Insightful Beginnings

SEND audit or review

Conducting a SEND audit or review in your school will help to identify areas of strength and areas for development, including processes, data, paperwork, identification of need and collaborative working, so that you can provide all pupils with appropriate support and achieve the best outcomes for all. I offer SEND audits and reviews for individual schools and MATs. My prices for this service are very competitive within this field.

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EYFS audit

Conducting an EYFS audit in your school will help to assess what is already working well and identify areas for improvement in order to enhance provision, the environment and outcomes in your EYFS. I offer EYFS audits and reviews for individual schools and MATs and subsequent work to embed any recommendations given if required. Please get in touch for further information.

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SEND and / or EYFS preparation for OFSTED

Whilst we, as educators, do not want to ‘teach to the test’ and only make changes to our schools to improve our OFSTED outcomes, a looming OFSTED inspection is undeniably stressful for all staff and it is vital that everyone is prepared for ‘the call’! I can help take the stress out of your OFSTED preparation by looking in detail at your SEND provision, EYFS provision and whole school quality of education in relation to the most recent inspection framework.

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SEF and SIP planning

Have you identified areas for school improvement in relation to SEND and EYFS in your school Self Evaluation Form or do you need a further critical eye to look over your SEF and make further recommendations? If so I can support you with taking the areas identified in your SEF and putting them as clear targets within your School Improvement Plan.

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Critical Friend

Do you have any issues in your school relating to SEND, the EYFS or your curriculum that you are just not sure about and you need a conversation with a non-judgemental critical friend? Please contact me to find out how I can help you. I will always follow up the meeting with a written report for your records.

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Enhancing current SEND provision or opening an Independent school or Alternative Provision

Are you considering enhancing your SEND provision with a resource base or nurture group, but not quite sure where to start? Or would you like to open an Independent school or Alternative Provision and need support from an experienced teacher? I can offer support with planning your staffing, room space and organisation, funding, resources, policies and the curriculum you will be offering. Please contact me to find out how I can support you with this and discuss your initial ideas and requirements.

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Curriculum redesign

As Quality of Education Lead, I have experience in redesigning a whole school primary curriculum, including an adapted phonics scheme to meet the needs of children with SEND. I also overhauled the marking and feedback policy to ensure a greater work-life balance for staff. If you would like to update your curriculum or any policies to reflect the changing needs, abilities and interests of your cohort, or want to focus on a particular key stage, please get in touch for a more in depth conversation.

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EYFS supervision

Staff supervision is statutory in the EYFS framework, but many schools and settings find the logistics of ensuring all staff receive it difficult to manage. It is recognised that supporting the mental health and wellbeing of staff is crucial and all schools and settings must provide continuous support, teamwork and improvement as well as confidential discussion of sensitive issues. I have vast experience and have received training in supervision and coaching as well as holding a current certificate as a Designating Safeguarding Lead and could provide your setting with supervision as a service. Some schools prefer to extend this out to all staff beyond the EYFS to ensure that all staff are receiving support and opportunities to discuss any issues affecting them and the children in their care.

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SENCO support

Being a SENCO can be a very daunting role and is one where your job list never ends! I can offer a vast range of support to your SENCO, including (but not exhaustive)

• SEND policy
• Paperwork and record keeping
• Statutory assessment requests and EHCPs
• Provision mapping
• Intervention planning
• Effective management and deployment of support staff
• Budgeting and resourcing
• Making appropriate referrals to other services
• Parental meetings
• Identifying, observing and assessing pupils with possible SEND
• Other issues pertinent to you

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Early identification of pupils with possible SEND

The 2014 SEND Code of Practice clearly states that the early identification of children with SEND should be a priority. Early identification ensures that support and interventions can be provided at the earliest opportunity. There is no doubt the Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on children’s development and many children born during lockdowns are beginning their school journeys, having had limited access to medical appointments and early support services that would have been offered were we not in the midst of a pandemic. If you are concerned about any pupils and think they may possible have SEND, I can help you with observations, monitoring, liaising with parents and signposting where necessary.

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Early Years’ pupil observation and assessment

Once you have identified pupils with possible SEND, you will most likely need to some support with ensuring their needs are adequately met. I will work collaboratively with a child’s family to obtain as much information about their background, liaise with staff working with the pupil and then provide school with detailed observations and recommendations, which can be used at a later date to contribute to an EHCP request or assessment if needed. I also offer a similar service directly to parents (please see ‘services for parents’) as I am aware many children behave very differently in home and school environments.

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Informal parent drop-ins

Talking about their child’s possible SEND needs, development differences or just quirks can be difficult for any parent. I am happy to attend any coffee mornings or parent workshops you may have in order to address any underlying worries parents may have about their child on a more informal basis.

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Staff training

I can offer training to your setting (or multiple settings to help spread the cost) for a variety of Early Years and SEND topics including:

• Developing early reading and writing
• Encouraging speech and communication
• Getting your EYFS environment right
• Adaptive teaching in EYFS
• The EYFS for staff new to the key stage
• Supporting children with sensory integration differences
• Supporting children with vision impairments, hearing impairments and physical disabilities
• Supporting children with autism
• Supporting children with Down Syndrome
• Supporting children with Foetal Alcohol syndrome
• What does quality first teaching look like?
• Be OFSTED ready!
• Adaptive phonics teaching

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Prepare your child for school workshop

More and more children are starting school without having developed skills in communication and language, social and emotional development and personal care and independence. This workshop for parents uses my knowledge of child development, the EYFS curriculum and a big injection of humour to provide them with strategies to prepare their child for their school years. 

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Prices (Updated January 2024)

• School support - £72 per hour (minimum purchase of 2 hours)*
  • SEND audit
  • EYFS audit
  • Preparation for OFSTED
  • SEF and SIP planning
  • SENCO support
  • Critical friend
  • EYFS supervision
  • Early identification of pupils with possible SEND
  • Early years’ pupil observation and assessment (3 ½ hours)
  • Enhancing SEND provision
  • Developing an Independent or Alternative Provision
  • Curriculum redesign
  • Informal parent drop-ins
• Staff training - £165 per hour for up to 30 attendees (price by negotiation for larger groups)
• Prepare your child for school parent workshop - £300.

*Please contact me for a conversation about how many hours you would require and how you would like to build your package of support. I aim to be as flexible as possible and can provide support tailored to the needs of your school. There will be an additional cost of 45p per mile for any school visit greater than 20 miles away*

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