I’ve never attended a Tes SEND Show before, so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been running for over 30 years and attracts thousands of people. When I became a headteacher I would have seen it as the preserve of my SENCO or my support staff to go. Over recent years I’ve completely changed my mind as I’ve realised this meant I didn’t build my knowledge and skills to lead the provision for a steadily increasing number of children.
We shouldn’t lack confidence to be a leader of SEND. That’s why having a Leadership Summit as part of the Tes SEND Show is such a fantastic addition. I, like many school leaders, have recognised the importance of strengthening my own leadership for children who struggle to access school or access the curriculum. Far from this relating to a minority, as we know it is the lived experience of a significant number of young people. The more we understand, the better we can support and distribute the leadership knowledge needed to fulfil our ambition to lead inclusive schools.
The summit recognises the change we want to see, for every leader to be a leader of SEND. One thing I do know - being a good leader is contingent upon being a good learner. I’m looking forward to October 11th and our opportunity to learn together.
The day has been crafted by ASCL’s SEND & Policy Specialist Margaret Mulholland, who is also a regular columnist for Tes. Her articles champion the importance of the strategic role leaders play in ensuring equitable education through the ongoing process of inclusion. Margaret has designed the Leadership Summit agenda to wrap around the Tes SEND Show keynote and allow time to visit the exhibition hall.
There are however some leadership perks that I must share with you. You have permission to jump the queue that snakes down Upper Street as people wait eagerly for the main Tes SEND Show doors to open. The Leadership Summit starts at 8.45am so you can go straight to the registration desk and up to the first-floor venue. The view from there is definitely worth a picture for your social media!
Once Margaret, our host, has provided an overview of the day, we will kick start with coffee and croissants and work with Baz and Conor from The Centre for Education and Youth to get to know each other and start to share. The opportunity to learn from others is central to this event and I’m keen to walk away with email addresses and social media handles as well as insights and resources.
During the morning we’ll enjoy two keynotes. First, the full panel event where sector leaders including John Camp OBE, ASCL’s past president, will debate the priorities for change. Then the second keynote with Jonny Uttley, CEO of The Education Alliance Academy Trust in the North East. He will share feedback on the findings from his work with the Centre for Young Lives and recommendations for changing the current accountability systems. I’m sure we will be asking the questions: Why and how do we measure inclusion?
There’s sessions throughout the day working with knowledgeable leaders who will share successful models of leadership to deliver inclusive experiences. These will include: Adaptive teaching and how it informs an adaptive curriculum, Distributed leadership and how to ensure it’s impactful, and Establishing a sustainable resource provision. Ultimately, together, we will demystify SEND for our wider school communities.
Panel discussions will be hosted by Jon Severs, Editor of Tes, and there’s a fantastic line up of panellists as well as, I am told, some surprise guests too.
I am looking forward to laughing, learning and ultimately leading for inclusion.
See you there!
