Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco) header
Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco) profile picture

Mr R Purdy

@DearneSenco

National Lead for SEND and Alternative Provision @astreaacademies. MAEd. Advocate for lifelong learning and inclusivity in all things. Views are my own.

 Goldthorpe
Joined June 2020
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Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)Photo by Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)
Glad to have achieved one last goal before I go - just had confirmed that @AstreaDearne is the FIRST SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY to have earned all five awards through Optimus Education! Thank you @Mrs_K_Dowling and @VConway85 for the school improvement journey.
Image from Mr R Purdy (@DearneSenco)
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Excellent news for a school very close to my heart. Best of luck to you! Doncaster primary shortlisted for Primary School of the Year award share.google/wPUuNMLLPSzqBmm…
Doncaster primary shortlisted for Primary School of the Year award

Doncaster primary shortlisted for Primary School of the Year award

Hexthorpe Primary Academy in Doncaster, part of Astrea Academy Trust, is very proud to have been shortlisted as a finalist in the Network for Education Excellence (nEdEx) Primary School of the Year...

doncasterfreepress.co.uk
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NEW: requirement to publish an Inclusion Strategy for every school by the end of December... New 'inclusion strategies': What schools need to know share.google/Juc7016p3UxWnWw…
New 'inclusion strategies': What schools need to know

New 'inclusion strategies': What schools need to know

DfE fleshes out requirements for annual strategies that will attract £400m a year in funding

schoolsweek.co.uk
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Always lovely to receive feedback from visitors! @aawoodfields
Image from David Scales (@MrDavidScales)
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There they are! Many on their first EVER school trip, to @cambridge_uni with the WHOLE of their year group. Impeccable behaviour, no phones on the bus, reading and discussion.
Image from David Scales (@MrDavidScales)
Image from David Scales (@MrDavidScales)
Image from David Scales (@MrDavidScales)
Image from David Scales (@MrDavidScales)
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Absolutely there will be challenges in moving to the new system, but we welcome the changes - that already align with our Trust approach to SEN documentation... SEND: Most schools already produce plans, poll suggests share.google/9W8PUa4FbfThK1c…
Most schools already produce SEND plans, poll suggests

Most schools already produce SEND plans, poll suggests

Teacher Tapp poll of SENCOs suggests just 11 per cent of schools are not writing SEND plans for pupils

schoolsweek.co.uk
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Thanks for including our comments from Astrea on SEN support plans: schoolsweek.co.uk/wp-content…
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A lot of sense in this... Purpose, planning and early intervention. Inclusion bases will need to work to remove barriers and reintegrate rather than segregate pupils... Inclusion bases must remove students' barriers to learning share.google/iBN0CiAFcaKmjI4…
Inclusion bases must remove students' barriers to learning

Inclusion bases must remove students' barriers to learning

We must move beyond the idea that simply designating a space will solve deep-rooted challenges

schoolsweek.co.uk
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There's still time to apply for the SENDCo role at Cottenham Village College. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference in support of some of our most vulnerable children. View full details and apply online @mynewterm ⬇️ mynewterm.com/jobs/137434/ED…
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As if White Paper isn't enough, the Government has also published its Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group report with recommendations for mainstream education. gov.uk/government/publicatio…
Image from Special Needs Jungle (@SpcialNdsJungle)
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All schools to be required to set up an 'inclusion base' for instance in a 'spare classroom'. What if you haven't got one? Just build one (I hope the government are paying!) - and is it rly inclusive to withdraw pupils from lessons to a base? Questions... theguardian.com/education/20…

English secondary schools must offer inclusion areas for neurodivergent and Send pupils

Special spaces are a key part of government’s planned overhaul of special educational needs support

theguardian.com
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Far better to focus on inclusive/accessible environment in classrooms, a truly inclusive universal curriculum, skilful pedagogy that draws on cognitive science and with proven benefits for ND pupils, and evidence based interventions (none of the fluff - see my blog - Section F)
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Withdrawal from a classroom (where a pupil can access high quality teaching from a subject specialist, alongside their peers) should be a last resort. Who will staff these bases? What will happen in them? Please do not put carts before horses...
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Mr R Purdy retweeted
Richard Tutt (@richardtutt) profile picture
Richard Tutt@richardtuttFeb 6
DfE performance tables confirm ✅@astreaacademies have achieved⬆️national average for Basics 5+ ✅a milestone for us:the 1st time we have achieved this ✅we have⬆️our rank to 95th/244 eligible MATs ▶️we have much more to do to disrupt disadvantage, but we have exciting momentum💪
Image from Richard Tutt (@richardtutt)
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Great to see Team English enjoying our weekly lunchtime quiz 🧠 Mr Atkinson earned a hot chocolate ☕ for his engaging lessons, and Mrs Boothroyd & Ms Coyle were recognised for their dedication across the academy 🌟 Celebrating our people matters 👏
Image from Astrea Academy Dearne (@AstreaDearne)
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I have questions...
Georgina Durrant (@senresourceblog) profile pictureGeorgina Durrant@senresourceblogJan 23
Thoughts on this report this eve? upcoming government proposal suggests children with SEND could soon be placed into one of 4 “tiers” of support, tracked via new digital “passports.” I have some big questions about how this would work & what it means for children’s rights…
Image from Georgina Durrant (@senresourceblog)
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Well this is interesting (but not good)... Haven't had the EHCPs with 'skiing lessons, falconry experiences' but would be interested to hear more from the government source who was quoted with the poor choice of words on 'hitting disabled children': thetimes.com/article/19f8e30…
Latest news & breaking headlines

Latest news & breaking headlines

The latest breaking UK, US, world, business and sport news from The Times and The Sunday Times. Go beyond today's headlines with in-depth analysis and comment.

thetimes.com
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'the legal rights granted to parents over their child’s support would instead be taken over by schools, which would deal with councils and the government directly.' ... So, more work for SENCOs to do but with no funding to do it?
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'We are writing cheques that schools and local authorities cannot cash – so lets stop writing them'... New blog on EHCPs, the funding crisis and the ludicrous expectations baked into a flawed system. 'The Problem With Section F': dropbox.com/scl/fi/jrmwnkb6e…
The Problem With Section F.pdf

The Problem With Section F.pdf

Shared with Dropbox

dropbox.com
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In Jan ‘23, 77 parents completed parentview before @Ofstednews. @astreaacademies has surveyed our families and 185 responded - the results? The vast majority of families would recommend our school and say their child is happy here. Thanks for the feedback!
Astrea Academy Woodfields (@AAWoodfields) profile pictureAstrea Academy Woodfields@AAWoodfields12 Dec 2025
Our latest parent survey results are in — and the impact is clear. Nearly twice as many parents now say their child is happy at school compared with 2023. A huge thank you to our incredible teachers and support staff.
Image from Astrea Academy Woodfields (@AAWoodfields)
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Access arrangement rates revealed by Ofqual after errors share.google/elP0HSMRggsgllc…
Access arrangement rates revealed by Ofqual after errors

Access arrangement rates revealed by Ofqual after errors

New access arrangement rates have been revealed by Ofqual, after historical data was found to be 'significantly overstated'.

schoolsweek.co.uk
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