The CST Trust SEND and Inclusion Professional Community offers a unique development network for those leading on SEND and inclusion within school trusts.
Our professional communities provide support and development opportunities, through a blend of expert input on key practice challenges, facilitated discussion, and networking.
The community offers a safe and supportive environment in which to develop your understanding of some of the key challenges related to SEND and inclusion, to access expertise from across the sector and beyond, and to build a professional network.
By joining, you will open up opportunities to engage through:
As a member of the community, you will also gain exclusive access to our virtual platform, that connects you with a community of information, resources and support, that you can access anytime and anywhere. On the platform you'll find an ever-growing collection of resources, containing information about key knowledge areas needed in our profession, as well as a space to connect, learn and interact with your peers from across the country.
Membership of the community is included for employees of member trusts as a benefit of CST membership. Join using the button below with your MyCST membership details.
We know that some teachers lack confidence in supporting pupils with SEND and this is complex.
This session explores how trusts and schools can enable teachers to support pupils with SEND and examine some issues around prestige, competence and professional fulfillment. We will also revisit the expectations on teachers as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice. This session will include speakers from both mainstream and specialist settings.
Knowing a child's SEND label doesn't mean you automatically know how to meet their needs.
This session explores the tension between maintaining school and trusts systems, processes and policies while at the same time meeting the needs of individual pupils. The phrase "bolt-on not built-In" is often used to describe an ideal state. Our speakers, drawn from both mainstream and specialist settings, will address how they have encountered and taken steps to address some of these issues.
About our speakers:
Dr Neil Gilbride CPsychol Is an Associate Dean for Teacher Training at Ambition Institute. He has spent 19 years in the field of SEND, working across the voluntary, public and academic sectors. In academia, he has taught Inclusive Education across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and was part of the SEND leadership team at Oak National Academy, developing resources for the specialist sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He has taught across specialist and mainstream sectors. He also experienced in working beyond direct educational provision through his work as a Parent Support Advisor and carer in the specialist and PMLD sectors.
Nicole Dempsey is Director of SEND and Safeguarding at Dixons Academies Trust, a multi-academy trust with 17 mainstream schools, including primary, secondary, sixth form and all through, across the north of England. She is also Deputy Regional SEND Lead for Whole School SEND’s Lancashire and West Yorkshire region.
Session Three: Leading Inclusive Practice - The strategic role of the SENDCO
Tuesday 23rd January, 10 am (virtual)
Speakers: Katherine Walsh, Director of Inclusion at River Learning Trust, Andrew Hanlon, Headteacher at the Marlborough School, and Anna McCleary, SENDCO at the Marlborough School.
This session explores the role of the SENDCO in mainstream
schools. Whilst the roles and responsibilities of the SENDCO are outlined in
the Code of Practice, the day-to-day presentation of the role can look
very different between schools.
Our speakers will talk through systems and
processes that can enable SENDCOs to work strategically with other senior
leaders to develop inclusive practice. Katherine will discuss the work the
Central Team at River Learning Trust have undertaken to redefine the role
of the SENDCO in their primary and secondary schools. Andrew and Anna will
share the process they undertook at The Marlborough School to ensure provision
for children and young people with SEND is 'built-in and not bolt-on'.
Company no: 05303883
Charity no: 1107640
