This blog reminds me of a popular 1964 song called 'Where have all the flowers gone' by Pete Seeger. Yes, I am showing my age.

I must tell you about the NAPE SEND Conference which occurred on the 26^th April at the University of Bedfordshire (UoB) in Bedford.

As Chair, I am bound to say it was very successful and went very smoothly. Well, it was and did according to the feedback we received.

The venue was light, modern and spacious with 100% University support. The 100 students who came, as part of their timetable, really enjoyed themselves and had a free lunch! To add to the interest, there were three exhibitors displaying PSE, education books and Historic Workshop artefacts. This was very popular.

 UoB bent over backwards to provide everything needed for a conference including four members of staff to support the eight speakers with the technology, in seven separate teaching rooms. The Associate Dean and Head of School of Teacher Education was marvellous as he liaised with the NAPE Conference steering committee for six months including numerous Zoom meetings. He felt it very important that students experienced an ‘education conference experience’. I agree.

Email posts to 500 partner schools, face-to-face meetings, local radio announcements, NAPE website information with simple electronic booking and an explanatory video helped to inform teachers and leaders what was on offer.

The cost? A whole day’s conference with a keynote lecture presented by a nationally recognised professor of SEND together with seven experts in their field (including practitioners). This was all for £55 (or £45 for NAPE members). This included lunch and drinks.There was the option of online streaming for £25.

I was very happy with the outcome except for……a singular lack of teachers attending. Where have all the teachers gone?  We are convinced that their absence reflects the awful pressures schools are under with lack of staff together with budgets looking bleak in the new financial year*. So school morale continues to be very low. The announcement that the single word Ofsted judgement will stay, does not help**.  But somehow schools try to remain optimistic for the sake of children in their care, but the school's focus appears to have changed. From out, to firmly in.

* Read the 'missing teachers' news item of the 28th April

** https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-no-plans-to-change-single-phrase-ofsted-judgments/