Facilitating the sharing of best practice among experts
Facilitating the sharing of best practice among experts
As a school, we take great pride in our commitment to continuous professional development. We actively cultivate a culture of learning, reflection, and improvement, ensuring that staff at all levels are supported to develop their practice.
We are equally dedicated to sharing our expertise and best practice beyond our own setting, contributing meaningfully at local, regional, and national levels. Through collaboration, networking, and professional dialogue, we both support and learn from the wider educational community, helping to raise standards and outcomes for all.
Exchanging knowledge, experience, and expertise nationally
Our Curriculum Lead has attended both national Evidence for Learning conferences and contributed as part of a professional panel exploring what “Preparation for Life” looks like for our most complex and vulnerable pupils. This work was undertaken alongside leaders from Swiss Cottage and the Inclusion Lead from the Rivers Learning Trust.
Following her work with the GLOW Maths Hub and National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Maths (NCETM) South West Group, our Maths Lead was invited to speak by the NCETM at the June 2026 National Special Schools Teaching for Mastery Seminar. She was asked to speak on Contextual Maths and Financial Literacy; and how this has been developed taught and contextualised at Vale of Evesham School. There were over 100 Maths/ Thinking/ Cognition Leads in attendance, all who work within settings supporting SEND students (SEN/AP/Inclusion). In the session, she shared research, resources and ideas to support ‘Learning for Life’ and her ‘Maths is Everywhere’ approach to considering curriculum provision, before hosting a Q&A session.
Exchanging knowledge, experience, and expertise regionally
Our Curriculum Lead has delivered a series of engaging lightning talks at regional Evidence for Learning Bootcamps, showcasing the school’s innovative use of digital forms to support pupil-centred practice. These sessions have highlighted key approaches, including Reflective Inquiry, Engagement Profiles, and Transition Passports, demonstrating how these tools enhance assessment, collaboration, and continuity of learning across settings.
The bootcamps bring together a diverse network of both special and mainstream schools, providing a valuable platform for sharing best practice and fostering collaboration across the region. Feedback from attendees has been very positive, with many practitioners expressing interest in adopting similar approaches within their own settings
As part of the Central Learning Partnership Trust, we also meet regularly as a curriculum working group to explore key areas of teaching and learning. Through this collaborative approach, we work in partnership to ensure that we are providing the highest quality curriculum, carefully tailored to meet the needs of our learners.
Exchanging knowledge, experience, and expertise locally
We have taken part in a number of local collaborative groups over the years. Currently, we are working with Worcestershire special schools to review and develop our sixth form provision. This partnership enables us to share expertise, reflect on effective pedagogy, and learn collaboratively, ensuring we continue to improve our teaching practice and outcomes for students.
Our Operational Careers Lead/ Careers Coordinator was invited to represent SEND voices in Worcestershire in a conversation with Baroness Nicky Morgan, Chair of the Careers and Enterprise Company. Baroness Morgan visited Worcestershire to gain deeper insight into our local careers education landscape and to speak directly with those responsible for its delivery. Our Lead met with other Careers Leads and Headteachers, Council representatives and the Baroness to discuss what is working well, upcoming changes (including barriers and solutions) and to feedback on the support and guidance the CEC provides.
She was one of a few selected to ask a question directly to the Baroness and has been invited to be an advocate on future pilot projects following this.
As Baroness Nicky Morgan reflected:
“It was my pleasure to be in Worcestershire, and we had great conversations with educators and employers. If every school and college, employer, educator committed to really tackling this problem, I think we would find that young people are engaged in the curriculum, they’re energized in education, because they can see why what they’re learning is going to be useful for their futures.”
Continuing professional development
Our staff place a strong emphasis on continuing professional development (CPD), regularly engaging with external providers for training, support, and valuable networking opportunities. Partnerships with organisations such as the South and West Association of Leaders in Special Schools have proven invaluable, offering meaningful opportunities for reflection, collaboration, and contributing to the ongoing strengthening of our curriculum. Recently, two members of staff have renewed their training to continue as Signalong tutors, while a further two have achieved accreditation in Creating Communication Friendly Settings for Complex Needs. This has led to our setting being recognised as a Communication Friendly Setting through Elklan, further strengthening our commitment to high-quality communication support for all learners.
