Torquay school 'leading the way' for children with special needs

Torquay’s Barton Hill Academy was the perfect venue for the launch of a special book.

The Academy has been hailed as a ‘National Inclusion Champion’ winner so it was the ideal setting for the launch of “The A-Z of Special Educational Needs”,.

The book, described as a ‘treasure trove of advice and guidance, was co-written by Neil Maslen and Lindsay Cooper Smith for schools working with special educational needs and disabilities.  

Part of Lift Schools, the Torquay primary school, which has a formidable reputation nationwide for its inclusive expertise and practice, received visitors from as far afield as Birmingham, including numerous educational leaders from the south-west, and Ruth Murad, the Primary Director of Education for Lift Schools, one of the largest network of schools in the country.  

Guests  toured the school to absorb its ethos and see its values in action, before assembling to see the panel launch the latest in a series of teacher handbooks, edited by Roy Blatchford, founding CEO of the National Education Trust and chair for the children’s communication charity, Speech and Language UK.  

Roy fielded questions from the floor and chaired the panel, with its resounding message articulated by author Neil, Director of Education for Speech and Language UK::  “Get it right for vulnerable pupils and you get it right for all pupils.”

Lindsay, Director of Inclusion for a large south-west multi academy trust, explained how the book developed out of a passion for encouraging schools to look beyond their own setting to explore how they could support each other.  In researching the project, Neil and Lindsay voiced how there was such a wealth of knowledge and talent in the profession and that school systems needed to inspire those who aspire to be leaders of SEND.  

The panel was completed by Samantha Smith, Principal of Barton Hill Academy and Siobhan Meredith, Executive Director of Education for the south west based Ted Wragg Trust, who expressed their belief that so much of what is good for SEND is good for everybody and repeated the crucial mantra that SEND is everybody’s business, emphasising their shared belief that headteachers needed to be passionate about inclusion.

Roy, who recognised Barton Hill Academy as a “model of its kind” with three specialist provisions led by experienced Inclusion Leader Angela Farrell, asked Principal Sam to encapsulate the culture at Barton:

She said: “You need to staff your school with people who understand the climate you are trying to create and be relentlessly kind.  Care more than is sensible and go the extra mile, as it is our moral duty.”

As the government has named inclusion as a national priority, with funding being an essential part of the conundrum and there being an exponential growth across the country in educational health care plans for children, the launch of an invaluable resource such as “The A-Z of Special Educational Needs” is timely, as it affords schools an opportunity to explore solutions when faced with an educational system at the crossroads.

Roy, series editor, summed up the launch with optimism and said: “We appreciate Barton Hill Academy hosting the launch of this handbook; indeed it is the second launch we have held here, having begun our series with the A-Z of Great Classrooms, two years ago.”

“Primary education with Lift Schools is in good hands.  This is a good place to be a child and a good place to teach - the Early Years provision here is very special.  It has been a wonderful opportunity to build relationships and precious to bring together, in one room, a passionate group of people who live and breathe inclusion.”