There were 430,000 children and young people with an EHCP in the UK alone at the beginning of 2021. 15,000 learners with EHCPs weren’t in any form of education, employment, or training at all, while 5,600 were awaiting provision according to reports issued by the DFE (Department of Education). How many others don’t have an EHCP but need one?
The number of neurodivergent learners in mainstream schools is on the increase. Yet, in many countries, including the UK, professionals such as educational psychologists and specialised SEN teachers are in short supply. This is having a ripple effect on the world of SEN.
The effects - from frustration, to anxiety, to fatigue to mention but a few - are not only being felt by children, young people, and their families but also everybody else involved in their well-being. Add to this the disruptions we’ve had in both the health and education services and it is easy to see why support for special educational needs must be reset and turbo charged.
Easing the repercussions on our learners and those working with them is not easy when there are so many different individual needs and so many different people that need to liaise together. Yet, this collaboration is vital if we are to provide an effective instructional programme that will benefit learners with special educational needs. This, coupled with the lack of specialised, modern and appropriate classroom resources, is our driving force and what propelled us to develop PAGS further over the last year.
PAGS focuses on 4 core areas (Self-regulation, Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Social Interaction and Awareness) and customises itself to the learners needs, identifying both strengths and developmental challenges. It then generates appropriate targets and teaching strategies whilst still allowing you to add your own. This means that it benefits children of all needs, provides a more holistic view of the child, and can be used along any curriculum. This has made it possible to:
The commitment and work done by our team in creating a solution that is placing Special Educational Needs in the forefront of every schools’ agenda has led to PAGS being one of 8 finalists that have been shortlisted for the prestigious BETT Award in the ‘Assessment Planning and Progress Monitoring’ category. But our work doesn't stop here. Our vision is to have a world-class special needs education program accessible to everyone.
You too can be part of this innovation. Visit https://www.pagsprofile.com/ or contact us here to find out how. We look forward to meeting you. There are exciting times ahead.
Supporting students' mental wellbeing is key to their success, especially for those with Special Educational Needs. In this article, Caro Strover, Senior Educational Psychologist, and Will Rogers, Head of SEND at Totton College, share 7 strategies for creating an inclusive, supportive environment.
