What to look for when looking at a SEND schools website
Many of you will be looking at schools for next year at the moment. It’s been making me think about how important it is for schools to communicate clearly about themselves on their website.
When you're choosing a school, unless you know people who work there or families whose children already go there, the only real insight you get is from the website and the tour, hopefully with a well-informed member of staff.
Here are a few things I've picked up over time…
Read the website carefully
Pick out the small details, then ask about them on the tour. If the staff have no idea what you're talking about, that could be a red flag.
Question "interest-led" or "individual" curriculums
Interest-led learning can be a bit of a buzzword, and it isn't always the reality. Ask staff what it actually looks like day to day, and what it would look like for your child. Use your child's specific interests and ask how they would include them. Again, if they can't really answer, be aware.
Check the policies
Every school website should have its policies available to read. Check:
Are they in date?
Have they been reviewed recently?
Read the admissions and SEND policies in particular. You might want to download and save them too.
Do they mention your child's conditions specifically?
Look at the behaviour policy. How do they deal with behaviour? Is it adapted for children with SEND?
Look at the photos
Are they pictures of children at the school, or stock photos? With all the safeguarding around photographing children, it's very common for schools to use stock photos, and that's not a problem. But I do think it should be mentioned. If they're using stock photos, there should also be a page showing the uniform. Uniform can be a major deciding factor, especially for a SEND school.
Academies and school groups
If the school is part of an academy trust or group, make sure the website talks specifically about the school your child would attend, not just the group as a whole. Even within the same academy, things can work very differently from one school to the next.
Choosing a school is a big decision, and it's okay to ask lots of questions. You know your child best.