School leaders from Corby school contribute to special educational needs report
SEN discussed with Local MP Lee Barron after he visits Lodge Park Academy.
Leaders from Lodge Park Academy, part of the David Ross Education Trust, were recently invited to participate in a round table discussion on Special Educational Needs (SEN) with local Member of Parliament Lee Barron. The purpose of the meeting was to explore a proposal to be submitted to parliament addressing the "SEN crisis in the UK."
This initiative follows the recent publication on Support for children and young people with special educational needs by the House of Commons on January 15, 2025. Sue Jones, Executive Principal, and Ute Steenkamp, Director of Diversity and Inclusion were invited to attend after Lee Barron MP visited LPA towards the end of last year as part of National Parliament Week.
The round table included representatives from the local authority, healthcare professionals, post-16 educators, and, notably, parents. Key topics discussed during the round table session encompassed finances, EHCP (Education, Health, and Care Plan) processes, suitable educational settings, accessibility, inclusive education, and curriculum development, among others.
Sue Jones, Executive Principal for LPA said:
“We were delighted to be asked to contribute to Mr Barron’s round table discussions and would like to thank him very much for visiting our school, engaging our students and listening to us as we discussed the support needed for learners with SEN.”
Mr Barron spoke to pupils at Lodge Park about the importance of democratic engagement and the role of Parliament in shaping their future. Mr Barron was impressed by the students he met at Lodge Park, writing to the school saying how welcome he was made to feel and how the students were a “credit to themselves and the school”.
Principal Jonathon Kirby said:
“We were so grateful to Mr Barron for visiting Lodge Park and for talking to our students and engaging with them. Our students said it was the highlight of the term for them, reminding them how the impact of their voices and ideas can have on shaping the future. Our students were a credit to LPA.”