Championing women in special education on international women’s day
International Women’s Day is celebrated globally and will take place this year on 8 March. The purpose of the day is to uphold women's achievements, recognise challenges and focus greater attention on women's rights and gender equality.
For 2023, the theme is #EmbraceEquity – imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all embrace equity.
We’re passionate about celebrating women's success in the special education sector, as well as helping to raise awareness about discrimination and taking action to drive gender parity.
To mark International Women’s Day, we caught up with three women working in the industry to hear about their career journeys and what equity means to them.
Amy Allen, Founder and Managing Director of Senploy , was inspired to take a different path when she reached a crossroads in life. She’s the perfect example of a woman who felt empowered to take control of her career and work in a job that suited her changing circumstances.
Amy said: “Before my youngest daughter was due to start school, I applied for a part-time admin position at a non-maintained special school. This was the start of my wonderful journey into special education, as well as working for a purpose that wasn’t just about me or money – children and young people with severe and complex learning difficulties relied on me and this was extremely rewarding.
“My role was very diverse. I organised staffing to ensure students had the right support, liaised with anxious parents who were dropping off and picking up their children, provided experiences for the students to learn life skills, prepared their EHCP review documentation and most of all, I worked with the incredible staff team to make sure the children were safe and enjoyed their learning journey.
“It was a pleasure to share in key milestones achieved by the pupils. Their support staff would be overcome by pride and emotion in seeing a goal finally reached – a cup of tea made, a shoelace tied, sharing a classroom with a peer, brushing hair independently, washing up, entering the swimming pool unsupported, making a friend, this list goes on.”
During her time in this role, Amy worked closely with recruitment agencies who supplied teachers and teaching assistants to the school. Staff churn was ever present, but the priority was to make sure each student had the support they needed. Using generic job boards was the normal route to finding new candidates and formed a major part of the recruitment strategy. However, having realised how long it took to sift out irrelevant applications, Amy knew there must be another way. From here, Senploy was born.
Amy continued: “With my recruitment background and business knowhow, I identified there was a gap in the market for a specialist, niche sector job board and resource hub – one that could provide a window to countless live vacancies and great career opportunities in the SEND sector, from across the UK.
“The idea became a reality in 2019 when Senploy was launched to provide a quick and easy way for jobseekers to search and apply for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) vacancies, all in one place! Inspired by like-minded individuals who share my passion for revolutionising recruitment and retention in the SEND sector, Senploy proudly supports many of the leading special education recruiters across the UK.”
Over the last four years, Amy has redefined her understanding of inclusion, working with a range of different businesses and individuals within her network.
Amy concluded: “We work with our partners to seek out inclusion and embrace innovation to support our sector. I believe that everyone has the right to an enriched education and we strive to create positive change through our working practice. We are unique and I’m thankful to some notable women who have been on the journey with me and my team.”
The feeling of finding a purpose in special education isn’t unique to Amy. Claire Finneran, Head of SEND at Prospero Teaching also told us that it was only when she started her career in special education recruitment 16 years ago, that she found her ‘why’ – and crucially, it hasn’t changed since.
She said: “I am passionate about building relationships with schools, understanding their mission and supporting them in getting the best people working with their children and young people.
“Being in SEND requires a high level of involvement with partner schools, being part of their family, knowing what they need and finding solutions. It’s vital to establish a bond of trust with the setting you’re working with and be relied upon to deliver whenever they need, so as not to affect the children and young people in their care.”
When asked about empowering women within the industry, Claire stressed: “Women who work in SEND are absolute heroes! They genuinely invest themselves into the child they are supporting and this can be lifechanging. Their input is so important in the child’s journey – teaching them to speak, eat, encourage them to touch (if tactile defensive) – it’s so rewarding. Women in SEND have an instinctive nurturing side, are caring and feel fulfilled in their role.”
Touching on who she’s inspired by and what equity means to her, Clare stated: “American academic, Temple Grandin, inspires me, as well as my amazing work colleagues for their true resilience, personal acceptance and ongoing mission to help other people.
“Listening, collaborating, mentoring and supporting others makes me thrive and with these attributes I’m proud to #EmbraceEquity within my workplace, family and wider community.”
One of the key motivations behind International Women’s Day is to break down barriers to progression within the workplace and Sophie Ladd, SENCO at Phoenix Park Academy in Grimsby is a demonstration of this in action. She taught A-level Psychology and Sociology during her teacher training, which sparked an interest in SEN. Sophie decided to vary her experience by moving to alternative provision and working as a teacher in a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU).
She said: “Working in a PRU, although my specialism was supporting behaviour that challenged, I noticed that many of my students had undiagnosed SEN. Over time, my outlook on challenging behaviour shifted towards seeing this as way of communicating unmet needs. After several years, my teaching role evolved into the SENCO position and I have found this job most rewarding. I am fortunate in my setting that I have been able to support many students with getting their SEN needs finally recognised; securing EHCPs to allow appropriate provision to be put in place for them.”
Not long into her SEN journey, Sophie was promoted to her school’s senior leadership team and soon became a mother – proving the value of workplace flexibility for female leaders.
Sophie continued: “This career progression not only enabled me to drive SEN development across three school sites, but has also helped champion women both working in and leading SEN. In 2020, I had my first child and decided to return back to work on a part-time basis. The idea of managing competing demands was initially a worry but fortunately, I work with another inspiring female who has always reminded me that I can have both a career and family. She has consistently been a positive role model for me; a very successful Executive Vice Principal but also a mum to three who doesn’t feel guilty enjoying her well-earned holidays with her beautiful family! Similarly, my own mum was a primary school teacher who modelled an impressive work ethic where she always managed to fulfil both her teaching and parenting role to exceptionally high standards.
“The theme for this year’s IWD is particularly pertinent to the SENCO role I am in. #EmbracingEquity for me is the same as applying inclusive practice to a classroom. I am a huge advocate for all pupils being given the same opportunities and not being disadvantaged as a result of their SEN. As a female in the education sector, the same concepts applies and in order to fully champion female leaders, reasonable adjustments may sometimes also be needed!”
Here at Senploy, we know the positive impact SEND teachers and those in the wider industry have on pupils and their families. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate how women working in special education have and continue to influence the world by supporting the education of future generations.
We’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to all the extraordinary women in our professional and personal lives – today and every day!