“Inclusive education is a national priority—and a shared responsibility.” says Tom Rees, Chair of the DfE’s Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion.

We agree!

We’ve submitted the following to the enquiry, and have offered our support to engage further happy to share all we’ve learnt from our personal experiences:

Social change is imperative if we are to create a fairer, more compassionate welcoming world where every person experiences the joy of feeling valued and wanted as an equal member of the human race.

I write from a unique perspective to contribute to the SEND enquiry.  Like almost all born with additional needs, my daughter Jen was written off at birth, considered a waste of space and deemed to have no future.  Today, aged 43, Jen is living life to the full and proudly introduces herself as Dr Jen, BEM having received an honorary doctorate bestowed on her by the University of Salford in July 2024.

Jen is testimony to the benefits of an inclusive life including inclusive education in mainstream schools, she revels in being the recipient of multiple awards, her (unintentional) status as a role model, and being in demand.  Jen is a dancer who happens to have moderate/severe learning disabilities.

I have recently had the real privilege of meeting and am now working alongside Dr Lace Jackson who also has a daughter born with Down’s syndrome.  Together we request an opportunity to share our practical tangible experiences of mainstream education where we’ve each brokered opportunities and worked alongside receptive schools to fathom innovative solutions to challenges.

Dr (h.c.) Jen Blackwell BEM

Jen left mainstream school with mainstream aspirations.  She wanted to spread her passion for dance across the world.

After 10 years of fruitless searching for appropriate training DanceSyndrome was set up out of pure frustration when Jen was 28.  A charity since 2013, DanceSyndrome is going from strength to strength meeting the needs of hundreds directly, connecting with them where they are at socially and developmentally, and impacting thousands indirectly every year.  Since 2009 Jen has been a director of DanceSyndrome and is immensely proud of ‘her’ charity.

Jen is regularly invited to be a speaker at conferences and to attend prestigious VIP events such as functions at the House of Lords. Jen thrives on being in demand, representing her charity, herself, and contributing to flying the flag for almost 2% of the population – over 1.5million people with learning disabilities in the UK.

Future model of SEND provision.

Rather than being seen as a burden, a problem, a basket of needs, any SEND student can be an asset when embraced, enabled and empowered in an appropriate way.  SEND students bring unique talents and opportunities to all, and matter just as much as every other person.  They have the ability to enrich society and communities and educate us all on what true inclusion means.

As unique individuals we all have our own learning pathways, some of which will always remain closed (like science to me or basic maths to Jen), but others can be opened through creative approaches accepting and meeting students where they are on their journey through life and learning, creating an arena where all experience the joy of becoming fulfilled when given appropriate support.  For example, aged 15 – 18 Jen thrived in her carefully curated science sessions in a mainstream high school and in English delivered 1:1 by a retired assistant headteacher outside school who saw nothing but opportunity to help Jen develop to her full potential.  A portfolio was developed, certificates achieved, and all involved reveled in the success of Jen’s creatively individualized curriculum where the community supported the local  school.

‘with the right support at the right time we can go further and further and further’ Jen Blackwell 2024 Jen Blackwell – inspiring inclusion and showing the art of the possible in keynote speech

Now aged 43 Jen’s passion knows no bounds.  With dance in her life and a willing audience to work with and share it with, she is opening the eyes of the world who have the ability to see, sharing the enormity of what can happen when you think differently and act differently, showing the art of the possible to anyone willing to see things differently.

What we’ve learned

DanceSyndrome is led by dancers with learning disabilities. It is built on a bedrock of inclusion and an ethos of equality of opportunity for those with and without disabilities, from the foundation of knowing that everybody matters.  Whether an event, decision, workshop, performance, training, or conference presentation, dancers with and without learning disabilities work together using a model of co-production.  Dance Leaders are the heart of the charity.  They are seen, heard, and valued and as multi-award winners (UK and international) are finding themselves increasingly in demand.

DanceSyndrome has developed multiple offerings of training, support and methodology applicable for all sectors of society, including education, health, social care and the third sector.

At this time, DanceSyndrome is actively developing its offering for children and young people to support more lives through the challenges faced when those with learning disabilities are not seen; invisible yet in full sight.  Each is a unique individual yearning to be heard.

As a family, we want our lived experience and that which we’ve learnt and developed through DanceSyndrome to spread hope and happiness further and wider so more lives are impacted and enriched, more children and young people are empowered, more families can look towards the future with hope, and more children leave school positively impacted and celebrating those with diverse needs they have learnt from and walked alongside.

We are keen to share what we’ve learnt so others can benefit too.