SEND Leads PLLC - Session 3

Agenda

9:30-9:45 = Welcome and IL updates (Dirk Smith)

9:45-10:00 = SEND at Orchard Mead Academy (Emma Topley, SENDCO)

10:00-10:45 = School tour (Lisa Loaiza-Sanchez and Emma Topley, The Mead Education Trust)

10:45-11:00 = Networking break

11:00-12:15 = Graduated approach and assessment (Emily Walker, Learn SEND hub, and Chris Bruce, Indie Education)

12:15-12:30 = Reflections and close (Dirk Smith)

As the final session of the SEND Leads PLLC, this session focuses on consolidating and sharpening our collective thinking ahead of the conference, ensuring we are aligned, confident, and ambitious in how we lead this work.

We will deepen our shared understanding and approach in two key areas:

Graduated responses - particularly in the context of the DfE White Paper’s emphasis on ensuring every child receives the right support, at the right time.

Assessment processes and research - exploring the approaches being used across schools and trusts, and how we, as leaders, are actively guiding, modelling, and embedding these practices.

This session is an opportunity to strengthen our collective expertise and ensure consistency in our leadership of SEND provision.

Next steps

Please begin collating relevant information, examples, and insights linked to the areas above. This will support effective knowledge-sharing and enable rich professional dialogue amongst colleagues during the session.