Latest news
New Department for Education Data on SEND in Schools
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The Department for Education has published comprehensive data from the January census on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in schools across England. The new statistics reveal significant insights into the current state of SEND provisions and demographics.
Key findings from the report include:
Increase in SEND Prevalence: A total of 18.4% of children in England have some form of special educational need, an increase from 17.3% in 2023. This translates to 1,673,205 children with SEND, marking an increase of over 100,000 from the previous year.
- Unclassified Needs Rise: There has been a notable 7.1% rise in the number of children receiving SEN Support without a specified type of assessed need.
- Common Types of Needs: Speech, Language, and Communication Needs continue to be the most common type of need for those on SEN support. For children with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP), Autism is the most prevalent need.
- Gender Disparities: While SEND remains more common in boys than girls, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of girls receiving SEN Support and those with an EHCP, compared to boys.
- Economic Disparities: The data indicates a disproportionate number of pupils with SEND are eligible for free school meals. Specifically, 42.2% of those with an EHCP and 38.3% of those on SEN Support are eligible, compared to only 21.4% of pupils without SEND.
- Alternative Provision Attendance: The trend of pupils with SEND attending alternative provision settings remains high, with 24.2% having an EHCP and 58.1% receiving SEN Support.
Further information on the DFE SEND January census can be found on the DFE website.
...Exciting Updates to OLT's User Experience and Forums
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At OLT, we're committed to improving user interaction for our community which is why we're excited to introduce some significant updates that enhance usability while keeping the familiar design and experience you know and love.
Enhanced User Interface
Discover the changes by logging in and visiting the Hub. Highlights include:
- Updated Icons: Fresh, modern icons for a more intuitive experience.
- Cohort-Specific Forums: Tutors can now select the type of forum associated with a cohort, offering more tailored discussion spaces.
- Organisation-Wide Forums: Active organisations can access forums that consolidate posts from the past three years, ensuring that valuable discussions and resources are easily accessible.
Looking Ahead
To ensure a smooth transition, we're planning a dedicated day for our tutors and partner organisations to help ensure everyone understands the new forum structure.
For any questions or further information, don’t forget that our support team are available on hand to assist you. We look forward to continuing to support your professional development with these exciting new features.
The OLT Team
Report urges early interventions to reduce exclusions of SEND primary students
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Too Young To Leave Behind, a recent report from the London charity, Chance UK, reveals concerning statistics about the suspension and permanent exclusion of young children from primary school.
The report highlights that out of the 22,000 children aged six years and under who were either suspended or permanently excluded, 97% had Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Key Findings
- 22,000 children aged six years and under were excluded or suspended from primary school
- 97% of these children had SEND
- Over 90% of excluded children do not achieve a Grade 4 or above in English and Maths
- 67% of excluded children were on free school meals
Chance UK states in the report that exclusions "simply do not work" and instead "just pass the problem on to parents, communities, and other schools." The report advocates for early support for struggling children.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at the school leaders' union NAHT, responded to the research, stating: “Schools work hard to help children secure support when they face challenges in their lives which can impact their behaviour, wellbeing, and academic attainment - but they cannot resolve these complex issues alone."
Whiteman emphasised that suspensions and exclusions are used as "a last resort" to ensure the safety of all pupils and staff. He highlighted that underfunding of vital services such as social care, children’s mental health, and SEND support makes it difficult for schools to access the necessary help for children and families.
He called for increased government investment in essential support services to provide early help and interventions for children before problems escalate.
...New app for parents of deaf children
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There are currently more than 50,000 deaf children in the UK, with 78% attending mainstream schools. Even though deafness is not a learning disability, many deaf children across the UK underachieve in education. The good news is, with the right support, deaf children can achieve the same as their hearing peers.
With this in mind, the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) has launched a new app entitled: My NDCS. Aimed at parents and carers of deaf children, its main goal is to support children with expert guidance anytime, anywhere.
The app is now available for iOS and Android users and members of the NDCS (membership is free).
The NDCS app allows parents to:
- Find expert information and resources suited to your location and your child’s age
- Read stories and testimonies from other families
- Access and use a glossary to highlight key terms you might come across
- Use the journal to record key moments in your child’s journey - to reflect on key milestones
- Parents can also write notes for appointments or, add comments to share with professionals later.
The My NDCS app is available to download for iOS and Android users in the UK. Find out more at The National Deaf Children’s Society.
...Free school webinars for stress awareness month 2024
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Stress Awareness month 2024 is currently underway and for schools across the UK, it marks an opportunity to focus on the importance of good mental health and wellbeing.
The theme for this year’s Stress Awareness Month is: Little by little, a little becomes a lot and highlights the transformative impact of consistent, small positive actions on over-all wellbeing.
This year, we’d like to emphasise how even the smallest steps taken each day towards self-care can yield significant improvements in mental health for children and young people. So, we’re sharing a list our favourite free resources, to help schools empower teachers to build a whole school approach around emotional regulation and resilience.
Free stress awareness month webinars:
- Pupil emotional regulation skills
- Teacher wellbeing
- Guided practices for educators
- Guided practices for calming students
We hope you enjoy our resources, please share with anybody in your setting who would benefit.
Best wishes,
The OLT Team
...Children's Mental Health Week 2024. Free resources
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Now in its 10th year, Children's Mental Health Week takes place from 5– 11 February, with the theme: My voice matters.
1 in 6 children and young people now have a diagnosable mental health condition and by taking part in Children’s Mental Health Week you can help to ensure that children and young people across the UK feel listened to and know that they’re not alone.
Join us in raising awareness during this significant week and together, we can strive to make a positive impact on children's mental health:
Download your free toolkit
We believe in empowering educators and parents with the right tools and knowledge to support children's mental health. Our specialised courses and resources are designed to offer guidance and practical strategies to help you champion mental health in your school.
What’s more, we have a variety of free supportive materials available now that you can use to help champion children’s mental health in your school.
Childrens mental health toolkit
Join the Conversation
Why not explore our resources further? You can engage in thoughtful discussions and share your insights with us on both Twitter and Facebook. Your participation is crucial in making a positive impact on children's mental health.
Together, let's create a world where every child feels heard, understood, and empowered.
...DFE announce expansion of attendance hubs programme
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Attendance is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing the school system today. In the 2022-23 academic year, DfE figures suggest 22.3% of pupils in England were persistently absent - 17.2% in primary schools and 28.3% in secondary schools - roughly double pre-pandemic levels. Almost two in five disadvantaged pupils were persistently absent.
In response to this, The Department for Education (DFE) has announced the expansion of the Attendance hubs programme with eighteen new hubs announced as part of a push to cut high – post-Covid absence rates. A total of 32 hubs will now provide support to help drive down absence at 2,000 schools across the country.
What are attendance hubs?
Designed for senior leaders in mainstream maintained schools and academies with oversight of attendance. Attendance hubs are led by senior leaders in schools with effective attendance practice. Through their hubs, lead schools share their strategies and resources for improving attendance.
The aims of the programme are to:
• refine approaches to managing attendance in school
• share good practice for managing attendance with others
• discuss any common challenges
In response to this, James Bowen, assistant general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:
“Early intervention and support makes such a difference to young people and can be a lifeline for parents too. There must be a clear plan to extend this sort of provision across the whole country.
“The work of such hubs is vital, but the government also needs to do far more to address the underlying issues many families are facing. We know that childhood poverty has a clear negative affect on short-term and long-term outcomes. Too many children continue to live in poverty in this country. “
To register your interest in joining an attendance hub or to find out more visit the DFE website
Expand your CPD with OLT SEND practice webinars.
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Ready to take your learning to the next level? Look no further than OLT's SEND practice webinars, a selection of over 19 bitesize CPD sessions now available to watch on demand.
Whether you're a teacher, parent, leader, SENCO, or support staff, we have tailored content that will empower and support you in your educational journey. Delivered by industry-leading experts, these sessions offer actionable and targeted strategies that you can apply directly to your classroom practice. What's more, you can validate your learning with a CPD certificate from as little as £4.99.
Why choose OLT's webinars?
1. Expert-Led CPD: Our webinars feature high-quality CPD sessions delivered by industry-leading experts. Gain valuable insights and practical strategies that can be implemented in real-world scenarios.
2. Bite-Sized Learning: With over 19 bitesize learning sessions at your fingertips, you can dive into topics that interest you the most. Each session is designed to provide focused and actionable strategies that you can apply right away, saving you time while maximizing your learning experience.
3. Flexibility at Your Fingertips: Life can get busy, and attending live webinars may not always be feasible. That's why our on-demand webinars allow you to access the content whenever it suits you best. Watch them during lunch breaks, evenings, or even weekends – the choice is yours!
4. Free Registration: We believe in making quality education accessible for all. That's why our webinars are available for free registration. Simply sign up and gain unlimited access to our library of unmissable content.
5. CPD Certification to Validate Your Learning: Want to showcase your commitment to professional development? Upon completion of each webinar, guests can purchase a CPD certificate for as little as £4.99 to validate newly acquired knowledge and skills. Does your organisation already have a licence with us? Then you can access a certificate for free as one of our valued partners.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your expertise and broaden your horizons within the field of SEND education.
Ready to take the leap?
Take a look at our latest webinars available to view now and simply log in or register to view.
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An evaluation of the impact of OLT’s course in ADHD on teacher practice and pupil outcomes
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Missed out on this year's Global ADHD Conference?
Don't worry! OLT is proud to bring you an exclusive presentation from one of the key 2023 Global ADHD conference speakers: Melanie Porter, Associate Professor at Macquarie University.
Bridging the gap in professional development
In partnership with OLT and ADHD Australia, Melanie's presentation shines a light on the critical need for professional development in ADHD education and offers a preliminary evaluation of the impact of OLT's ‘Understanding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder’ course on professional teaching practice, knowledge and confidence.
An evaluation that matters
Read the presentation below now and explore how OLT's 'Understanding ADHD' course can transform your teaching approach and help improve learning outcomes for students with ADHD.
...Top 5 resources for schools: World Mental Health Day 2023
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Tuesday 10th October marks World Mental Health Day and for schools across the UK, it marks an opportunity to focus on the benefits of positive mental health and wellbeing for all!
With as many as 1 in 6 children aged 5-16 likely to have a mental health problem, it's essential that we can all have the opportunity to focus on mental health and show that mental health and wellbeing matters!
The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘mental health is a universal human right’, so we’re sharing our top 5 resources with you and your school to help generate discussions and highlight the importance of positive mental health!
Download our World Mental Health Day Toolkit
We hope you enjoy our free toolkit of resources!
Please feel free to share them with any colleague who may benefit and follow us on social media for more posts throughout the day!
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The OLT Team