Episode 14: A Recovery Curriculum #14 Alex Tomkins (Greenside School)

In this episode Alex Tomkins, Deputy Headteacher at Greenside School in Hertfordshire, raises some challenging questions. Social emotional and mental health (SEMH) is now a key component of the curriculum for children with special educational needs. Yet as a teaching profession we do have a strong background in this area. It's certainly not a strong pedagogy.

We know that the mental health of children with SEND is more fragile, and certainly in this time of pandemic figures are showing a rise in anxiety and trauma following the period of lockdown. The need for teachers to enskill themselves is crucial.

Alex has been coordinating a group of schools on behalf of Evidence for Learning to look at this issue.

In a thought-provoking presentation, Alex focuses on teacher led inquiry in SEMH. This is a vital and dynamic process - inquiry based practice will lead to an evidence base for teaching, and best judgements in this area.

Alex also considers the opportunities presented by current circumstances to reflect on how inquiry can become a more significant and ubiquitous feature of formative assessment systems.

Alex has read widely to inform his ideas and work and has kindly shared key resources from his literature review.

The title of Alex's presentation is:

"Inquiry and SEMH… Is recovery the new 'spark' needed in our practice"

This is a thought-provoking episode, which will raise questions for the listener, as well as offering solutions to ways forward.

You can watch and listen to a video slide show of the presentation on the episode webpage:

https://www.evidenceforlearning.net/learningshared/recoverycurriculum14-alex-tomkins

We've also listed resources and references from Alex's literature review, as well as other articles and resources referred to by Alex during the presentation.

More info on the Recovery Curriculum

For information on the Recovery Curriculum, including the original Think Piece entitled "A Recovery Curriculum: Loss and Life for our children and schools post pandemic", lectures, resources, reference materials and details of the online communities of practice, visit:

https://www.recoverycurriculum.org

Join the conversation about The Recovery Curriculum:

Clearly any form of Recovery Curriculum will need to be unique to each and every school, contextualised to the ethos, culture and values of that school, as well as its existing curriculum and crucially reflecting and addressing the needs and aspirations of its unique population of learners.

We have created private groups in LinkedIn and Facebook where colleagues and peers can discuss and share thoughts, ideas, experiences, resources and learning in relation to education and provision post pandemic. The groups are also an opportunity to connect people and help you to build a network that can support you on your own important journey over the coming months.

Facebook Group: Recovery Curriculum

We've set up a private facebook group specifically for The Recovery Curriculum at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/recoverycurriculum

or search for "recoverycurriculum" in Facebook.

Facebook: EfL SEND Community Group

Join us at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/eflSENDCommunity/

or search for "eflSENDCommunity" in Facebook.

The purpose of the group is to provide a safe, closed space to seek out and share ideas, experience and resources that can help with any and all aspects of SEND provision. It's also a community for practitioners and schools that use Evidence for Learning and Insights for Learning to share ideas, resources and support each other in using these apps. This is a peer-moderated and supported group.

Linkedin Group: The Recovery Curriculum

The group is called "A Recovery Curriculum for children & schools post-pandemic" and you can find it at:

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12399451/