Hi my name is Karen and I started at Southern Cross in September 2024. I come from a background of primary teaching. My family are from Hong Kong but I was born here in the UK. I have two young boys at home.
My role at Southern Cross is the Assistant Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo). It is a role that demands dedication, adaptability, and a genuine passion for supporting young people and their needs. The day-to-day responsibilities are varied, ranging from administrative tasks to providing direct support for students and working collaboratively with staff, parents, and external agencies. Here’s a glimpse into what a typical day in the life of an assistant SENCo looks like.
My mornings always start with morning check in – a chance to say good morning to staff and have a bit of fun. Today’s question was: If you could go on holiday right now – where would you go? My answer: Thailand
The school bell rings, and the school day begins. For an assistant SENCo, the morning starts with a quick review of the day’s schedule and a check of emails. These messages often include updates from teachers, requests for meetings, or reports from external agencies. It’s a priority to ensure that any urgent matters regarding students’ needs are addressed before the day truly kicks off.
Next, it’s time for the monthly parent and carers coffee morning. They are held off-site so I start to make my way there. Previously called Autism in Schools (AiS), the Neurodiversity in Education (NiE) project is a government-funded initiative that aims to improve support for neurodivergent children and young people in secondary schools. These informal sessions are for parents and carers with neurodivergent children and young people currently attending our school.
The coffee mornings aims to:
- Support parents and carers of children with SEND by connecting them to Manchester Parent Carer Forum and other families;
- Share feedback about what’s going well and what could be even better
After a productive and insightful morning spent meeting with parents and carers, I make my way back to school for a brief lunch break. The coffee morning provided valuable discussions and a deeper understanding of the students’ needs, and now I take a moment to recharge before diving back into the school day.
The lunch break, though short, offers a much-needed opportunity to rest and prepare for the afternoon’s tasks and responsibilities.
In the afternoon, I have an annual review scheduled. An annual review is a crucial, formal meeting that typically occurs once a year to assess and evaluate the progress and development of a student with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). This review provides an opportunity for a thorough discussion on how well the student is progressing toward the goals set out in their Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP). During the meeting, a team of key professionals — such as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), the student’s teachers, therapists, and occasionally representatives from external agencies — gather to discuss the student’s achievements, challenges, and any adjustments that might be needed in their support plan. Parents or carers of the student are also involved, ensuring that they are fully informed and engaged in the process. Following the review, I dedicate the rest of the afternoon to carefully typing up the minutes from the meeting. This involves documenting the key points discussed, any decisions made, and the next steps to be taken, ensuring that the information is clear, accurate, and accessible for all involved parties. These minutes serve as an official record and are important for tracking the student’s progress over time. As the school day winds down, it’s time to reflect on the day’s work. There’s often a bit of last-minute paperwork or communication to be done, from updating records to responding to emails from parents or teachers.
My working day concludes with a debrief session with the staff. During this time, we come together to reflect on the day’s events, discussing both the challenges we faced and the positive moments we experienced. It’s a valuable opportunity for team members to share insights, offer support, and celebrate any successes, big or small. We also use this time to brainstorm solutions to any issues that arose, ensuring we’re all aligned and ready to tackle the next day with renewed focus and collaboration.
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