SEND in the Experts with Georgina Durrant: Understanding Sensory Processing with OT Beth Smithson

In this episode of SEND in the Experts podcast, host Georgina Durrant, former teacher and SENDCO, welcomes Beth Smithson, a highly experienced Occupational Therapist and Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner. Together, they explore how sensory processing differences affect children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and how educators, parents, and therapists can better support them.

Beth shares insights from over 20 years of clinical practice across health, education, and social care, including her current role at Sensory Integration Education. Topics covered include:

 * What is sensory integration and why does it matter?
 * Recognising signs of sensory processing differences in children
 * How sensory challenges impact learning, behaviour, and social interaction
 * Effective strategies and interventions for supporting sensory needs
 * The role of Occupational Therapists in SEND support
 * Creating sensory-friendly environments at home and in school
 * Common myths and misconceptions about sensory processing
 * Advice for parents, carers, and educators
 * The future of sensory integration research and inclusive education

Whether you're a teacher, parent, SENDCO, or therapist, this episode offers practical guidance and expert knowledge to help you create more inclusive, sensory-aware spaces for all learners.

Brought to you by Twinkl. Listen now to empower your practice and deepen your understanding of sensory integration. Visit the Twinkl Inclusion Hub [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/wwwfx] here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/wwwfx for SEND, OT, SaLT resources and more!

Useful resources:

Identifying Sensory Needs: Understanding, Recognising and Managing Alertness Levels : https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/ku1zv

Sensory circuit flashcards https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/wn7a0 

Links mentioned in the episode:

www.sensoryintegrationeducation.com [https://www.sensoryintegrationeducation.com/] 

www.sensoryhelpnow.org [https://helpnow.sensoryintegrationeducation.com/]

www.sensoryinclusiveschools.org [https://www.sensoryinclusiveschools.org/] 

Understanding Sensory Processing - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Beth Smithson

In this episode of SEND in the Experts, Twink's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Podcast, host Georgina Durrant (Twinkl’s National Inclusion Lead, published author, and former teacher/SENDCO) welcomes trailblazer Kate Griggs, CEO and founder of Made by Dyslexia.

Kate brings her trademark energy and vision to the conversation, advocating passionately for recognising and championing Dyslexic Thinking in education and beyond. She shares her personal journey with dyslexia, from early struggles to thriving once her strengths were acknowledged, and opens up about her drive to create a world where dyslexic learners are empowered to shine.

The episode dives into key themes from her children's book Xtraordinary People, which helps children identify their unique Dyslexic Thinking skills. With heartfelt advice for parents and educators, Kate stresses the importance of spotting strengths early, nurturing resilience, and fostering self-esteem in dyslexic learners.

Listeners will also discover how Made by Dyslexia is leading the charge in transforming classrooms into inclusive spaces. From celebrity stories to practical tips, this episode is a celebration of dyslexia and neurodiversity more widely, and a call to action to rethink how we define success in education.



Parents Guide to Dyslexia: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/x9xri

Dyslexia intervention: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/yeyjr

Powerpoint 'My Friend has Dyslexia' information: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/14p0v5





Dyslexic Thinking - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Kate Griggs CEO and Founder of Made by Dyslexia

SEND in the Experts with Georgina Durrant – Featuring Lisa Henshall on Inclusive Resource Provisions

In this insightful episode of SEND in the Experts, host Georgina Durrant, Twinkl's National Inclusion Lead, published author & former teacher/ SENDCO, welcomes the passionate and experienced Lisa Henshall to the podcast. Brought to you by Twinkl, this SEND podcast series is dedicated to supporting educators, parents, and professionals working with children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Whether you're on your daily commute or enjoying a quiet moment with a cup of tea, this episode offers valuable guidance and inspiration.

Lisa Henshall shares her journey and deep-rooted passion for inclusive education, offering a wealth of knowledge on how to better support learners with SEND. The conversation dives into the government's push for greater inclusivity in mainstream schools and explores the growing role of resource provisions, specialist units within mainstream settings designed to meet the needs of some learner with SEND. Lisa explains what resource provisions are, how they function, and how and why they are a vital part of inclusive education.

Listeners will also gain practical insights into how to ensure these provisions foster true inclusion, not just for the learners who access them, but for the entire school community. Lisa highlights the importance of collaboration, training, and thoughtful planning in creating inclusive environments that benefit all students.

Plus, Lisa discusses her recent collaboration with Twinkl alongside colleagues Louise Lawrence and Sarah Camacho. Together, they developed a powerful new resource packed with top tips for setting up a successful resource provision which can be found here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/cxiob



This episode is a must-listen for school leaders, SENDCOs, and educators looking to make meaningful change.

Setting up Inclusive Resource Provisions & SEN units - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Lisa Henshall

In this episode of Twinkl's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) podcast, SEND in the Experts with Georgina Durrant, Georgina chats to Gary Aubin all about supporting children with SEND with transitions. Whether that be moving from primary to secondary school or from one year group to another.

 * Twinkl Symbols - My New School Transition Booklet https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/9cvge
 * SEND Transitions- Top Tips for Moving to a new class
 * https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/7lcjw
 * Top Tips for Supporting children moving to secondary school:
 * https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/ue2gy



Supporting children with SEND with transitions (moving from Primary School to Secondary) - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Gary Aubin

In this podcast episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) podcast, Georgina Durrant and Lynn How explore the realities of being a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO). Lynn shares her passion for supporting children and young people with SEND, offering insights into the rewards and challenges of the role. She discusses the highlights of being a SENDCO, the pressures they face, and the ways they navigate their responsibilities, including the graduated approach (https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/nckeg) and the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process. Lynn provides guidance on the EHCP process (more information can be found here [https://twinklpd.com/course/ehc]

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/15qn9c ) The episode also delves into the importance of collaboration with teachers, senior leadership teams (SLT), and parents, as well as practical advice on managing wellbeing in a demanding profession. A must-listen for educators and anyone invested in inclusive education.



EHCP Course: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/15qn9c



Information on the Graduated Approach: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/nckeg



Lynn's links [https://positiveyoungmind.com/]: https://positiveyoungmind.com/

SENDCOs and EHCPs- Georgina Durrant in Conversation with Lynn How

This podcast episode from our Twinkl SEND podcast "SEND in the Experts" hosted by Georgina Durrant, focuses on supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Georgina is joined by Joe Faultley, an autistic and neurodivergent advocate with dyspraxia and anxiety, who works at the Council for Disabled Children and is an active member of the SEND and education community. Joe shares his personal experiences, insights on autism advocacy, and advice for improving education for autistic students, emphasising the importance of supporting children and young people with sensory processing differences, communication needs, and anxiety. He highlights his work in promoting awareness, acceptance, and understanding of neurodiversity through media and delivering training. This episode offers practical tips for educators to better support SEND learners, in particular autistic learners.

Find out more about using Twinkl Symbols to support children and young people with communication here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/ypt3j

or download the free Twinkl Symbols AAC app: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1asrsn

Find out more about supporting autistic children and young people here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/140sia

Autism, sensory processing differences and anxiety - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Joe  Fautley

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disability podcast, Georgina Durrant chats to Colin Foley from the ADHD foundation. They discuss what ADHD is and how ADHD can present. Colin shares advice on supporting children and young people with ADHD and they also dispel myths surrounding ADHD. They also discuss the impact that puberty can have on ADHD symptoms.

ADHD foundation's website: https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/

ADHD resources:

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/krero



ADHD - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Colin Foley

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) podcast, Georgina Durrant chats to the CEO of nasen. They discuss her career, her passion for supporting children and young people with SEND and her vision for the future of SEND education in the UK. They also discuss the nasen awards, nasen Live and the nasen assured status that Twinkl Symbols received.

nasen assured Twinkl Symbols: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/symbols Twinkl Symbols is a collection of visual symbols designed to support communication for individuals with speech and language difficulties or special educational needs (SEND), allowing them to express themselves through pictures and visual representations, often used in the form of communication boards or books created through the Twinkl Symbols app or web tool; essentially, it's a system to aid communication through visual imagery. 



SEND Small Steps resources - created for learners who need clear, structured lessons in maths that are simple and don't cause visual stress.: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1ia65m



nasen website https://nasen.org.uk/

Education System not a SEND System - Georgina Durrant is joined by Annamarie Hassal CEO of nasen

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Podcast, Georgina Durrant was delighted to be joined by Dr Gavin Morgan, chair of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology at the British Psychological Society.

Georgina and Gavin discuss a whole range of topics, including:

 * The role of an Educational Psychologist (EP) and when teachers might need them.
 * When EPs are needed for EHC needs assessments
 * The impact of a shortage of EPs
 * Workload of EPs
 * How schools can work effectively with EPs.

Find all of Twinkl's inclusion resources here [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1a5ag2]: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1a5ag2

 * Find out how to apply for EHC needs assessment as a SENDCO here : https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/15d5ze
 * Learn and understand what is involved in the EHC Plan review process here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/xchp3
 * Learn more about the role of an educational psychologist here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1c4mxi



Educational Psychologists - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Dr Gavin Morgan from the BPS

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Podcast, Georgina Durrant is joined by Jo, the CEO of the Down Syndrome Charity Learn and Thrive. Jo is Mum to a teenager with Down's syndrome. Much of the inspiration for the Learn and Thrive charity's projects come from her real-life experience of supporting a wide range of young people with Down's syndrome through her work in the charity and education sectors. The charity provides free online educational resources for the SEN community through two projects: Teach Me Too for early years (find out more here  https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/ppb1s ) and Learning for Life [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/zojn1] (find out more here [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/zojn1] https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/zojn1) for young people (find out more here)

Georgina and Jo discuss what Down's Syndrome is and the common misconceptions. They also discuss Learn and Thrive's resources and the importance of teaching RSE to all children. Jo provides fantastic advice on how to talk about puberty and relationships with children and young people with Down's Syndrome and other SEND. Listen to our previous episode on Down's Syndrom here https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/rvi19 [https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/rvi19]

RSE for Pupils with SEND - Georgina Durrant in conversation with Johanna Aiyathurai

This podcast hosted by Georgina Durrant is all about teaching and supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We aim to share the amazing things that our guests are doing to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEND).

*This Podcast is proudly brought to you by the SEND team at Twinkl. Please bear in mind, the views and opinions expressed are those of individuals, and may not represent those of Twinkl.

Georgina Durrant

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