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North
The Regional SEND Leadership team in the North work to promote and celebrate the effective and exciting SEND practice across our region.
The North is a large geographic area with a huge amount of excellent practice and incredible SEN and SEND expertise already present and active within our schools and communities. Currently we are working to connect with and, where needed, develop professional networks to best support all schools in prioritising SEND within their practice.
We encourage people to connect with us by emailing us, joining the Whole School SEND Community of Practice, attending our regional events and join us in sharing good SEND practice locally and regionally.
Local authorities in this region
Cumbria, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, North Tyneside, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Redcar & Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton, Sunderland
Meet your Regional SEND Leads
Rachel Hargreaves
Rachel is the Executive Headteacher at Mowbray School (Bedale/Ripon). In her twenty-five years in education, Rachel has worked across the sector in special schools, a mainstream secondary school with resourced SEN provision and all age mainstream and specialist Multi Academy Trusts.
Rachel joined the Whole School SEND team in 2019. In her role as Regional Lead for the North, Rachel has delivered SEN Reviewer training across the region, supported the delivery of six Local Authority DfE Projects and has contributed to the updated ‘Preparing for Adulthood from the Earliest Years Review Guide’.
Rachel has an MSC in Leadership and Organisational Change and is an accredited Coach. Rachel is committed to improving the quality of provision for all children and young people with SEND and developing the professional practice of colleagues in all settings.
Regional Lead
Anna Mehta
Anna joined the Whole School SEND team in 2021 and has worked supporting young people with additional needs for the last 13 years. Anna has worked in both primary and secondary settings, led specialist provisions within mainstream schools and as a SENDCo. Anna was a contributor to the Teacher Handbook: SEND, Embedding Inclusive Practice and has been the lead for the North in running the Professional Development groups. Anna is dedicated to improving the support and inclusion of all young people and their families within the education sector. She is currently SENDCo at Fulford School in York.
Deputy Regional Lead
Sarah Watson
During her thirteen years in mainstream secondary education, Sarah has worked as Literacy Lead, Specialist Provision Lead (cognition and learning) and SENDCO. Sarah has Specialist Leader in Education status, an MA in Education and is a Specialist Assessor. Sarah has a particular interest in supporting children and young people with cognition and learning needs access an ambitious curriculum. Sarah also has experience with low incidence needs, leading two resourced provisions for children and young people with sensory impairments. Sarah is passionate about improving inclusion and access in mainstream settings and joined the Whole School SEND team in 2021. She is currently the Assistant Principal, SEND, at The King’s Academy in Middlesbrough.
