Jennie Dendy

Teacher, Foster parent and family SENDco. Passionate about making schools a welcoming place for all children.

[Sue Cowley @Sue_Cowley]

I'm doing a #giveaway of my latest book to celebrate the Bank Holiday weekend! *Like and retweet to enter.* Winner announced Monday evening.

See below for some links to buy it! @BloomsburyEd #free #freebie

[Steve Chalke @SteveChalke]

Find out much more about Oasis Restore, the UK’s first therapeutic Secure School. A revolution in justice for young people. Buy today’s @TimesMagazine for the most in-depth exploration of our philosophy and practice yet.

[Steve Chalke @SteveChalke]

You can’t build a successful education system around shame, embarrassment, detention & exclusion. You can’t ‘reason’ a child struggling with school attendance out of a response they were never ‘reasoned’ into. Only patience, love, understanding & the resources to do so will work.

[Steve Chalke @SteveChalke]

The huge rise in applications for EHCPs (Education, Health & Care plans) will continue until we find the courage for a root & branch rethink about our whole approach to children’s education - one driven by what we now understand about neuroscience & neurodiversity! @BBCr4today

[Steve Chalke @SteveChalke]

As our jails run out of space & we build yet more prisons as a response, the deeper questions we must address are those of criminalisation & reoffending. And I believe the answers we seek are greater investment in early years family support, inclusive education & good youth work!

[Bridgwater 2024 @bridgwater2024]

Just can't wait to be together again, in this very special place. Bridgwater2024, see you soon!

[Jennie Dendy @Senteach5]

Its fostering awareness month. Grateful we get to open our home to some amazing kids.

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

Let's honour the brave mothers who have fled war, terror and famine to keep their children safe.
#RefugeesWelcome
#MothersDay
@SanctuaryFd

[Jennie Dendy @Senteach5]

So powerfully put @krishk that longing to help our young people break these cycles.

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

I've had @tchapmanonline
on repeat all week.

Not only is it a beautiful song, it's lyrics tells us a lot about life, love and hope.

"See, my old man's got a problem
He live with the bottle,
that's the way it is
He says his body's too old for working
His body's too young to look like his
My mama went off and left him
She wanted more from life than he could give
I said somebody's got to take care of him
So I quit school and that's what I did. "

There are so many young carers, children who are looking after their parents often due to illness or addiction. These young people are some of the hidden heroes of our world. They often are caring because local social welfare systems are not. Many love their families so much they sacrifice their childhoods.

Chapman's song honours young carers and yet also speaks to the longing that they and all of us have for a better life.

"You got a fast car
Is it fast enough so we can fly away?
We gotta make a decision
Leave tonight or live and die this way."

The fast car is a vehicle fuelled by hope. A longing for a different life, a better life.

"And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
And I-I had a feeling that I belonged
I-I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone."

It's a longing for belonging, to be seen, to be recognised as a person. Too many people feel like they are just a means to an end. But this song is heart's cry to be known and loved.

But the song is a tragedy. The fast car's journey is circular...

"You got a fast car.
I got a job that pays all our bills.
You stay out drinking late at the bar.
See more of your friends than you do of your kids.
I'd always hoped for better.
Thought maybe together you and me'd find it.
I got no plans, I ain't going nowhere
Take your fast car and keep on driving."

I have seen the tragedy of children growing up in difficult circumstances who no matter how far they travel from where they grew up end up in difficult circumstances again.

As someone put it: "No matter where you go, there you are."

It's been my life's work to try and find ways to break that cycle for children in the care system and refugees.

But to be honest you don't have to have had those extreme traumatic experiences to find yourself caught in the spiral.

My faith tells me there is a hope beyond tragedy and trauma, that there's a way out of the spiral. We are talking about a revolution, the one that turned over tables so that everyone can have a way to life. But that's another song...

Thank you Tracy Chapman for this beautiful song and to @lukecombs for bringing it to a new generation.

[Zoe Higgins @zehiggins]

A great episode of Beyond Belief woth @fionajmoss @NATREupdate amongst others https://t.co/qBBqgLSi30

[Louise M Bomber @theyellowkite]

Until you live it you can't really appreciate the parallel universe that exists when someone has been traumatised. Things are not always the way they seem. We need to always focus on the hidden as opposed to the presented ways of being. @TIE_GB @TouchBase_UK @ddpnetwork

[Jennie Dendy @Senteach5]

Five pairs of shows belonging to five amazing girls. #fostering #safeplaces #home

[Jennie Dendy @Senteach5]

A subject close to my heart. https://t.co/pejSyjfcEi

[Louise M Bomber @theyellowkite]

If you are on duty at the school gate you have the opportunity to be a safety anchor for children who have lived toxic stress. This transition is significant. Be mindfully present and focussed. Connect with each and every child as they go through. Neuroception matters. #Aces

[Jennie Dendy @Senteach5]

@bridgwater2023

[Andy Wolfe FCCT @mrawolfe]

Amazing to celebrate our @StPaulsDaybrook 2nd birthday today! 🎉

Early days, but about 100 of us now, around 35 of which under 18. 🙌

Grateful to be on the journey, and to hear today young people’s faith growing stories through this summer’s @CPASVentures fab residential 🙏

[Dr Krish Kandiah OBE @krishk]

Children with Special Educational Needs require more help in schools right now not less. As I visited schools recently most SENCO's were telling me that there were way more children that needed EHCPs than had them. One of the factors was a shortage of Educational Psychologist time.

It appears that the DFE engaged a consultancy firm to work with 55 councils. "The deliverables section of the contract states that “it is the intention” of the signatories that the 55 councils’ budget management plans, implemented under the DBV programme, will help achieve “impacts” including “reduced cost pressure … as a result of reduced growth in number of EHCPs [education, health and care plans], targeting at least a 20% reduction in new EHCPs issued”.

Reducing the number of EHCPs is a blunt instrument that will damage children and will end up costing more money not less. Children who don't have their educational needs met in school are likely; through no fault of their own, to either drop out of school or disrupt of distract mainstream class teaching. The knock on impact of this is huge, a little like the RAAC issue austerity seems like it saves money but ends up costing lots more in the long run.

A child centred approach to education would see all children not just as a budget line but as having intrinsic value, dignity and worth.

I have spent time with the schools minister explaining why a child centred approach to education that is SEND and trauma informed would actually be in the best interest of all children. But was asked for more data as attendance and attainment were priorities. I would love to see the data that shows cutting EHCP is going to help children flourish, let alone attend school more or attain higher grades.
https://t.co/QzJf1Epz4s

[Steve Chalke @SteveChalke]

It’s a revolution in youth justice. We’re opening Oasis Restore, England’s first Secure School & are recruiting staff now. So we’re hosting a special webinar, next Wednesday, 6 September at 6pm, where you can hear more about the school & potential careers. https://t.co/nxLM3QGB3P

[Jennie Dendy @Senteach5]

Access and attitude. Superbly written @eyecantalk

[Jonathan Bryan @eyecantalk]

New blog on what good inclusion has meant for me during the past year in a new school. Hoping it might help others thinking about inclusion for the term ahead.

https://t.co/6Z9kvgr3Pp

[Bridgwater 2024 @bridgwater2024]

The sun has risen over Hill House this morning & also the sun is rising on our Bridgwater 1 Venture for 2023!
.
We are looking forward to welcoming members & more of our leaders later on today. Safe journeys to all who are making the journey here & we can’t wait to see you soon!

[Bridgwater 2024 @bridgwater2024]

In tonight’s meeting we have met our superhero ‘Captain Amazing’ and his new sidekick ‘Grace’ who are going to help us explore our theme for the venture of ‘Amazing Grace’
.
#cpas #ventures #bridgwater #amazinggrace