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Reposted by Nancy

Tom Shakespeare @tomshakespeare.bsky.social · 1d

NEVER CHECK YOUR WORK EMAILS ON SUNDAY NIGHT.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Hopefully it will be 😍 and somehow delivering uni-daughter back to uni in the middle of it all.

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Nicole Dempsey @ndempseyinco14.bsky.social · 1d

Yep: I think the logical and achievable solutions that are apparent based on a superficial understanding of the system and the ones apparent based on a deeper understanding are not at all the same thing. This is how we end up with a lot of ‘why don’t you just…?’

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Nicole Dempsey @ndempseyinco14.bsky.social · 1d

I feel like I’ve said this to lots of people in lots of ways over the last couple of years! I know many others have too. I lose sleep over what might be on the horizon.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

The same people are doing the same talking at the top - without the experience of working in the system right now. And those of us who are are to *king busy to comment (except on a Sunday morning when they should be out getting things for tea because her dad is coming round)

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

*cackles* THIS! I keep saying ‘I’m not Herminone Granger and time turners aren’t real’

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Nicole Dempsey @ndempseyinco14.bsky.social · 1d

Exactly this. A SENCO saying they don’t have time to do the paperwork for an annual review or needs assessment, or the APDR process in their school, is like a plumber saying they don’t have time for pipes or a mechanic saying they don’t have time to look at engines.

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Nicole Dempsey @ndempseyinco14.bsky.social · 1d

The big one though is access to the services that support us. In this system or the next, timely access to EP, SALT, specialist teams, CAMHS, school nurses, counselling, need to be available at the earliest, most preventative point. To me, this alone would bring balance to the system.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

100% at the moment it is crisis management and this is hugely damaging to everyone involved, adults AND children.

THIS would be the thing that eased the burden on schools - in EVERY way.

@tesmagazine.bsky.social me and Nicole just solved it

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

I’m not sure that early teacher training is the main game - more that people need to understand their responsibilities properly (had a proper argument with a DHT once about the equality act and was astonished)

Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

*now happily musing* it’s relatively easy to separate out the coordination part and the teaching part of the SENCO role - I’ve done both and it can work well (although needs thoughtful working as it can get boring always doing the one and not the other)

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

The simple fact is that there aren’t enough people on hand to do the job we do in schools properly - and in the case of SEND, especially when the supporting agencies (eg SALT, OT, social care) are so thin on the ground. (Deliberately not looking at CAMHS but ykwim)

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

The idea of ‘reducing admin’ as set out here (and by many) is (imho) akin to centrally produced lesson plans and no marking. It’s taking away an integral part of the role, reducing it to that of technician and deskilling under the guise of ‘workload’.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Plus, the people doing the admin, such as sending out invites, setting up meetings, setting out the information correctly in the school data base - these things all require a high level of knowledge and understanding.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Again, agree wholeheartedly. And then those people need to be well line-managed by someone knowledgeable so that the whole thing keeps on track.

I do agree that HTs and school leaders need better SEND education than they currently have. Even just the SEND delegated budget would be helpful.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Agreed

Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Very pleased to see you here!

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Ha! Found you @ndempseyinco14.bsky.social couldn’t agree more

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

One thought : if you keep asking the same people you will keep getting the same answer.

Tes magazine @tesmagazine.bsky.social · 3d

There has been a ‘vacuum of information’ around the government’s planned SEND reforms, an influential adviser said today at the #TesSENDShow

‘Vacuum of information’ around SEND reforms

DfE adviser acknowledges that the government’s SEND plans are taking longer than was hoped

www.tes.com

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

I seem to remember writing a feature in @tesmagazine.bsky.social about ‘how no one understands what SENCOs actually do’ - now that I’ve worked across primary and secondary and in specialist resource base provision I have a much broader view of the issues (if not a better grasp of solutions!)

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

And remembering that different stages require different solutions - as they are organisationally poles apart.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Treating the SENCO role as if there is one ‘best practice’ way of doing it is barking up the wrong tree, imho - what is needed is head teachers and senior leaders understanding the role, the legalities involved and the working together towards a solution that each setting requires.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Of all the children in the school, those with the most need require the most ‘work’ - preparation, planning, reviewing whether it worked, risk assessing, gathering evidence, making decisions, communicating those decisions and on and on and on and on.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

framework and being able to apply that knowledge to ensure that the child gets what they need.’

Admin isn’t ’simply admin’ - it’s astonishing how much of a mess invitations to an Annual Review can get into - and a referral form or AR school report is not a ‘ticky boxy’ matter.

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Nancy @nancygedge.bsky.social · 1d

Well done Nicole Dempsey (is she on here?) ‘The Sendco role is certainly bureaucratic, but it is paperwork with purpose, and involves administrative tasks that require a high level of knowledge and expertise - for example, by knowing the child, the setting, the local landscape and the national

Charlotte Santry @charlottesantry.bsky.social · 3d

The exclusive findings in @johngroberts.bsky.social story make clear that, whatever comes out of the education white paper & broader inclusion push, it mustn't simply heap more tasks onto overworked sencos.

Only 6 per cent of Sendcos can complete their tasks in work hours

The government’s SEND reforms must ensure that special educational needs coordinators get better support, say experts, as exclusive data reveals their ‘unsustainable’ workload

www.tes.com

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