Primary Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Adaptive Teaching to Inclusive Learning

Led by Margaret Mulholland: DfE Advisor, SEND advocate, TES columnist. 

 

This programme will support teachers in developing inclusive, responsive classroom practices that ensure all learners - including those not meeting curriculum expectations - are supported in ways that foster agency, access, and progress. This programme de-links inclusion from being solely about SEND, encouraging a school-wide shift in mindset.

 

20th January 2026, 3.45pm to 5.15pm - online

• Inclusive Teaching ≠ SEND Teaching & When Pupils Don’t Access the Curriculum

• Reframing the narrative: Inclusion is not an add-on.

• Discussion of case studies (including non-verbal pupils).

• Exploring learning behaviours, memory, and communication.

• Tools for better planning and early intervention.

• 17th March 2026, 3.45pm to 5.15pm - online

• Speech & Language Strategies for Every Classroom & Memory and Recall Supports (are they using Verbo? - yes, increasing use. Starting with hardest to reach children  How are they using it and sustaining support?)

• Practical supports for communication barriers.

• Techniques for supporting pupils with working memory needs.

• 21st April, 3.45pm to 5.15pm - online

• Planning for Inclusion: Test Before You Refer

• Whole-class adaptations before SEND referral - graduated approach 

• Date tbc - June - in person at St John the Baptist Primary School

• Learning Walk: What to Look For in Inclusive Classrooms

• Observational frameworks and feedback strategies (look at a learning walk)

• Date tbc June, 3.45pm to 5.15pm - online

• Peer Coaching and Sharing What Works

• Host school staff share learning from pilot classrooms.

• Collaborative review sessions.

 

Programme Resources

• SEND Handbook and Inclusion Toolkit

• Case studies (including non-verbal learners)

• Speech, language, and memory support resources

• Coaching and observation templates (for host school)

• Target audience:
• Primary
• Secondary
• Post 16

• Included in package:
• Primary
• Secondary
• Post 16

Autism in Schools

A 1 hour training session focused on understanding the strengths and differences of autistic learners. There will be opportunities to reflect on your current knowledge, share experiences and explore strategies that could support autistic learners in the classroom, starting with an effective One Page Profile.

This session is suitable for individuals who work directly with autistic children and young people and who wish to understand autism from a neuro-affirmative perspective.

Emotional Literacy Support Assistants: ELSA Training

The Educational Psychology Service is offering the ELSA training programme in Hackney.  This is for any member of staff working with vulnerable children and young people, for example, Teaching Assistants (TAs), SEN Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), Learning Mentors, Family Liaison Workers, etc.

Who should attend?

Any member of staff working with vulnerable children and young people, for example, Teaching Assistants (TAs), SEN Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), Learning Mentors, Family Liaison Workers, etc.

Course structure:

• 6-day Training Course to enable support staff to develop and deliver emotional literacy interventions for their students. 
• Followed by 7-sessions of group supervision led by specialist Educational Psychologists to help with planning and delivery of interventions. Supervision sessions will run up until academic year 2026/27. Please be aware there is an additional cost to attend the Supervision sessions (£150)

Course benefits:

• The ELSA project is an evidence-based initiative where teaching assistants receive six days of special training from EPs related to emotional literacy and well-being of children and young people in school.
• By becoming a registered ELSA in their school, staff receive ongoing professional supervision from EPs to help them deliver individual and small group support programmes in schools.
• ELSAs can help with a range of issues, including loss and bereavement, self-esteem, motivation, social skills, issues with friends and relationships, anger management, behavior in class, bullying, anxiety, exam-related stress, etc.
• This preventative, inexpensive initiative can build on schools’ current resources, delivering quality support to students.
• Beneficial outcomes have been found to be: increased staff confidence in supporting vulnerable pupils and a significant improvement in the emotional well-being of students

Plus 1 x group supervision sessions will take place in summer term 2026 and a copy of “Emotional Well-Being: An Introductory Handbook for Schools.

• Target audience:
• Primary
• Secondary

• Included in package:
• Not Included

Makaton Level 2

Course overview

This nationally accredited Level 2 Makaton course builds on the previous workshop to develop knowledge and understanding of both signs and symbols up to Core Vocabulary stage 4, and explores how to use them to support communication every day.  The course will increase participants’ knowledge of AAC and multi-modal communication and there are opportunities to revise and practise signing in a fun and active way. Levels 1 and 2 together are equivalent to the two-day Makaton Foundation Workshop previously offered. 

Course objectives

• To learn signs and symbols of the Makaton language programme (stages 3–4).
• To enable staff to facilitate pupils with communication difficulties to access learning and social interaction at school using Makaton.

Who should attend?
SENCOs, teachers, learning support assistants and teaching assistants in primary, secondary mainstream and special schools responsible for using and teaching who have previously completed the Makaton Level 1 course.

• Target audience:
• Early Years
• Primary
• Secondary
• Post 16

• Included in package:
• Not Included