SEND practitioners change lives and empower young people.
Teachers working with children with special educational needs have a huge impact that goes above and beyond the classroom; they are changing lives, empowering children and young people they work with, and incorporating their local community and families too. These unique and committed individuals are raising the aspirations for young people with SEND; they personalise, effectively promote and embed inclusive practices that best prepare those they work with for adulthood and making a success of their future lives.
Tell us how your colleague has ensured that the children and young people in their care are able to achieve aspirational goals, allowing them to be contributing members of society.
Please tell us in around 1000 words, referring to the guide prompts below. You can add further details in the additional information section at the end of this form, should you wish to.
Who can enter?
This category is open to all staff working in special and additional needs environments. They do not need to hold QTS. We welcome entries from state and independent schools.
Points to cover
The following prompts might help to focus your thinking as you prepare your entry:
- Learning environment: The ways in which your nominee creates a learning environment, which is not only calm and safe but also inspires a love of learning. How are they able to foster their students’ enthusiasm to achieve their full potential both academically and holistically – developing a range of skills and qualities to help them be ambitious and optimistic about life?
- Students’ progress: The skills, characteristics and methods your colleague utilises, making them an exceptional classroom practitioner, who inspires and motivates every child s/he supports so they make impressive progress both academically and holistically. How do they engage other colleagues and parents on their children’s learning journey?
- Continuous development: All educators support students with SEND. How does your nominee ensure that they are committed to their own professional development in order to stay up to date with the latest changes to the Special Educational Needs arena? We’d love to read about some examples of how they have developed their own skills and understanding, sharing best practice with colleagues.
- Impact beyond the classroom: The ways in which your colleague ensures children in their class are learning to be good citizens and can show how their actions make a difference. On a wider level how s/he enriches the life of the school community, engaging other professionals to address the students’ needs. Tell us why all stakeholders believe that s/he is one of the best SEND practitioners in the country.
2023 Pearson National Teaching Awards Entry Form
Note: Please read the 'Points to cover' prior to making your entry.
