With the summer holidays fast approaching, it feels like a good time to reflect on the work that has taken place this year. It was exciting to see the creation of a new foundation degree with a Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities specialism, which will support staff in learning more about how they can support children and young people with additional needs.

Following numerous conversations with families, the SEND Strategy for the next three years has been launched, and we welcome the four areas of focus that have been selected. It’s vital to support our children and young people in planning for their future, and we look forward to seeing the development of this area in particular.

The next school year will bring with it numerous opportunities to improve inclusion within Somerset. We are looking forward to working with the next round of Inclusion Champions and collaborating with families and schools as part of the Autism in Schools project. We are also launching new ways in which you can get involved in developing Somerset’s SEND Local Offer to ensure that it provides you and other families with the information you need. So, lots of exciting things to come! We hope you all have a lovely summer break 😊