On this week's podcast Dale will be discussing building resilience in the early years with guest Dr. Tina Rae. Tina is a consultant psychologist with over 30 year's experience working with children, adults and families. Resilience is a word that some people hate, some understand and other are a bit unsure of what it means. I have met some people who think resilience is made up and dismiss it. I have also seen work in primary schools where they are helping children to become more resilient, talki...
Jan 14, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 39
This week Dale is joined by Carol Allen & John Galloway to discuss the pro's and con's of a fixed curriculum. The curriculum in schools is supposed to be broad and balanced, but it often isn't. Schools are sometimes only focusing on areas they are held to account for. One thing that has been eating away at the over the last few years is the four broad areas of need and the lack of focus on these areas in schools, in a number of ways. We will come back to this later, lets start at the beginni...
Jan 07, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 38
In this episode Dale's guest is Kate Browning. Kate is an independent consultant supporting schools make improvements around SEND. In this episode we are talking about SENCO time management, focusing on the key elements. In a world where there is less guidance, less money, more demand and continual changes, teachers, SENCos and leaders need a way to keep up, that fits in with their lives. The SENDcast is the answer!
Dec 17, 2020•50 min•Ep. 37
In this episode Dale welcomes Alison Knowles back to the show. Alison is an emotional therapist. This does not mean that she often cries during therapy. She supports emotional resilience. In this episode we are talking about why we are the way we are. We are born different, we are born at different times, different generations with different challenges. We have different experiences, different ideals, we all respond differently to situations and take different things away from events. Because of...
Dec 10, 2020•58 min•Ep. 36
This week Dale is joined by Fintan O'Regan. Fintan is a trainer and consultant for schools and school support systems including, Social Services, Health, the Police and Foster carers. He supports them by providing behaviour management strategies for children and families struggling with SEND and behaviour issues. Before this he has worked with a number of organisations including NASEN, Institute of Education, Leicester University, the UK ADHD Network and the European ADHD Alliance. And before al...
Dec 03, 2020•49 min•Ep. 35
This week's show is on How to Become a Dyslexic Grade Riser. An approach to help students with dyslexia to learn and prepare for exams. Our guest is Dr Susie Nyman, the Curriculum Manager at The Sixth Form College, Farnborough. She is passionate about discovering how children learn and supporting them in ways which enable them to succeed. She has provided training to PGCE students at Kingston University, and in a number of local schools and colleges on teaching strategies. She also delivers talk...
Nov 26, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 34
On this week's podcast we will be discussing understanding and managing anxiety in children and young people with guest Dr Tina Rae. Tina is a consultant psychologist with over 30 year's experience working with children, adults and families. A recent survey undertaken by the charity Young Minds in March 2020 revealed that the current coronavirus pandemic is having a profound effect on young people with existing mental health conditions. Although they understood the need for the measures taken in...
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 33
In this week's podcast we are talking about managing the SENCO Workload. Our guest is Natalie Packer, an independent education consultant, specialising in SEND and school improvement. Natalie develops and delivers a wide range of training and support to schools, multi-academy trusts and other organisations. She is a member of nasen's 0-11 Advisory Group, and also supports the Whole School SEND review process. On top of this and being a Governor and Trustee Natalie has also found time to write bo...
Nov 12, 2020•58 min•Ep. 32
For over 20 years, Kate Browning has been passionately committed to championing the SENCo role in schools. Over this time, she has worked as a class teacher, SENCo, Local Authority School Improvement Officer for SEN and most recently as Education Development Officer for nasen. This week Kate joins Dale to discuss the intricacies of identification of SEND and the common mistakes made by all parties in this process. If you want to get in touch, let us know your thoughts, suggest topics or anything...
Nov 05, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 31
We need to give people the tools to be empowered to help themselves and their family – looking inside themselves and not having to look elsewhere for help. This week's guest Alison Knowles. Alison is the author of Ollie and his Super Powers series of books and creator of the Ollie Model. Ali has her own private therapeutic practice in Cambridgeshire where she works with people of all ages, helping them to remove limiting beliefs, fears and phobias, and negative emotions. More and more parents be...
Oct 29, 2020•45 min•Ep. 30
In this week's podcast, Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Lana Grant to discuss Autism and Coronavirus – The new normal for children and their families Lana has a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and is also a parent of children on the autism spectrum Lana is a specialist SEN advisor and an advocate for SEN children and their families. Lana has worked Lara's first book "From Here To Maternity, pregnancy and motherhood on the Autism Spectrum" was published in 2015. Lana also contributes to v...
Oct 22, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 29
In this week's show Dale is joined by Carol Allen and John Galloway to discuss utilising modern technology to enhance the class room experience. Carol is an education advisor for ICT and Inclusion in particular supporting the London Grid For Learning and Hartlepool LA. She was named one of the top ten educators for 2018 in the field of educational technology. This was down to all her amazing work on inclusion. John is a specialist in the use of technology to improve educational opportunities for...
Oct 15, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 28
There is nothing worse than the loss of someone who is important to you whether you loved them or not. and many of our children will have experienced that pain, whether in their own families, or in their wider social circles. What can we do, as the adults who support them to make sure that we are helping them as they grieve without adding to their pain? In this week's podcast Dale is joined by Sarah Jane Critchley to discuss how best to support children and staff to understand death, bereavement...
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 27
This week's guest is Dr Susie Nyman. Susie is passionate about discovering how children learn and supporting them in ways which enable them to succeed and is the Curriculum Manager for Health and Social Care at The Sixth Form College Farnborough, where she has strived to raise students' achievements and support them in a way which enables them to succeed. This episode is a lively discussion of easy-to-replicate Multi-sensory Techniques which have been developed on a shoestring, inspiring student...
Oct 01, 2020•54 min•Ep. 26
If we are really going to make a difference to pupils with SEND in our schools, then the development and organisation of provision needs to be led from the top. No matter how good an individual SENCO or SEND team in a school might be, they will only ever be able to make real improvements if the senior leadership team are on board. This is why a whole school approach to developing SEND provision is so important. This week on the show our guest is Natalie Packer, author of The Perfect SENCO. Natal...
Sep 24, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 25
This week we welcome Lana Grant to the show. Lana is a specialist advisor and advocate for people with autism and their families. COVID has changed many things and children have been out of formal education for many months. There is talk of catch up lessons, extra homework etc but how does this look for our most vulnerable pupils? Is it time for a new way of teaching and learning? The curriculum introduced in 2014 is not fit for purpose, particularly for our SEN/neurodiverse children. The future...
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 24
This week on the show Fintan O'Regan returns to discuss good mental health and the power of mood. Fin is one of the leading behaviour and learning specialists in the UK. He is currently an SEN and Behaviour Consultant for the Schools Network and an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, Tribal Education and the Institute of Education. Contact Fintan: https://www.fintanoregan.com/ For more podcast episodes from the SENDcast click below… https://www...
Sep 10, 2020•56 min•Ep. 23
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Sarah Jane Critchley to discuss the Recovery Curriculum, designed to help heal the trauma of COVID 19. This is the second part of this episode, so if you missed the previous episode, please go listen to that one first. In a post-COVID world, many children in our schools will have experienced a number of losses and the schools they are returning to are not the same as the places they left. They have lost routine, structure, friendshi...
Sep 04, 2020•41 min•Ep. 22
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Sarah Jane Critchley to discuss the Recovery Curriculum, designed to help heal the trauma of COVID 19. We ran a little longer than normal, so this show has been split into two parts, but don't worry the second part will be available as soon as you've finished this one. In a post-COVID world, many children in our schools will have experienced a number of losses and the schools they are returning to are not the same as the places they...
Sep 04, 2020•52 min•Ep. 21
In this episode we will address some of the concerns but also consider some of positives that returning to school will have for children and young people and Fintan O'Regan is joining us to discuss. Fin is one of the leading behaviour and learning specialists in the UK. He is currently an SEN and Behaviour Consultant for the Schools Network and an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, Tribal Education and the Institute of Education. Contact Finta...
Sep 01, 2020•56 min•Ep. 20
In this week's podcast, Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Angharad Welch to discuss Speech and Language in children with Down Syndrome. Angharad Welch is a Speech and Language Therapist who runs Find the Key Speech and Language Therapy. Angharad has worked with a number of organisations including NASEN and ourselves at B Squared, she also speaks at various events. Children and young people with Down syndrome have a variety of traits that can effect speech and language, including working m...
Jul 30, 2020•55 min•Ep. 19
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Carol Allen and John Galloway to discuss CPD for Inclusion. Apart from this obviously amazing podcast, we are discussing where can teachers go to access the information and support they need in order to improve their inclusive practice. Carol is an education advisor for ICT and Inclusion in particular supporting the London Grid For Learning and Hartlepool LA. She was named one of the top ten educators for 2018 in the field of educat...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 18
In this week's podcast, Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Angharad Welch who is giving us an introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication, more commonly referred to as its acronym AAC. When people think about AAC they often think of high tech solutions, but there is lots of low-tech options which can be very effective. Angharad Welch is a Speech and Language Therapist who runs Find the Key Speech and Language Therapy. Angharad has worked with a number of organisations includ...
Jul 16, 2020•46 min•Ep. 17
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Angharad Welch to discuss communication friendly environments, also referred to language rich environment or communication friendly spaces. Angharad Welch isa Speech and Language Therapist who runs Find the Key Speech and Language Therapy. Angharad has worked with a number of organisations including NASEN and ourselves at B Squared, she also speaks at various events. A communication friendly environment is something that supports al...
Jul 09, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 16
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Carol Allen and John Galloway to discuss education technology and how to do it for low cost or no cost. Carol is an education advisor for ICT and Inclusion in particular supporting the London Grid For Learning and Hartlepool LA. She was named one of the top ten educators for 2018 in the field of educational technology. This was down to all her amazing work on inclusion. John is a specialist in the use of technology to improve educat...
Jul 02, 2020•59 min•Ep. 15
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Angharad Welch to discuss verbal reasoning and how to use questions to help extend these skills. Angharad Welch isa Speech and Language Therapist who runs Find the Key Speech and Language Therapy. Angharad has worked with a number of organisations including NASEN and ourselves at B Squared, she also speaks at various events. Verbal reasoning is understanding what has been said. Verbal reasoning is similar to comprehension, it is wha...
Jun 25, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 14
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Lorraine Petersen OBE to discuss how schools can support transition from primary to secondary school. A significant number of young people, especially those identified with SEND will encounter difficulties in the transition to a new school if not properly supported. During this session Lorraine will give practical examples of how to manage transition from primary to secondary school. The number of pupils who are either excluded or a...
Jun 18, 2020•53 min•Ep. 13
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Sarah Jane Critchley to discuss school refusals, school phobia and illness. Sarah-Jane has the benefit of both a professional AND personal perspective. 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 has autism and also suffers from migraines which meant from Year 3 onwards she missed a ...
Jun 11, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 12
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Wendy Lee to discuss the language and literacy link, the impact a pupil's language difficulties has on their literacy. Wendy is a speech and language therapist for over 30 years, with a wealth of experience. Wendy was a professional director of the Communications Trust until 2015, being involved in a range of projects as well as inputting on national policy and research. Wendy is currently the director of LINGO which provides consul...
Jun 04, 2020•49 min•Ep. 11
In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Sarah Jane Critchley to discuss Exclusions, how legal are they and why isn't more being done to prevent them. The statistics are shocking and terrible and more needs to be done. In this episode we discuss the different types of exclusion, when are exclusions are illegal, the two way link between mental health and exclusion and that there are alternatives. Sarah-Jane Critchley is passionate about helping autistic people, their famili...
May 28, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 10
