Our 3 main priorities
Promoting effective practice, supporting children and young people with physical disability
Promoting the use of technology to improve the accessibility of education and outcomes for children and young people with physical disability that affects their mobility
Equipping the workforce to deliver high quality teaching and SEND support for pupils with a physical disability
Contract Year
Year 1
Year one of the contract largely focused on the development of three Level 1, online training modules for early years, schools and post-16 settings titled 'Raising Awareness of Physical Disability'. It also saw the development of a set of Standards, again for all 3 phases, which provide a practical structure for schools and settings to self-evaluate their provision and reflect on the effectiveness of their organisation in meeting the diverse needs of CYP with PD.
Contract Year
Year 2
To enable pdnet to build on and embed the work initiated during 2017–18, we were delighted that the DfE made the decision to extend the contract for an additional year (2018–19). The three priorities embedded through the contract extension are:
- Raising awareness of good and evidence-based practice
- Training to improve the knowledge and skills of the early years, schools and post 16 workforce
- Developing a sustainable model of ongoing support to professionals who support PD learners
Over the next year work will take place to:
- Develop a Level 2, accredited training module aimed primarily at support staff.
- Develop materials to support enhanced transition planning for CYP with PD.
- Develop good practice guidance and materials to support the writing of person-centred EHC plans with SMART outcomes for CYP with PD.
- Initiate work to raise awareness of the impact that physical disability may have on a learner's social, emotional and mental health.
- Strengthen the pdnet Effective Practice Hub through the creation of new materials to further enhance knowledge and skills in the workforce.
Work will also begin to look at developing a long-term sustainability strategy for pdnet that looks beyond funding from the DfE. To support this task we have begun to build links with NASEN and the Whole School SEND Consortium.
Contract Year
Year 3
In 2019–20 pdnet continued to build on the strong foundations established in the first two years of the DfE contract, further developing resources and training to support professionals working with children and young people with physical disabilities across all educational phases.
Ongoing
2020 Onwards
Delivery partners with Whole School SEND, pdnet has continued to grow its national reach and impact, supporting educational professionals across the country to improve outcomes for children and young people with physical disabilities.
