SEND Developmental Peer Review
Supporting mainstream schools to improve their practice for pupils with SEND
Overview
There is an urgent need to improve the quality of SEND provision in mainstream schools; the children cannot wait for system reform. Our SEND Developmental Peer Review enables schools to benchmark their SEND provision, reap the benefits of collaborative peer support, and access high-quality experiential learning to drive whole school improvements in SEND practice.
Developed with global expert David Bartram OBE and experienced practitioners from the 100+ specialist schools in our partnership, the SEND Developmental Peer Review is carefully designed to support schools in establishing and enacting impactful next steps to enhance their SEND provision.
The Approach
Participants work in carefully matched trios or quads, forming trusted peer networks beyond their locality where they share expertise, co-create solutions and tackle common challenges in a supportive, honest environment.
Structured self-evaluation through the EvaluateMySchool platform helps schools identify strengths and priorities, shaping a tailored peer review visit with guidance from an expert Lead Facilitator.
During immersive SEND peer review days, visiting SENCos and leaders observe practice through learning walks, pupil voice and reflective discussions, gaining practical insights to take back to their own settings. Headteachers or inclusion leads attend alongside their SENCo throughout, strengthening collaboration and ensuring learning is embedded into whole-school policy and practice.
The SEND Developmental Peer Review offers you:
Insight
High quality, supportive, honest and open discussions with peers around areas of SEND strength and challenge, with the opportunity to collaborate on common challenges and develop tailored approaches and solutions
Time
Ring-fenced time for SEND, including precious time for the SENCo to work with their own headteacher (or someone else from their SLT) to gain ideas, reflect on their own practice, and gain clarity on how to move their SEND strategy forwards
Connection
Opportunities to be immersed within other schools, see good practice in action through learning walks, discussions with pupils and tailored learning activities
Inspiration
Structured self-evaluation, action planning and progress monitoring of your approach to SEND using the EvaluateMySchool platform, which also guides the agenda for visit days
Support
Support throughout the year from expert Lead Facilitators, who guide discussions, signpost effective practice and share high quality resources
"The review totally blew us away and we were both grateful for and humbled by the comments made by our visitors. It was such a positive and reaffirming experience for us all. This day will sustain us for months to come! Where there were gaps identified, these we were already aware of and therefore this showed our self evaluation was accurate too.”
Matt White, St Marie's Catholic Primary School"