The Somerset Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) team is celebrating their highest ever number of enrolments across the county, with 2908 local young people signed up to an award between April 2023 and March 2024. The DofE award is on offer…

Hello and welcome to the March edition of SEND News! I know that many of you have shared views about how challenging it is on the ground in schools right now. I will be stepping into the space of SEND…

We have heard from stakeholders that they wish to see an open and transparent process to discuss changes in local authority Education functions, particularly in relation to SEND and inclusion. To enable that to happen, and to maximise the potential…

Following requests, Alice, the Local Offer Young Persons Champion, developed an online learning module on Somerset’s SEND Local Offer. It is for people who work or volunteer within services that support parent carers who may have children and young people…

We would like to invite forty mainstream primary schools in Somerset to be part of the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools project (PINS). Assessing and meeting the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) in…

Somerset Libraries will be launching its new Neurodiversity book collection next month to coincide with the start of Autism Acceptance Week. In addition, a special author event will be taking place at Yeovil library on 20 April when local neurodivergent…

Part of the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund (AF3), the Service Pupil Support Programme will award grants of £5,000 to £80,000 to projects supporting Service children along their educational pathway. What’s the programme all about? This year, the programme will…

Entries for the Imagine the Possibilities Awards 2024 – celebrating Supported Employment in Somerset – are now open! These awards are an opportunity to celebrate all those who make up the Supported Employment community in Somerset. Educators, employers, and job…

Ahead of the wraparound expansion, please can mainstream and specialist schools with primary age children complete this survey on their current wraparound supply and demand. The Government is looking to increase the availability of wraparound provision for parents of primary…

Interactive ‘magic’ projectors have over 100 games and activities which have been designed by professionals to support children and adults who may be living with autism or learning difficulties. Available at Taunton; Bridgwater; Yeovil; Chard and Frome Libraries, anyone can…

A sculpture which aims to raise awareness of the negative effects of violence and aggression will be in Somerset next month as part of a nationwide tour. The Knife Angel will be placed outside the Market House in Taunton from 03…

Preparing to write the next Children and Young People’s Plan. Somerset Youth Forum is inviting all young people in Somerset aged 10-18 years (or up to 25 years with SEND) to a special session to discuss what young people need…

The Ofsted Big Listen is currently underway, inviting valuable insights across various sectors, from schools to children’s social care. The Ofsted Big Listen aims to gather feedback on Ofsted’s operations, focusing on areas such as reporting, inspection practices, culture, and…

Comic Relief funded free training to support Early Years Practitioners confidence to support children with SEND in their setting. Just imagine this, we (EY practitioners, managers, SENCo’s, Teachers) are all sitting together in a large room. We are all sitting…

St. Michael’s Academy Holiday Club is a programme, run by our partner Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP), caters to up to 150 children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds. The club welcomes children of all ages and capabilities, including children…

The Somerset Parent Carer Forum have created a range of fantastic workshops based on topics parents have expressed would be helpful – Workshops for Information, Support and Education (WISE). All the workshops are delivered or co-delivered by someone with lived experience of being…

Our March meeting was jam-packed with really interesting topics! In the morning, we had a session with Chloe from Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) team to have a discussion with our members about the transition into adulthood options for young people…

A leading youth voice advocate has been celebrated at a special event attended by Somerset Council staff and councillors. At the event, which was held at County Hall, Taunton, on 16 February, Josh Lancaster (aged 18) was celebrated for his…

Hello, and welcome to this month’s SEND news. As ever it is packed full of useful information and news. “Nothing about us, without us” is a central idea about work with people with SEND – participation is key to getting…

For the attention of Head teachers/SENCos and Finance officers of schools-maintained, and academy and colleges-primary/secondary/post 16. The Early Bird Window for the Educational Psychology Service (EPS) Traded service from September 2024 is now open. This is the only time we…