The SENDcast

Our senses are fascinating. A particularly interesting area to explore is the development of the sensory systems and how this effects cognition, engagement and mental health. Today, Joanna Grace joins Dale for our 100 th episode to discuss Sensory Development and Sensory Engagement. Having an understanding of sensory development can help you to connect with those who have profound disabilities. It...

Trigger warning – this podcast discusses self-harm which is a difficult subject, but has never been more important to address. Self-harm is when someone hurts themselves as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming situations and experiences. They may feel a short-term sense of release but the cause of the distress is unlikely to have gone away.  In this emoti...

Are you one of those making their annual pilgrimage to WHSmith to choose your new diary? Gone are the days of having to lug a filing cabinet's worth of paperwork to each meeting or locating the right USB. We are all creatures of habit but there's no better time to make the move to digital, otherwise you risk getting left behind. Ginny Bootman joins Dale in this week's episode 'Paperless SENCO' to...

Whilst there is significant research and discussion around the psychological and behavioural aspects of autism, most parents/carers have little information around what might be happening at a physiological level . Rachel Jackson joins the podcast today to discuss her first-hand experience of the physical aspects of autism and their implications. Rachel has researched and explored theories that hav...

About Gary Aubin Gary Aubin is the SEND Content Specialist for the Educational Endowment Foundation and D irector of SEND for a multi-academy trust, having worked as a SENDCO in mainstrea m primary and secondary schools . With a strong min dset of inclusion, his work as D irector of SEND has supported schools out of Special Measures and towards Outstanding for their SEND provision. Alongside SEND...

About Sarah-Jane Critchley Sarah-Jane is an Author, Speaker, Consultant and Coach from Different Joy Partnership. She was previously the Programme Manager for over 10 years at the Autism Education Trust. Pupils with autism often struggle with attending school for a number of reasons. Her daughter Beth is autistic and also suffers from migraines which meant from Year 3 onwards she missed a lot of s...

Last week Lorraine Petersen OBE joined Dale in the studio to deliver a presentation on the SEND Green Paper. It was a fantastic summary of the 104 page document which has helped SENCOs save time and understand the key points and implications for schools.   We've turned the session recording into a special edition podcast so that you can listen anytime, anywhere. A chance to listen to the presentat...

When it comes to mental health we often feel like we need the support of a professional. Of course, some children do require specialist support from counsellors, psychologists, or social workers, but for children who are experiencing low levels of anxiety - play may be the answer .  This Mental Health Awareness week I am joined by a new guest on the podcast, Katie White! Katie is an Embodied Welln...

Research shows that it takes 3 times as long for a student with ADHD to do the same piece of work at home as in school. The school day alone can be exhausting for pupils with SEND and then they might be expected to attend clubs, interact with family, eat their meal AND complete their homework when they get home. Are we expecting too much? The result could be detrimental to their mental health: "I...

7.6% of all children have got developmental language disorder, that's two or three in every classroom. The Bercow Review (2018) highlighted ongoing and significant challenges for children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in terms of available support and diminishing resources. More than ever, it is important we maximise what we have available for the greatest impact .  In this...

Do you remember many of your lessons at school? If you do, they're likely to be memorable due to a multisensory element such as a Bunsen burner. When you have a sensory experience the different processes in our brains are activated and you are then more involved and invested in learning. Joanna Grace is a sensory engagement and inclusion specialist, doctoral researcher, author, trainer, TEDx speak...

  This week's episode 'Finding your Tribe' with Alison Knowles, is a discussion about how important it is for young people to find their tribe and their place in the world. We all strive to feel accepted, normal and fit in, but this can be especially challenging for children with additional needs. About Alison Knowles Ali is a practising emotional therapist, author of the Ollie and his Super Power...

Does resisting ordinary day-to-day demands, such as putting shoes on, sound familiar? This is a common objection from children, however it can be to the extreme often causing obstructive, disruptive and explosive behaviour. In this episode we discover 'What on earth is PDA?' with Rachel Jackson. Rachel is a Mum, Author and Director with an academic and professional background in psychology.   Path...

Have you ever had a Sparkling Suzie, Freddie Thorne or Danny Whizzbang in your classroom? Perhaps not the cocktail but most likely some pupils with similar characteristics. In this fun filled episode with Dr Susie Nyman, we discuss the similarities between cocktails and children with SEN. Susie even brought her cocktail making kit along with her to the studio! The podcast is a lively discussion of...

Little did we know when launching the SENDcast 2 years ago, that the world as we knew it was about to drastically change. We hope that you've enjoyed listening to the episodes through the highs and lows and have kept you company whether you've been walking, running, driving, painting etc. In this 2 nd birthday episode Sarah-Jane Critchley joins Dale in the studio to celebrate creating podcast numb...

About Fintan O'Regan Fintan was the Head teacher of the Centre Academy from 1996 -2002, which was the first specialist school in the UK for students between the ages of 7-19 specialising issues related to ADHD, ASD and ODD. He is an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, the Institute of Education, the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre and the former Vic...

Spoken language is core to learning and has a significant impact on children who find it difficult understanding language or putting their sentences together. In this SENDcast episode 'Language for Learning', we discuss the importance of supporting and promoting language and its impact on learning in the classroom. Dale's guest is Wendy Lee, a speech and language therapist with over 30 years' expe...

Everyone will meet an autistic person in their lives, and autistic people are in every classroom and every work force. Having a clearer understanding of difference can give us practical insight into how to better support and engage neurodivergent learners , and perhaps more importantly how to improve their mental health. Joanna Grace is a sensory engagement and inclusion specialist, doctoral resea...

In this week's podcast Dale Pickles speaks with Alison Knowles who is an emotional therapist and the creator of the Ollie Model to build the resilience and wellbeing of children.   Resources: https://www.facebook.com/OllieandhisSuperPowers   https://twitter.com/bemoreollie   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWDj-PRjboIg2cu-KZsEMVA   https://www.instagram.com/ollie_and_his_super_powers   https://ww...

This week's guest is Fintan O'Regan. Fintan was the Head teacher of the Centre Academy from 1996 -2002, which was the first specialist school in the UK for students between the ages of 7-19 specialising issues related to ADHD, ASD and ODD. He is an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, the Institute of Education, the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre an...

In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Sarah Jane Critchley. Sarah-Jane was previously the Programme Manager for over 10 years at the Autism Education Trust. Pupils with autism often struggle with attending school for a number of reasons. Her daughter Beth is autistic and also suffers from migraines which meant from Year 3 onwards she missed a lot of school and missed over...

Listening to and valuing their views has implications for children's confidence and attitude to learning, this is true for all children including those with SEN/SLCN. However, research suggests that there are inherent challenges in effectively listening to and gathering views of children with communication needs. In this episode our guest is Wendy Lee, is a speech and language therapist with over...

Have you ever thought your students are like icebergs? If not then you will after listening to this episode! We all know what icebergs are and we all know that  the largest part of an iceberg is hidden underwater . Comparing students to icebergs is a great analogy. Our special guest for this episode is Dr Susie Nyman, the Curriculum Manager at The Sixth Form College, Farnborough. Susie takes us th...

School INSET is definitely a topic that divides staff in terms of whether they believe it adds value or is a waste of time and money. In this podcast we will consider what makes a great INSET in terms of not just the content and presentation but whether the INSET provided should achieve in both short term and long term Impact. This week's guest is Fintan O'Regan. Fintan was the Head teacher of the...

The practise of mindfulness has become increasingly popular over the last few years. With the ever-increasing challenges we are facing and busy lifestyles we rush through life without stopping to notice the world around us. Mindfulness allows us to pay attention to our thoughts, sounds, reconnect with our bodies and the sensations they experience. Basically it's about becoming aware of the present...