Providing everything that a busy secondary SENCO will ever need all in one place, this new handbook will allow you to spend as much time as possible where you need to be – with your students. Edited by Sue Soan.
The SENCO Handbook is a unique new publication from Optimus, publishers of SENCO Update. The handbook collects together all of the information that a busy SENCO or SEN/inclusion manager will ever need, within one easy-to-use folder.
for Overall Value for Money Christine Cody, Learning Support Manager SEN
This accessible practical reference tool is clearly presented to make it useful in helping SENCOs to manage and organise the SEN provision within their school or organisation.
The authors are all experienced practising SENCOs, SEN experts or advisory SEN personnel. Therefore, the information is presented in a way that recognises the needs of a SENCO trying to accomplish all of the many tasks required within a busy secondary school environment.
“The SENCO Handbook has been very useful for writing my SEN policy and preparing for Ofsted”. 
– for Overall Value for Money Julie Porter, SENCO at Maiden Erlegh School
“The SENCO Handbook is a useful source of reference to aid day-to-day practice of SEN. There’s no need to re-invent the wheel as the Handbook has a lot of quality materials in it which will save a lot of time.” – For practical strategies to apply Brian J Sparks, Head of Curriculum and Learning Support at Stanchester Community School.
The SENCO Handbook will:
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Allow you to spend more time with your students by offering support and assistance with every aspect of your role.
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Enhance the SEN provision for students within your school by giving you access to all of the information you need to do your job effectively and develop systems for working within your school.
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Give you confidence to deal with managing and organising other colleagues, including support staff, parents and the students themselves.
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Enable you to make a strong contribution in meetings with your local authority and other agencies.
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Enable you to develop school strategy in areas relating to SEN provision and therefore make a contribution to performance of the school as a whole.
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Support you in managing your role, so that you can still have a life outside of work.
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Give you access to relevant and useful information written by people that have been or are still actively involved in the role of the SENCO.
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Save you time, providing all of the information you need in one easy-to-access file as well as material that can be easily reproduced.
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Enable other members of staff, aside from SENCOs, to assist in areas of provision where necessary.
The SENCO Handbook contains:
- A disk containing pro formas to print.
- Easy-to-use signposting to internet links and references.
- Strategies to manage the processes that your role requires.
- In-depth guidance on procedural issues.
“SENCO Handbook has been my bible for the first two years as a SENCO”. – Value of proformas included
Joanne Bent, SENCO at Rossington All Saints (VA) School
“It provides up-to-date information about the SENCOs role and responsibilities and excellent proformas”. – For practical strategies to apply
Jenny Stephenson, SENCO at Horbury School
The handbook is divided into three parts for easy identification of the topics discussed:
Part One: Covers the broader and national issues that a SENCO should be familiar with.
This section will enable you to respond knowledgably in meetings with your local authority and other agencies, and also gives you confidence when providing parents and carers with supportive information. This part also includes a chapter that suggests ways of managing your role as the SENCO, so that you can still have a life outside of work.
“A useful tool for SENCOs with everything you would need to know”. – For practical strategies to apply
Jane Bedlington, SENCO at Luton Sixth Form College
Part Two: Focuses on identification, assessment, monitoring and evaluation. This section investigates each avenue of need and provides very useful, practical strategies and interventions you can utilise to develop an effective system within your setting.
Part Three: This most extensive section of the book continues the hands-on approach to all of the subjects discussed. This part covers elements of national strategies that are required to be developed in schools, such as continuing professional development, working with others within and outside of the institution, and actively listening to the student and parental voice. It explains successful procedure and offers practical pro formas, assessments, paperwork and methods of working so that there should be little need for you, the practitioner, to have to look anywhere else for additional resources of information.
“A very useful resource – full of easily accessible and well organised information. The SENCO Handbook covers many aspects of the SENCO role, and is useful for those new to the job and established practitioners”.
– Overall quality of content Louise Pennington, Advisory Teacher for SEN
“SENCO Handbook provides an overview of the whole SENCO role and is a good basis to refer to when needed. There’s useful proformas to adapt and use! I have dipped into certain sections of the handbook to refresh my knowledge and check on the correct procedure”. – For guidance and explanation of the SENCO role Gill Durrant, Head of Inclusion (SENCO)
Editor and contributor:
Sue Soan is a senior lecturer in enabling learning, inclusion and institutional development at Canterbury Christ Church University. She is also the editor of the Special Needs Coordinator’s File published by pfp. She was previously a mainstream teacher, SEN teacher and SENCO in primary, secondary and special settings for over 20 years. Sue is particularly interested in speech, language and communication needs, motor development, gifted and talented and SEBD.
All of our contributors have extensive experience and expertise in different areas of SEN provision. The following lists just their current roles:
Peter Grimes is a senior lecturer in enabling learning at Canterbury Christ Church University. Sylvie Nicholls is currently involved in organising access arrangements and testing of students in secondary schools. Mary Anthony is an assistant head teacher and SENCO at a secondary school. Barry Groom is a senior lecturer in SEN and inclusion at the University of Northampton and is coordinator for the MA SENCO standards courses. Julie Care has been a senior manager/SENCO since 1994, having previously taught in special schools for many years. Alwen Coventry is involved in leading on the development, design and delivery of a SENCO training framework in her current role. Jill Moorcroft is currently working as a SENCO in a mainstream secondary school. Alison Ekins is a school-based practitioner with responsibilities for learning and inclusion, and also holds the role of LEA AST SENCO. Linda Samson is involved in the design and delivery of training for SENCO groups, schools and governors. Simon Ellis is a senior lecturer in enabling learning, inclusion and institutional development at Canterbury Christ Church University. Maureen Glynn currently teaches on vocational courses for adults, having taught students in mainstream, special and independent schools for 19 years. Andrew Smith is a senior lecturer in special and inclusive education in the Centre for Special Needs Education and Research at the University of Northampton. Gill Henderson works as an independent educational consultant, undertaking a variety of activities relating to SEN provision and practice. Jennie Bogue is currently working as an AEN teacher, with a particular interest in dyslexia and the co-morbidity of other difficulties and their effects on behaviour and self-esteem.
This supportive and informative resource provides everything that a busy SENCO will ever need all in one place, allowing you, the professional SENCO, to spend as much time as possible where you need to be – supporting the special educational needs of your students.
“A worthwhile and extremely useful investment. I have often used it as a reference point and have also made use of the proformas.” – For overall content B Goldsack, SENCO at The Abbey School