(UK) Midlands: "Inclusion Hub" to help teachers with "increasing numbers" of disabled

Mar 30, 2023, FE News: SEND Hub helping improve education standards this Autism Acceptance Day https://www.fenews.co.uk/resources/send-hub-helping-improve-education-standards-this-autism-acceptance-day/

E. Midlands

Leicestershire and Rutland Teaching School Hub (LRTSH), in partnership with Birch Wood Special School, launched its SEND and Inclusion Hub earlier this year to help education professionals support increasing numbers of young people presenting with special educational needs and disabilities. Birch Wood Special School has recently been successful in earning its advanced autism accreditation with the National Autistic Society. The Autism Accreditation Programme is the UK’s only autism specific quality assurance programme and achieving accreditation proves that an organisation is committed to understanding autism and setting the standard for autism practice. … To help share that knowledge, the school has partnered with LRTSH to deliver support through a dedicated SEND and Inclusion Hub. The hub provides training and workshops to help teachers. Amy Dunstan, deputy head for behaviour and culture at Birch Wood School, which caters for students aged four to 19, said she was keen to use this week to celebrate difference. “At Birch Wood we refer to this week as Autism Celebration Week – an opportunity to celebrate difference and bask in the wonder of neurodiversity. …

Director of LRTSH, Kay Shepherd, said the SEND and Inclusion Hub was already helping large numbers of staff improve their practices. “Since partnering to offer the Hub with Birch Wood Special School, we have already delivered training to nearly 100 teachers, helping them to better support students in their classrooms so they can achieve their full potential. “The education sector isn’t just about teaching, it is about learning, and it is vital we continue to share and learn new and successful ways of supporting our young people while celebrating difference.”

Amy Dunstan deputy head for behaviour and culture at Birch Wood School