NASENCO Case Study: Suzi Smith

I worked with a child with speech and language difficulties as an assistant in a nursery class before I became a teacher.

To be a part of his support as he began the process of learning to communicate was a hugely satisfying role. This launched me on a journey to become a teacher, with the aim of one day helping other children with special needs to access the curriculum alongside their peers in mainstream settings.

I have been in my current school for two years now and when I was offered the opportunity to follow this ambition through to the next step - I couldn't believe it. My headteacher believed that my passion and commitment would outweigh my relative inexperience and told me there was a TDA course to support those new to the SENCO role. It all sounded a little too good to be true.

So I quickly agreed and enrolled on the Best Practice Network National Award in SEN Co-ordination programme - before my headteacher changed her mind! I arrived at the first day of the course feeling unsure of myself but I quickly realised that we were all in the same position - new SENCOs, nervous and rather anxious, but with one thing in common - a passion for supporting the inclusion of children with special educational needs and disabilities. For me, the good things about the Best Practice Network NASENCO programme have been:

• The breadth of experience: we come from several local authorities which really helped when we discussed issues like funding, as we could get a feel for the range of obstacles and issues that we face and how we can work through them.
• The networking opportunities: as well as the support of the larger group, we formed smaller leadership learning groups and exchanged email addresses. So began a fantastic support network of colleagues and friends who knew exactly what I was going through.
• Overcoming the panic about writing at Master's Level: I had not written essays since university and have never written at Master's level. But I enjoy a challenge and so set about finding a research question that interested me.- speech and language and story telling. As a school we are all working hard to raise achievement in writing and have investigated the use of story telling in supporting this aim. As SENCO, I wanted to see if it could have a positive outcome for children with speech and language problems.

So I am now nearing the end of what has been an exhilarating experience. There have certainly been ups and downs; times when I wondered if I could do it; times of uncertainty when we all felt unsure how we were going to achieve the TDA's learning outcomes. But I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, the camaraderie and the support network. I have met an amazing bunch of people in the same situation as me, with the same issues and worries. I am even looking to continue to achieve my Masters, something I never thought I would have the courage to do.

Suzi Smith, Bristol