The SENDcast

When schools stop doing things *to* students and start doing things *with* them, everything changes.
Dale is joined by Claire Cannon a national inclusion consultant at Indigo Owl Coaching and Consultancy and Alice Phillips, a Year 11 student currently taking her GCSEs and a neurodiversity advocate with Tourette's. Together, they explore what student self-advocacy really means - and why so many schools are still getting it wrong.
Alice speaks with remarkable insight and honesty about her own experiences: fighting for the right to wear a hoodie; being sanctioned for not going to lessons when she physically and mentally couldn't and spending years masking at school.
Claire brings the professional lens - unpicking why schools default to rigid systems over individual understanding, and what genuine listening actually looks like in practice.
 
About Claire Cannon
Claire Cannon is an experienced educational leader with 20+ years in education. With extensive experience across both mainstream and specialist settings, Claire has worked in a variety of roles including Assistant Head in secondary AP (SEMH) and SENCO across two education phases.
Claire also supports others as an Educational Leadership Coach, INSET day provider (specialising in SEMH and behaviour), and SEND consultant – frequently contributing as a conference speaker. She is an NPQ facilitator and has served as Chair of Governors.
Claire holds a degree in Psychology, bringing a research-informed, people-centred approach to her work supporting children, staff, and whole-school improvement. In her downtime, she enjoys taking time to reset – her spaniels happily take her for a walk twice each day.
https://www.indigoowlcoachingandconsultancy.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088529101987
claire@indigoowlcoachingandconsultancy.co.uk
 
About Alice Phillips
Alice is 16 years old and getting ready to take her GCSEs this year. She has 2 bunnies and 2 naughty working cocker spaniels.
https://www.instagram.com/tourettes_dino26/
 
B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk 
Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast 
Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk 
Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
 
The SENDcast is powered by B Squared
We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

For many neurodivergent children, reading isn't just difficult - it's frightening. And without the right support, that fear can follow them well into adulthood.
In this episode, Dale is joined by Vicki Edgar, Director at Fonetti and co-founder of the National Read Aloud Challenge, to discuss 'Removing the Fear of Reading'.
Vicki was diagnosed with dyslexia at seven and brings a deeply personal perspective to the conversation - sharing how the anxiety of reading aloud in class has stayed with her, and what finally helped her overcome it.
She also introduces Fonetti, a read aloud platform that gives children real-time visual feedback as they read, and explains how it is helping reluctant and struggling readers build confidence - without judgment, and without disrupting their flow. Make sure you check out their National Read Aloud Challenge - a free summer reading initiative now in its fourth year, open to all children aged 5 to 15 across the UK!
View all podcasts | Visit our SENDcast Sessions shop
 
About Vicki Edgar
I'm deeply passionate about children's literacy and confidence when reading aloud. Growing up with dyslexia, I know first-hand how difficult and isolating reading can feel — and how powerful it is when a child discovers confidence in their own voice.
Now, through my work with Fonetti, the read-aloud app for school and home, I'm helping children build fluency, independence, and a genuine love for reading. I see the impact every day, both in classrooms and at home with my own son, who is dyslexic, ADHD, and ASD.
I work closely with schools to support the implementation of Fonetti and the Fonetti School Portal for teachers. The feedback from teachers, parents, and most importantly, the children themselves has been nothing short of inspiring.
Helping children find joy and confidence in reading aloud isn't just my job, it's my purpose. 💙
Website - https://www.fonetti.com/
Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicki-edgar/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fonetti/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-read-aloud-challenge/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FonettiApp/
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/fonettiapp/
 
B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk 
Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast 
Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk 
Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
 
The SENDcast is powered by B Squared
We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

Neurodiverse girls are often loyal, perceptive, and generous - qualities that are real strengths, but that can also make them vulnerable when it comes to navigating romantic relationships.
In this episode, Dale is joined by Kim McCabe, founder of Rights for Girls CIC, to discuss 'What do neurodiverse girls need to know about romance?'. Kim is the author of From Daughter to Woman, a parenting guide praised for its wise and practical support through the teen years and appears regularly on BBC and Sky News as a child development expert.
Kim shares her top five tips for preparing neurodiverse girls for romance, covering everything from why these conversations should start much earlier than most parents expect, to the importance of building on what girls already know about friendship rather than treating romance as entirely new territory.
She also explores why neurodivergent girls can be particularly vulnerable in romantic relationships - having spent years masking, adapting, and people-pleasing in order to fit in - and why they need explicit permission to slow things down, trust their instincts, and say no. Kim and Dale also discuss the powerful role parents play as relationship role models, and why the dynamic children witness at home sets the bar for everything that follows.
 
Kim McCabe
Kim McCabe is the author of From Daughter to Woman, a parenting guide praised for its wise and practical support through the teen years. A child development expert featured on BBC and Sky News, Kim is also the founder of Rites for Girls CIC, an organisation dedicated to making growing up kinder for girls - and saner for parents. With warmth, clarity, and decades of experience, Kim helps parents rediscover their confidence and connection, knowing they hold the key to raising grounded, resilient children.
 
https://www.ritesforgirls.com
https://www.facebook.com/RitesForGirls
https://www.instagram.com/ritesforgirls/
info@ritesforgirls.com
 
 
Useful Links
Rites for Girls YouTube
From Daughter to Woman by Kim McCabe
Mothers Journeying Together
Parenting Through Difficult Times
Girls' Net
Parent Pause
 
B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk 
Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast 
Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk 
Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
 
The SENDcast is powered by B Squared
We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

Wellbeing, culture, and inclusion are more than buzzwords - but too many schools tick the boxes without making the real change that matters.
In this episode, Dale is joined by Cathal Lynch, Director of Wellbeing Quality Mark, to discuss 'Wellbeing, Culture and Inclusion'.
"The anxious brain is not a learning brain. The more we can reduce anxiety, the better learning and behaviour outcomes will be."
— Cathal Lynch
Together, they explore:
Why school culture always exists - whether leaders shape it intentionally or not.
How to build genuine belonging by actively listening to the views of pupils, parents, and staff.
The role of executive function in behaviour, transitions, and learning - and what schools can do about it.
Why structure, routine, and consistency are not about control, but about reducing anxiety and cognitive load.
How to codify practice so that good work survives leadership changes and scales across a whole school.
View all podcasts | Visit our SENDcast Sessions shop
 
About Cathal Lynch
Education leader, coach and author of Building Belonging
Cathal has extensive leadership experience in mainstream and special education, including as a National Director of SEND and a MAT co-founder. He is an Associate Education Expert for the Key, a coach, assessor and facilitator on the NPQEL and author of Building Belonging, a systematic approach to school improvement and emotional wellbeing.
 
https://www.wbqm.co.uk
clynch@esseducation.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathal-lynch-2b076a7a/
 
CPD SESSIONS
Train with Cathal Lynch
Go deeper with Cathal in one of his focused 1-hour CPD sessions — each just £10 and shareable with your whole school.
https://thesendcast.com/shop-home/
 
B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk 
Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast 
Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk 
Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
 
The SENDcast is powered by B Squared
We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

Sport has the potential to be a powerful, positive force in the lives of neurodivergent children - but without the right awareness and approach, it can become yet another environment where they feel excluded.
In this episode, Dale is joined by Liz Day, founder of Collectively Diverse CIC, to discuss 'Neurodiversity and Sport: Creating Safe, Inclusive Spaces Where Neurodivergent Children Can Thrive'.
Liz brings a wealth of personal and professional insight - as a former county-level gymnast, specialist PE teacher, and neurodiversity expert who completed a Master's in Psychology at the University of Exeter in 2024, exploring mental health literacy in young people.
Together, they explore:
Why sport and physical activity can be transformative for neurodivergent children - and why PE lessons too often have the opposite effect.
The importance of psychological safety in sports settings, and what coaches and clubs can do differently.
Why children with EBSA still need access to physical activity, and how to make it happen.
How parents can communicate their child's needs effectively with sports organisations.
The link between physical activity, emotional regulation, and mental health.
This episode is essential listening for parents of neurodivergent children, coaches, and youth sports club leaders - but also highly relevant for teachers, SENCOs, and anyone supporting the wellbeing of children and young people.
View all podcasts | Visit our SENDcast Sessions shop
 
About Liz Day
Liz is an experienced trainer and facilitator, passionate about mental health, neurodiversity, and cultivating a safe environment for all. She began her career as a teacher with a specialism in PE, drawing on her background as a former county-level gymnast and lifelong love of sport.
This shaped her inclusive teaching approach and continues to influence her work today — sport remains central to her identity and wellbeing.
https://www.collectivelydiverse.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572518254058
https://www.instagram.com/collectivelydiverseUK/
liz@collectivelydiverse.co.uk
 
Useful Links
EBSA Toolkit for Schools
Compass Panel
 
B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk 
Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast 
Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk 
Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
 
The SENDcast is powered by B Squared
We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.