Research School Network: Through the lens of SEN: sharing expertise across specialist and mainstream settings How do we support those with the greatest need in mainstream schools?

During the academic year 2022/23, over 1.5 million pupils in England had special educational needs (SEN), this is an increase from 1.2 million in 2018.


We know that the best provision for pupils with SEND requires coordination across multiple organisations and individuals — made harder in recent years by spending pressures. Recognising that many of these factors are outside of the control of schools and classroom teachers, we have embarked on a collaboration between mainstream schools and a specialist setting to explore how we can utilise the evidence base and professional expertise to develop a toolbox of classroom strategies.


Following a brief introduction and whistle stop tour through the landscape of SEND in mainstream and specialist settings, we started the process of intensifying the focus by viewing our classrooms through the lens of one pupil at various levels. We considered supports, strengths and needs before
moving on to consider avenues of change.

As participants shared their responses to the question prompts the lived experience of SEN children within our schools was brought to life and in turn the drivers for symptoms related to academic achievement and behaviour. We reflected on the pupil profile as a powerful mechanism to be used to capture and share ​‘data’ about the pupils that we teach and how we join the dots to identify next steps. This provided a stepping stone to consider recommendations 1 and 2 from the SEN in Mainstream Schools Guidance Report. 

As colleagues from a specialist school shared their insights, this also became a moment of powerful reflection for those working within mainstream schools. We confronted the terminology of ​‘special’ schools in favour of the term ​‘specialist’, a subtle shift that empowers all of us to consider how we can demystify the evidence to develop as specialists within our own classrooms. 

We will look forward to sharing with you further insights from this collaboration.