Episodes, Michael Smith & Kathryn Parkinson
One Child, One Journey: Specialist and Mainstream as Partners, Not separate Pathways with Michael Smith and Kathryn Parkinson
SENDcast Episode
One Child, One Journey: Specialist and Mainstream as Partners, Not separate Pathways
with Michael Smith and Kathryn Parkinson
Everyone in the SEND system says they want what’s best for the child. So why does the relationship between specialist and mainstream schools still feel so fractured?
This week, Dale is joined by Michael Smith, founder and chairman of Pivot Group, and Kathryn Parkinson, CEO, to discuss why specialist and mainstream should work as partners, not as separate pathways.
Together, they explore:
- Why the relationship between specialist and mainstream schools is so fractured, and what it would take to rebuild it.
- Why ‘complex needs’ means different things to different people, and why a shared definition matters.
- What inclusion really means, and whether a bespoke package for every child is realistic.
- Why success should be measured in small steps, with social skills and real-world experiences valued alongside grades.
- How schools, local authorities, employers and families working together can create a ripple effect across a community.
“We need to come together because we’re stronger together than apart.”
— Kathryn Parkinson
An optimistic, honest conversation about what changes when we put the child, rather than the system, at the centre.
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Guests
Michael Smith
Founder and Chairman, Pivot Group
Kathryn Parkinson
CEO, Pivot Group
Watch the podcast
About the guests
Michael Smith
Michael Smith is the Founder and Chairman of Pivot Group, the specialist SEND education provider he established in Yorkshire in 2016. He is the architect of the Pivot 2030 Charter, the organisation’s public statement of intent for the next five years, and a contributor to the national conversation on specialist SEND provision, including recent participation in the Independent Schools Association (ISA) roundtable on the SEND White Paper.
Michael is happy to talk about specialist SEND provision and partnership with mainstream settings, system reform, value for money in SEND, and the role of independent specialist schools as active participants in local SEND systems. He also welcomes co-design conversations with local authorities seeking sustainable specialist capacity, and media comment on SEND policy and provision. Get in touch at Michael.smith@pivot-group.co.uk.
Kathryn Parkinson
Kathryn Parkinson is CEO of Pivot Group, leading the operational delivery of specialist SEND education across the group’s Yorkshire schools. She carries operational responsibility for the Places and Partnerships commitments of Pivot’s 2030 Charter: the new learning hubs opening in Wakefield and Bradford, and the working relationships with local authorities and mainstream settings that make reintegration possible.
Kathryn welcomes practitioner-level conversations on running specialist SEND provision, including school leadership, safeguarding and staff retention, as well as reintegration partnerships with mainstream schools, co-design conversations with local authorities, and speaking and training opportunities focused on the operational reality of specialist provision. Get in touch at Kathryn.parkinson@pivot-group.co.uk.
Pivot Group is celebrating its tenth anniversary year, with new learning hubs opening in Wakefield and Bradford as part of its regional Yorkshire network.
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