Learning Academy Partnership SEND Team Highly Commended in National Teaching Awards ++ Devon Trust Recognised Nationally for Transforming Support for Children with SEND ++
Learning Academy Partnership (LAP), a family of eighteen schools across Devon, is celebrating national recognition after its SEND team was named ‘Highly Commended’ in the prestigious Pearson National Teaching Awards' category for SEND and Inclusive Practice.
The award recognises the trust's innovative approach to supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across its family of small, largely rural primary schools, helping to improve attendance, outcomes and inclusion for some of the most vulnerable pupils.
LAP developed its model in response to a challenge faced by many small schools. While every school benefits from having its own SENDCo, those working in smaller settings can often encounter a limited range of SEND needs and experiences. The trust wanted to ensure expertise could be shared more effectively across all schools, giving staff access to a wider network of specialist knowledge and support.
As a result, three school SENDCos now provide dedicated support across the trust each week, working alongside experienced SEND practitioners and school leaders undertaking specialist SEND qualifications. This collaborative structure allows expertise to travel between schools, reducing professional isolation and ensuring children benefit from the very best practice, regardless of which school they attend.
The trust has also developed a comprehensive package of support for schools, including SEND audits, specialist toolkits, shared guidance, professional development programmes and regular SEND forums. This ensures staff feel confident supporting pupils with a wide range of needs and enables schools to provide consistent, high-quality provision.
The Pearson National Teaching Awards, founded by Lord Puttnam in 1998, celebrate excellence in education and recognise the individuals and teams making a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people across the country.
Tracey Cleverley, Trust Lead at the Learning Academy Partnership said:
"We are absolutely delighted that our SEND Team has been recognised nationally through the Pearson National Teaching Awards.
"This recognition reflects the expertise and unwavering commitment of colleagues across our trust who work every day to ensure that children with SEND receive the support they need to thrive. What makes this approach so powerful is that it is built on collaboration. Rather than expertise sitting within individual schools, it is shared across our entire family of schools, ensuring every child benefits from high-quality, inclusive practice.
"We are incredibly proud of the difference this work is making, not only in attendance and outcomes, but in helping children feel understood, valued and able to flourish."
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