The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

Parental engagement

Debby Elley

Ensuring a smooth transition – a parental perspective

The process of transition happens to all pupils a few times during their school life. Debby Elley reflects on good practice for schools when welcoming pupils with SEND into their community. TRANSITION: The word is enough to make parents of autistic pupils quake in their boots. Transition means...
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Lisa Griffin

A whole-school approach to building parental partnerships

Engaging parents can drive pupil progress, but what can schools do to overcome communication barriers? It is well known that parental engagement impacts a child’s education, not just academically but emotionally and in terms of confidence too – their all-round development. The challenge for schools...
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Gareth D Morewood

EHCP transition: a parent's perspective

Jamie, dad of Thomas, Year 11, talks about his experience of the transition from statement to EHC plan with a neighbouring LA. Thomas' background My son, Thomas, was born at 2.45pm on 18 th November 1998. In the first hours of his life Tom suffered a bleed to the brain, stopped breathing, his heart...
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Gareth D Morewood

Starting the new SENCO year in 2014 – don’t panic…

The end of the summer break always gives those who work in schools that ‘funny feeling’: sometimes excitement for new jobs or roles – and often anxiety and a sense of disbelief! With the SEND reform becoming reality from 1 st September, this year will be even more challenging for the SENCO. Don’t...
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Gareth D Morewood

Developing self-advocacy in young people as part of a family-centred approach

I often get asked what I think the most important SENCO skills are. This has always interested me; starting with one of my first pieces of published writing The 21 st Century SENCO right through to considering the SENCO role within the framework of significant chance. I was certain at the start of...
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