perfect SENCO, and The Teachers Guide to SEN, which was nominated in 2019 for a national Educational Resources Award. She is also series editor for Routledges All About SEND books for classroom practitioners.
Description
This is a fantastic book! It addresses one of the most significant areas of school improvement the sector faces and sets out a cohesive strategic plan that draws upon a range of diverse voices from the sector. This alone makes the book unique, as it is not just the opinions of a single author. I could not agree more that we have to see SEND through the lens of curriculum, teaching and assessment as we see all school improvement challenges. I also like the focus on building capacity and creating shared responsibility for SEND in schools led by a SENCO but not where this person has to address all the challenges alone. The sections on measuring impact are really good. In a crowded field of books on educational strategy, this one deserves to stand out like a beacon. * Sir David Carter, Former National Schools Commissioner for England * I started my career teaching psychology to graduates qualifying to teach children with Special Educational Needs. Leadership in their chosen field was not strong. With this book, leadership moves centre stage, where it needs to be if the needs of our children to be reliably met. I commend this book to all; it is a tour de force. * Dr David Pendleton, Professor in Leadership, Henley Business School * Packed full of advice and guidance from the very best practitioners on the front line, this book will be an invaluable support for anyone leading SEN across a group of schools. I love how it is cleverly structured around David Pendletons six leadership domains and recognises the diversity of context within every trust. The key questions for reflection help the reader make sense of the content and neatly enable leaders to consider practical next steps. Highly recommend this excellent book. * Andy Buck, Founder of Leadership Matters and Creator of the BASIC Coaching Method * This is a wonderful, practical and inspiring book, full of wisdom and thoughtfulness. * Marie-Claire Bretherton, Deputy CEO, Waterton Academy Trust * This is a book built on hope. * John Camp OBE, ASCL President 2023-2024 and CEO, The Compass Partnership of Schools * Beyond Boundaries is the book the trust sector has been waiting for. * Suzanne Horan, CEO, Emmaus Catholic MAC * This is the book on SEND provision I have been waiting for. * Jonny Uttley, CEO, TEAL Multi-Academy Trust, co-author of Putting Staff First and Visiting Fellow at The Centre for Young Lives *