Helen W
@2tubies.bsky.social
Equality of opportunity for children with medical needs. Education leads to enlightenment. #tubefeeding
My measure of success may well be different to yours.
Qualified reflexologist. Focus on wellbeing.
My measure of success may well be different to yours.
Qualified reflexologist. Focus on wellbeing.
Reposted by Helen W
I've written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, urging them to join me in condemning Elon Musk's dangerous remarks inciting violence yesterday.
As leaders, we must stand together and make clear Musk will face serious consequences for these actions.
As leaders, we must stand together and make clear Musk will face serious consequences for these actions.
September 14, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I've written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, urging them to join me in condemning Elon Musk's dangerous remarks inciting violence yesterday.
As leaders, we must stand together and make clear Musk will face serious consequences for these actions.
As leaders, we must stand together and make clear Musk will face serious consequences for these actions.
Reposted by Helen W
Inclusion isn’t a bolt-on. It’s the measure of whether our education system is working at all.
Banning lifejackets to reduce drownings.
As the conversation around SEND reform continues, it increasingly feels like we are trying to solve problems by tackling symptoms and not causes; choosing the immediate over the impactful. We might not have time on our side, but the long game is the only…
As the conversation around SEND reform continues, it increasingly feels like we are trying to solve problems by tackling symptoms and not causes; choosing the immediate over the impactful. We might not have time on our side, but the long game is the only…
Banning lifejackets to reduce drownings.
As the conversation around SEND reform continues, it increasingly feels like we are trying to solve problems by tackling symptoms and not causes; choosing the immediate over the impactful. We might not have time on our side, but the long game is the only game that will work - the current system is undeniably struggling, but reform must be built on honesty, insight, and a clear understanding of what will genuinely make things better for children, families, and the professionals who serve them.
inco14.wordpress.com
July 19, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Inclusion isn’t a bolt-on. It’s the measure of whether our education system is working at all.
Reposted by Helen W
Excellent piece from @moremorrow.bsky.social. Defensive reactions to critique are unfortunately endemic on edutwitter but help nobody. I do find it ironic that we expect children to use critique to learn but we struggle with it ourselves.
Was interested in the responses to this so penned my own review
Please have a look
@schoolsweek.bsky.social
schoolsweek.co.uk/jamies-dysle... The Review: TV - Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution
Please have a look
@schoolsweek.bsky.social
schoolsweek.co.uk/jamies-dysle... The Review: TV - Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution
The Review: Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution
Ignore the armchair sous-chefs on edu-socials. This programme is a searing commentary on education today
schoolsweek.co.uk
June 22, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Excellent piece from @moremorrow.bsky.social. Defensive reactions to critique are unfortunately endemic on edutwitter but help nobody. I do find it ironic that we expect children to use critique to learn but we struggle with it ourselves.
The narrative of the SEND system failing / being broken has been effective.
The shift to blaming the system rather than holding to accept those who have failed / refused to enact it lawfully or ethically has allowed children with SEND to be perceived as the problem.
The shift to blaming the system rather than holding to accept those who have failed / refused to enact it lawfully or ethically has allowed children with SEND to be perceived as the problem.
May 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
The narrative of the SEND system failing / being broken has been effective.
The shift to blaming the system rather than holding to accept those who have failed / refused to enact it lawfully or ethically has allowed children with SEND to be perceived as the problem.
The shift to blaming the system rather than holding to accept those who have failed / refused to enact it lawfully or ethically has allowed children with SEND to be perceived as the problem.
Reposted by Helen W
I’m interested in this - who do you define as the most vulnerable? Vulnerable in which way? Vulnerable in the mainstream school - how many axes of vulnerability? Which ones carry the most weight? I’m genuinely interested, hence the multiple questions.
May 24, 2025 at 8:26 AM
I’m interested in this - who do you define as the most vulnerable? Vulnerable in which way? Vulnerable in the mainstream school - how many axes of vulnerability? Which ones carry the most weight? I’m genuinely interested, hence the multiple questions.
Reposted by Helen W
This was the draft definition of inclusion they put forward for consultation in their recent school inspections - no idea who they worked with on this, I think they’ve also commissioned something from NCB
May 9, 2025 at 6:21 AM
This was the draft definition of inclusion they put forward for consultation in their recent school inspections - no idea who they worked with on this, I think they’ve also commissioned something from NCB
I wonder if Mr Sproston should also be working with children and young people with SEND to develop his understanding of inclusion, be curious as to how their definition of inclusion differs from institutions.
Mr Sproston tells the NNoSS event that Ofsted believes that: "If you get it right for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable you get it right for everyone". He adds that Ofsted is still developing its understanding of inclusion and has worked with the sector to develop how it defines it.
May 9, 2025 at 5:53 AM
I wonder if Mr Sproston should also be working with children and young people with SEND to develop his understanding of inclusion, be curious as to how their definition of inclusion differs from institutions.
Isabella plantation in Richmond park is stunning right now.
May 2, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Isabella plantation in Richmond park is stunning right now.
Reposted by Helen W
SEND is 'lose, lose, lose,' unless you're in line for some of these tasty £750pd & £900pd contracts with DfE
Local government experience mandatory, experience of delivering SEND provision not required www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/31286...
Local government experience mandatory, experience of delivering SEND provision not required www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/31286...
SEND Financial Advisers- Early Engagement - Contracts Finder
www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk
May 2, 2025 at 4:55 PM
SEND is 'lose, lose, lose,' unless you're in line for some of these tasty £750pd & £900pd contracts with DfE
Local government experience mandatory, experience of delivering SEND provision not required www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/31286...
Local government experience mandatory, experience of delivering SEND provision not required www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/31286...
Reposted by Helen W
Yes. I’ve been writing about this for several years in @yorkshirebylines.co.uk What on earth do schools need superannuated business managers for? One of the biggest Tory cons ever. Stark naked emperors.
Questionable value of school executive roles | Letters
Letters: Readers raise concerns that multi-academy trusts in England are diverting funds from classrooms to corporate managers
www.theguardian.com
April 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Yes. I’ve been writing about this for several years in @yorkshirebylines.co.uk What on earth do schools need superannuated business managers for? One of the biggest Tory cons ever. Stark naked emperors.
The Jurassic Coast never fails to impress.
April 21, 2025 at 7:55 PM
The Jurassic Coast never fails to impress.
Reposted by Helen W
Anon post:
Looking to connect with school leaders or parents who have had positive experiences with flexi-schooling. I’d love to hear your insights and learn from your journey. Feel free to reach out or share. Please retweet to help spread the word.
Looking to connect with school leaders or parents who have had positive experiences with flexi-schooling. I’d love to hear your insights and learn from your journey. Feel free to reach out or share. Please retweet to help spread the word.
April 15, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Anon post:
Looking to connect with school leaders or parents who have had positive experiences with flexi-schooling. I’d love to hear your insights and learn from your journey. Feel free to reach out or share. Please retweet to help spread the word.
Looking to connect with school leaders or parents who have had positive experiences with flexi-schooling. I’d love to hear your insights and learn from your journey. Feel free to reach out or share. Please retweet to help spread the word.
Reposted by Helen W
It boils my piss that the news stories are continuously 'are we over-diagnosing mental health problems?' rather than 'oh my God what have we DONE to ourselves that SO many people are SO profoundly unhappy and anxious and unwell?'
April 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
It boils my piss that the news stories are continuously 'are we over-diagnosing mental health problems?' rather than 'oh my God what have we DONE to ourselves that SO many people are SO profoundly unhappy and anxious and unwell?'
Reposted by Helen W
So looking forward to discussing this book on Wednesday. There’s still time to reserve your place. Details below 👇
April 14, 2025 at 10:16 AM
So looking forward to discussing this book on Wednesday. There’s still time to reserve your place. Details below 👇
I continue to appreciate the sunset photos from my son who is living his best life .
April 13, 2025 at 8:20 AM
I continue to appreciate the sunset photos from my son who is living his best life .
Reposted by Helen W
Don’t let any one tell you that cutting disability benefits is about making “savings.” www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Councils and NHS could face millions in extra costs due to disability benefit cuts
Government plans for Pip cuts will drive up costs for local authority social care services and NHS, campaigners warn
www.theguardian.com
March 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Don’t let any one tell you that cutting disability benefits is about making “savings.” www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Helen W
This post has taken a beating on here. The article’s since been reshaped, new headline, but this is still up, so for clarity:
The statement below is not true by any robust definition of what councils receive to budget for local road maintenance
The statement below is not true by any robust definition of what councils receive to budget for local road maintenance
English councils spending twice as much on Send pupil transport as fixing roads
English councils spending twice as much on Send pupil transport as fixing roads
Exclusive: Costs particularly acute in more rural areas, where many children with special needs have to use taxis
Councils in England are spending on average twice as much on school transport for children with special educational needs than on…
www.theguardian.com
March 9, 2025 at 7:24 PM
This post has taken a beating on here. The article’s since been reshaped, new headline, but this is still up, so for clarity:
The statement below is not true by any robust definition of what councils receive to budget for local road maintenance
The statement below is not true by any robust definition of what councils receive to budget for local road maintenance
My favourite time of year.
March 9, 2025 at 7:45 PM
My favourite time of year.
Reposted by Helen W
Even setting aside this article's daft premise - the cost comparisons only work if you ignore most of what counts as local government expenditure on road maintenance. It's deeply flawed.
Never, ever get a pol corr to do a specialist's job www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Never, ever get a pol corr to do a specialist's job www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
English councils spending twice as much on Send pupil transport as fixing roads
Exclusive: Costs particularly acute in more rural areas, where many children with special needs have to use taxis
www.theguardian.com
March 9, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Even setting aside this article's daft premise - the cost comparisons only work if you ignore most of what counts as local government expenditure on road maintenance. It's deeply flawed.
Never, ever get a pol corr to do a specialist's job www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Never, ever get a pol corr to do a specialist's job www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Helen W
I’m sorry to point out the obvious, but you can’t intervene someone out of autism, or Down’s syndrome, or sensory processing disorder or dyslexia.
March 8, 2025 at 11:27 AM
I’m sorry to point out the obvious, but you can’t intervene someone out of autism, or Down’s syndrome, or sensory processing disorder or dyslexia.
Reposted by Helen W
Exclusive: upper-tier LAs waste more resource each year on SEND tribunal defence (success rate: 2%) than they spend on road safety, or food safety, or public mental health, or sensory support, or winter services
March 9, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Exclusive: upper-tier LAs waste more resource each year on SEND tribunal defence (success rate: 2%) than they spend on road safety, or food safety, or public mental health, or sensory support, or winter services
So it’s Feeding Tube Awareness Week - an opportunity to shed light on a topic that is personal to me. My children are tube fed and there are many misconceptions about it. Please read my eldest’s perspective. helen2tubies.wordpress.com/2022/10/29/a...
A Decade of Tube Feeding
2012 …………………………………………..2022 On 31st Oct 2012 I had my first NG tube put in by my nurse, this was just the beginning of my bumpy, un…
helen2tubies.wordpress.com
February 2, 2025 at 8:45 AM
So it’s Feeding Tube Awareness Week - an opportunity to shed light on a topic that is personal to me. My children are tube fed and there are many misconceptions about it. Please read my eldest’s perspective. helen2tubies.wordpress.com/2022/10/29/a...
Always appreciate my eldest sending me sunset photos from his new home.
December 1, 2024 at 8:19 PM
Always appreciate my eldest sending me sunset photos from his new home.
Reposted by Helen W
However much Local Authorities and central government think SEND support is costing them, the price paid by families, especially by the children themselves and (typically) by their mothers, is far, far higher.
inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...
@spcialndsjungle.bsky.social @captaink77.bsky.social
inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...
@spcialndsjungle.bsky.social @captaink77.bsky.social
'I quit to fight for my son': how the SEND crisis is wrecking women's careers
Four in 10 parents of children with special educational needs have stopped working, and mothers are hit the hardest
inews.co.uk
November 27, 2024 at 5:41 PM
However much Local Authorities and central government think SEND support is costing them, the price paid by families, especially by the children themselves and (typically) by their mothers, is far, far higher.
inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...
@spcialndsjungle.bsky.social @captaink77.bsky.social
inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...
@spcialndsjungle.bsky.social @captaink77.bsky.social
Reposted by Helen W
“A situation where we are upholding nearly 100% of complaints cannot be one that is working for children & families”
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Children’s development ‘put back by years’ due to failure of special educational needs system
Local government ombudsman report into SEND in England offers damning assessment
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2024 at 8:27 AM
“A situation where we are upholding nearly 100% of complaints cannot be one that is working for children & families”
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...