As a new SENDCo I am just getting used to the complex and conflicting demands of meeting the needs of pupils with SEND in a mainstream secondary school. In this first week of the new school year, there have been three issues that stand out; young people's anxiety, funding for schools, and the importance of leadership.
Almost all of us are nervous on the return to school following a break, especially a long one. However for some young people this week those common nerves and worries are the thin end of a very large wedge of anxiety. The busyness of corridors, and walking in to a room of 30+ people many of whom are strangers have been overwhelming for some children. So overwhelming that even with skilled adult support they are not able to enter the room. There was a time when this would have lead to sanctions, isolation from lessons, and exclusions from school all of which only serve to exacerbate the difficulties. Instead this week, we have taken three key steps very deliberately to address the children's needs whilst maintaining a focus on learning and emphasising the value of being in the classroom. Firstly we have spent time with pupils describing what will happen during each part of the day, verbally rehearsing what to expect. Secondly we have used an emotion coaching approach, ensuring that we really clearly start by recognising the emotion in the child and continue to focus on this which brings a very human connection beyond that of the relationship between teacher or TA and pupil. Thirdly we have set out small steps to take towards being in the room, beginning with sitting on a chair outside yet in view of the teacher and attempting some of the learning. These steps and the impressive patience of TAs and co-operation of teachers have not yet led to anxieties diminishing. They have shown that we are listening to young people, trying to understand their difficulties, and treating people with fairness. This is helping to build trust and show there is a way forward together.
The funding crisis in schools is serious, and for young people with SEND it is proving increasingly difficult to provide resources that meet their needs. The government's announcement of a cash injection is of course welcome, but inevitably this will take time to arrive on the ground and is likely to impact on services elsewhere. We have a new Year 7 cohort this year with wide ranging and complex needs. There are nearly 20% of pupils with an identified special need, and many more who will need additional and different provision in the new setting. The Year 11 who have just departed had a much smaller proportion of pupils with SEND so it is quite obvious that in order to stand still and maintain our current provisions we will require further funding. Even where the local authority has agreed to top up funding to meet needs, in some cases this money has not arrived in school. With just 7 teaching assistants in a large secondary school that has well over 200 pupils on the SEND register we have very limited resources. I will be working hard to make the best of these, but I am fearful that despite a coherent, efficient suite of provisions, we will not even be able to meet our statutory obligations.
Leadership has been on my mind this week too. I was given an extract from 'Radical Candor' by my headteacher. It is a book about leadership written by a former employee of Apple and Google. This style of book is usually a turn off for me, and indeed I shan't be going to buy a copy to read the whole thing. However there were some ideas in the introduction that resonated. The author writes about 'direct feedback' and the importance of honesty, clarity, and collaboration between leaders and employees. With these features, she writes, comes productivity built on pleasure in work and motivation. How true for leaders of young people in the classroom I thought. Another key message in the start of the book is that in her experience at the highest levels, the best bosses employ people to tell them what to do. I feel lucky because I believe my Headteacher employed me in May for exactly this reason. This feels empowering. She believes I can lead SEND in the school, trusts me to do it well, and knows that the school needs someone with expertise. Despite a tough start, and looking ahead to what will be a tough year, this realisation has left me further energised, and confident.
