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Lancashire and West Yorkshire
In LWY SEND Leaders are currently working with LAs, Opportunity Areas, MATs, Dioceses and schools to develop solutions to enhance SEND related school improvement and workforce development.
We are committed to improving the quantity and quality of trained SEND Reviewers. We have a developed network of specialist Teaching Schools and SEND Reviewers and are continually enhancing this talent pool. We are developing locality specific ‘provision maps’ for SEND CPLD to close gaps in workforce development and encouraging all schools to sign up to the Community of Practice.
We recognise the importance of engaging with children and families to support school improvement. We will collect and collate examples of Best Practice relating to SEND regional issues and share these cross-regionally. We are also sharing excellence in SEND ITT by contributing to research projects.
Local authorities in this region
Blackburn and Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Halton, Kirklees Knowsley, Lancashire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Sefton, St. Helens, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral.
Meet your Regional SEND Leads
Regional Lead
Angela recently received an MBE for her services to children and young people with special educational needs (SEND). She is CEO of The Sea View Trust - an inclusive MAT, with schools in Haslingden and Blackpool. With 30 years of teaching and leadership experience in both primary and special schools, Angela was formerly the Teaching School Council National Representative for SEND and continues or provide expert support to the DfE. Angela is a driven and committed system leader, and in her role as a National Leader of Education, has supported schools, trusts, and Local Authorities with a range of educational improvement priorities.
Angela Holdsworth
Deputy Regional Lead
Hilary Cook
Deputy Regional Lead
Nicole Dempsey is Trust Director for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities and Safeguarding at Dixons Academies Trusty, a multi-academy trust with schools in Bradford, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. She is also a Deputy Regional SEND Lead, in the Lancashire and West Yorkshire region, for Whole School SEND, a consortium of organisations committed to enhancing the quality of education for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities throughout England. She writes about SEND and inclusion on her blog, inco14.wordpress.com, and tweets under the username @NDempseyDTA.
