A Handful of Educational Wishes…

Happy New Year to all our friends and supporters of STEP!
 
This is the time of the year when we talk with our family and friends about all our resolutions for the coming year. Our wishes, ambitions, determinations and goals.
 
But in reality they are not really resolutions for most of us are they? Resolution suggests action and permanency. It will be done come hell or high water (of which we have had more than our share) I carve this in stone (nice one Ed, for that moment!) nothing will stop me etc…
 
 But our resolutions nearly always fade within a few months, a month, a couple of weeks. They are no more permanent than British flood defences or Ed’s tablet of stone.
 
I am going to stop smoking/drinking/biting my nails. I am going to start walking the dog every day/training 3 times a week/helping others less able than myself. I am going to win this election/this or that league or cup/that person’s affections. 
 
These are not resolutions.

They are wishes. Hopes. Aspirations. They are no more certain than a roll of the dice. But heck, we still make them every year don’t we?

So here’s our wish not our resolution for STEP 2016 and it’s a big one!

There’s no point in making a small wish is there? If you were so lucky as to meet that genie one day and he grants you a wish are you really going to waste it on stop biting your nails or walking the dog?! You would make a BIG WISH! If that genie is giving you the chance seize it and go for impact. Go for the better good of the people. Don’t waste it and regret it wishing that you had made a better fist of it. It’s one shot time!
 
Anyway, here’s ours.
 
We wish for a government in the UK to legislate for a best practice approach to the teaching of children with special educational needs — not outcomes. Delivery methodology.
 
 We wish for every district or town in the UK to have a Head of Special Needs who signs off the best practice SEN plans for every school in their area.
 
 We wish for every junior school in the UK to have a Head of Special Needs or Learning Support who is experienced in the subject and sits on the school’s Senior Leadership Team.
 
 We wish for every junior school to have the resource needed to follow and implement the best practice SEN plans made by, and with their Head of Learning Support. 
 
 We wish that every school identifies early any of the children in their care who learn differently and require support.
 
 That’s it. A proper few wishes.
 
 But not ridiculous or unachievable. Very doable, and happening in other countries right now.

So why not ours?