The Lone SENDCO: Questions and answers for the busy SENDCO

I am so glad I read the reviews and decided to buy this 'little book of ideas.' I value its conciseness and practical organisation. It is also very reassuring to a long-time SENDCO, who does this job to advocate for children and families with SEND, and not to cow tail to SLT.

This book represents a real milestone in terms of support for SENDCOs and indeed any teacher or senior leader interested in saving themselves time and effort to improve school life for pupils with SEND and make their school a more inclusive place in general.It is incredibly wide-ranging but somehow manages to be comprehensive at the same time. Aubin frequently refers readers on to higher level resources and research, demonstrating both his in-depth knowledge of the field and his skill in writing a practical book to be kept at hand for quick reference.Its no-nonsense style is refreshing and welcome. The book is neither controversial nor does it side-step any sensitive issues - be them to do with stigma around SEND, bullying or how to challenge colleagues constructively. And yet while this book is densely packed with the latest legislative and practical advice, it manages at the same time to be uniquely human and empathic.Aubin’s own experience as a teacher, as well as some reference to his own background growing up around disabled adults, elevate this book from what could have been something quite dry, to something that can actually be quite moving. What really matters at the end of the day is improving school life and outcomes for pupils with SEND and despite the book’s purpose as a reference and guide, it never loses sight of this end. We all wish for society to be as inclusive as possible. With this book, no doubt many schools around the country and beyond will each deepen their contribution to this goal.As a former chair of governors and parent of a child with SEND, I only wish this book had been published earlier and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Game changer for me, really helpful.

This book is a super useful, absolute fountain of knowledge for all SENDCO's, either those new to the role or SENDCO's with tons of experience. It is written in easily accessible language and is literally a go to guide for best practice. The role of the SENDCO is sometimes so overwhelming and we are often expected to know everything related to all areas of need. This book helps with the mountain of knowledge we need for our day to day job.The contents page is clearly laid out with relevant sections enabling you to dive in and out as needed. The section on 'A guide to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities' is very helpful and lists area of need, diagnostic criteria, classroom difficulties associated with need, et al, and most importantly strategies and interventions to support need. Great. The book also has QR codes which take you to various helpful resources such as diagnostic questions you can use with parents who think their child may have a need. In short an ESSENTIAL book for all SENDCO's. In fact I honestly think the book should be on the list of reading for all NASENCO courses as it is invaluable resource for probably one of the hardest jobs in schools. Highly recommend.

Reading the preface you get the immediate feeling the author is not only incredibly knowledgeable but personable...someone who knows what it is like to work tirelessly in the sector and is striving to provide a resource to be a go to guide to those answers which are often hard to find a straight answer to. I am not a SENDCO, just a SEND TA who wants to know more about the sector. The Contents page has so much to choose from covering so many topics. I immediately went for the section on A Guide To SEND, specifically autism and ADHD as areas of interest. It provided me with diagnostic criteria, strategies, interventions. I read on to learn about other disorders which were so useful and all the info in one place in accessible tables for quick reference. I get the impression everything in this book will be concise and relevant. I'm excited to read the sections on working with partners including parents, the role of the TA, pupils transitioning and also sensory needs. That's just for starters!For a SENDCO I can see how this book will be a vital go to resource as well. The "Top Ten to being a great SENDCO" was really insightful and actually useful for me. There is SO much support for the SENDCO role in this book. I also like the QR codes for relevant documents e.g SEND A-Z Directory and important legislation. So many documents just there at your fingertips. Can highly recommend 👍

Whether you read it from cover to cover or use it as reference to answer the questions you sometimes might not think relevant, this book is worth every penny. It’s a handbook of reassurance, it’s a companion for what can be a very lonely role, and is written in a way that everyone (not just sendcos) can understand. Whether you’re a trainee or an experienced senior leader this book is a MUST HAVE for anyone involved in education.

This book is so thoughtfully written which makes it such an easy to use reference guide. I loved the detail of it all, including things like page numbers and QR codes makes it so quick to use and helpful. The information is highly helpful and very informative. I would highly recommend this to anyone who has any dealings with SEND, I am a parent of a child with SEND and I have learnt a lot from this which has been extremely helpful.

Written with a busy SENCO at heart!What a fantastic book that you can dip into.It answers questions you have quickly as well as shown me ways to manage my time more effectively including tops tips on how to get the best from the teachers.Where has this book been? A must for all SENCOs where starting out or been in post for months and years.