Rethinking How Pupils with SEN Learn and Progress

What happens when a school stops asking which year group a SEN pupil belongs in and starts asking what stage of learning they are actually at?

In this episode of the Connecting Classrooms Podcast, Grant speaks to Caroline Parker, Head Teacher at Gloucester Road Primary School in Cheltenham, about how her school has rethought its approach to SEND provision.

By moving away from an age-led approach for pupils on its SEND pathways and focusing instead on individual stages of learning, the school has created a model designed around what each child needs to progress.

The results Caroline shares are striking:

• Attendance for pupils on the pathway increased from 30% to 80%
• Some pupils made two years of progress in just six months
• The school had previously experienced 21 suspensions in one year

But this episode is about much more than statistics. Caroline explains the thinking behind the changes, what the model looks like in practice and what other school leaders can learn from Gloucester Road Primary School's experience.

Rethinking how SEND pupils learn

For some pupils with SEND, being grouped according to age does not necessarily mean they are learning in the environment that best meets their needs.

Caroline and her team began questioning whether there was another way.

Their answer was to rethink how pupils were grouped and supported while ensuring they still felt part of the wider school community.

The result was a new pathway model built around three areas: Flourish, Elevate and Empower.

Rather than giving away exactly how it works, we’ll leave Caroline to explain that.

The ‘Woolly Mammoth moment’

Every significant change starts somewhere.

For Caroline, one particular classroom moment made her stop and reconsider what some pupils really needed from school.

It led to questions about the curriculum, classroom environments and whether small changes could make a much bigger difference to engagement and learning.

One of those changes involved something as simple as removing a desk.

Why did that matter? You’ll need to listen to find out.

A conversation for school leaders

This episode goes beyond SEND theory and explores what change looks like in a real primary school.

Caroline talks candidly about the challenges, the lessons learned and the impact the approach has had on pupils.

If you are a Headteacher, SENCO, Inclusion Lead or school leader looking at how your SEND provision could evolve, this episode offers plenty of food for thought.

Watch or listen to the full Connecting Classrooms episode on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Building the right team around your SEND provision

The right structure is only one part of successful SEND provision. Schools also need experienced people who understand the pupils they are supporting and can work effectively within the school's approach.

Flourish Education works with mainstream schools, SEN schools, PRUs and alternative provisions to recruit experienced SEND professionals. Our recruitment includes SEN Teachers, SEN Teaching Assistants, 1:1 support and SENDCOs alongside other specialist teaching and support roles.

Looking for experienced SEND staff for your school? Contact our local education recruitment team to discuss the support you need.