Julie Diggin

[Naomi Fisher @naomicfisher]

I was talking to a grandmother last week about schooling. ‘I can see the difference’ she said. ‘When my children were young, primary school was relaxed. If the weather was good, they went outside and ran around. If they were sick, they stayed at home. Now with my grandchildren they are seated in desks for more of the day and if they are ill, they are worried that they’ll lose their 100% attendance for the term. The pressure is on to pass their phonics test when they are six and then to learn their times tables at speed by the time they are nine. They feel it and their parents feel it too’.

There’s lots of talk about SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) at the moment, and how increasing numbers of children are being identified as SEND. It’s less common to ask questions about what SEND really means, and whether the education system creates more children ‘with SEND’ as it becomes more pressured and rigid.

For what SEND really means is that a child cannot learn in the way which mainstream education expects. They cannot keep up with expectations, either for academic work or for behaviour. SEND is something which happens in the interaction between a child and the education system. In a system where no 6-year-old is expected to sit still and learn to write their name, then a 6-year-old who just wants to run around outside isn't a problem. In a system where everyone is meant to be able to read by age 6, then they are.

We know from research that if a child is young in their year, they are more likely to be identified as ‘having SEND’. We know that summer born boys are far more likely to be identified as ‘having SEND’ than autumn born girls. We know that the impact of this immaturity resonates through the years, with the youngest in the year doing less well at GCSE. We know that the number of children ‘with SEND’ is going up year on year.

It's not really plausible that more children each year have difficulties in learning, nor that being born in August makes you more likely to have learning problems than if you are born a few weeks later in September.

It’s far more likely that in the push to ‘drive up standards’ the education system is becomes less, not more, suited to how children develop and learn. It’s more likely that the system is penalising immaturity – and children are inherently immature. That isn’t a lack or a defect, it’s a defining part of childhood.

As the education system becomes more rigid and pressured, we’d expect more children not to be able to manage without adaptations. This is exactly what we see. Those children are holding up the flag for all the others, saying that this system is not child-friendly and doesn’t take account of developmental needs and differences.

What if, instead of having higher expectations of the children, we had higher expectations of the education system? What if those expectations were of flexibility, reducing pressure and prioritising lifelong learning and wellbeing instead of short-term testing?

What if we saw the increasing number of children ‘with SEND’ as a sign that the system isn’t working for the many ways in which children develop, rather than a sign that more and more children have learning difficulties? We’ll never sort the ‘SEND crisis’ until we start looking at SEND as an interaction between children and the education system. The more rigid the system is, the more children it will fail.

Illustration by @_MissingTheMark from the book A Different Way to Learn.

[HinduHomeBoy @HinduHomeBoy]

@HowThingsWork_ This analogy shows smoking a pack of tobacco cigarettes a day for 30 days for a total of 600 cigarettes.

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@BTGroup Thanks again

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@BTGroup I have just moved from Sky to BT as my broadband provider with a promise from BT that you would pay early termination charges of £200.50 from my Sky broadband account. How do I go abput redeeming this early termination charge from you, please? Can I forward the email to?

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@BTGroup Great thanks. Please confirm email address to send info to?

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

Saw this in a classroom yesterday.

[MGS Active Schools @MGSActive]

Looking for a something new to try ❓
Come along and try Boccia with us every Thursday after School. Boccia is a precision ball, Paralympic sport. It is an inclusive sport and can be played by anyone!🔴🔵

For more info and to sign up 👇👇
https://t.co/VKLxOd75Zs
@MGS_SfL @mgspe

[TheTattooedHeadteacher Deputy CEO 🏳️‍🌈✊🏾she/her @KyrstieStubbs]

#leadershipmusings
❤️❤️

[MGS Active Schools @MGSActive]

🚨JOB ALERT 🚨

Active Schools Co-Ordinator (Primary - Tranent Cluster)

Fantastic opportunity to join our team 🏑⚽️🏊‍♂️🏃‍♂️

All info👇
https://t.co/PHWzizrbyS

@ActiveEL @sportscotland @elcourier @LothianLoop @myjobscotland

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@premierinn I have a reservation for 2 rooms for 2 nights in Pontypool for a wedding on 30 July, traveling from Edinburgh. There's no way I could have forseen the wedding venue Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel and Spa going bust! Can I change my booking to Bristol City Centre (Haymarket)?

[Registers of Scotland @RegistersOfScot]

Less than two weeks left to apply for the next #GeovationScotland accelerator programme.

@FolarityUK founder, Martin Warne, shares one of the most invaluable things about the support offered.

Find out more and apply at https://t.co/1Z6nL1bmYZ

[MGS Active Schools @MGSActive]

Disability Equality Scotland is looking for new members to join the new Access Panel in East Lothian to promote inclusive design and accessibility in the area. For more info and to attend the upcoming meet 👇👇
https://t.co/VjtrsGrUpd

@MGSParents @ActiveEL @LDS_Sport

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@GLA_Airport hey, just wondering if a Samsung phone has been handed in at the departure lounge? We left gate no 32, flight no. LS181 at 15:30 this afternoon TIA

[John-Carlos Estrada 🎙️ @Mr_JCE]

Meet the TX man who’s making customized caskets for each of the 19 young victims and two teachers from the school shooting in #Uvalde. Trey Ganem visited with the families last week so each casket is personalized to include each child's interests.

📷: SoulShine Industries

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

https://t.co/zfVM6kcVB3

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@MGSActive @MGSP7Transition @MGSParents @whatsonatcampie @pinkieprimary @Loretto_RC @WallyfordPS @WhitecraigPS @MussyActiveS @MRFC_YOUTH Such a great idea. Some children really struggle with transition process so this will alleviate some anxiety and let the children enjoy the summer break before starting high school. We'll done team!

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@Gailporter @Gailporter I saw you walking through the Grass Market one day last Summer. You looked so serene and glamorous. I wanted to stop you to tell you but didn't know how you'd react, nor did I want to appear like a weirdo 🤣 Keep being you, keep doing you, you're perfect as you are

[Julie Diggin @JulieDiggin]

@WDCouncil Love this! Nothing beats a bit of recognition. Great motivator. Well done all!

[West Dunbartonshire Council @WDCouncil]

A group of employees who regularly go above and beyond in their duties has been selected as finalists for this year’s Employee Recognition Awards.

You can read more about this on our website; https://t.co/1NbqZSx7ia