Assessing Complex Learners with Jordan Garrett

SENDcast Episode

Assessing Complex Learners

with Jordan Garrett

The needs around SEND in schools are increasing – both in numbers and complexity of needs – and many schools are struggling with the best way to support their learners effectively. They want to do the best for their students, but the DfE provides very limited guidance on supporting learners with SEND.

Jordan Garrett from Sensory Classroom joins Dale to discuss ‘assessing complex learners’. Jordan brings a wealth of experience from specialist and mainstream settings, plus years of curriculum and resource development, and offers practical, classroom-tested advice.

Their discussion includes:

• Clear explanation of the gaps in current guidance and why schools struggle to turn these into day-to-day practice.
• Practical, person-appropriate approaches for curriculum and assessment that meet learners where they are – including translating mainstream topics into meaningful, multi-sensory lessons.
• How to use frameworks to track small steps of progress, show meaningful outcomes to parents and plan bespoke learning without creating lots more work.
• Ideas for making regulation, communication and sensory needs the foundation of teaching so pupils can access academic learning.
• Advice on building collaboration between teachers and TAs, using APDR cycles, and choosing trusted, adaptable resources rather than one-size-fits-all “solutions”.

View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop!