20th October 2025
Hanbury C of E First School is looking forward to building on its strength in supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) after joining two national projects that aim to shape future provision.
The Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) was launched at the start of September. Funded by NHS England, in partnership with the Department of Education, it brings together schools, families, and the Parent Carer Forum to improve support for children with additional educational needs in mainstream first, primary and middle schools.
As part of its remit, a series of early intervention workshops will be delivered at school level, along with a focus on upskilling staff and improving environments to better meet the needs of all children, with a particular focus on neurodivergence.
Meanwhile, the SEND Change Programme involves 9 regions testing some of the changes the Government wants to make to the system for supporting children and young people with SEND. Hanbury School is one of the West Midlands Region’s Changemakers.
A survey conducted earlier this term for the PINS project showed that Hanbury School performs high in all areas, with respondents valuing its welcoming environment, feeling included and believing their concerns are resolved.
Parents and families – including those of SEND children - consistently describe the school as a home-from home, where children feel happy, settled and cared for.
SEND Coordinator and Co-Headteacher, Vicky Bishop said:
“We were delighted to hear so many positive replies to the survey but obviously concerned that it highlighted parents of SEND children appear to experience slightly higher levels of anxiety than others.”
“Over recent years, we’ve worked very hard on creating a learning environment that meets the needs of everyone at our school. Whilst we’re keen to share what we do well with others, we are always looking to do more,” she added.
As the PINS project develops over the coming months, Miss Bishop will be working closely with Worcestershire Parent Carers Forum to find ways of helping to reduce those anxieties, including formulating a programme of workshops.
“I hope that the support we deliver will go a long way to reducing the extra worries our SEND families face.”
Miss Bishop feels that both exciting projects will benefit more than just the children at Hanbury:
“Our school community is not only benefiting from new ideas and support but also playing an active part in shaping the future of SEND.”
“We are proud to be involved and look forward to seeing the positive changes for our pupils, our school, our county and ultimately the whole country.”
