Creating the Weather: Bringing Sunshine to Every Child’s Day
Debbie Glover, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) at Benjamin Adlard Primary School, is a strong presence at the heart of the school’s inclusive ethos. She has been part of the Benjamin Adlard team for more than two decades, starting as a part-time teacher when her children were small, and growing with the school as it has transformed into a warm, welcoming environment where every child is known, respected, and celebrated.
As SENDCo, Debbie works with calm determination to ensure that every child gets the support they need to thrive, especially in a school where change is part of the rhythm of daily life. Benjamin Adlard serves a highly transient population, with many pupils arriving or moving on during the academic year.
“You can’t always plan for who will walk through the door,” Debbie says. “But you can make sure that whoever it is, they’re welcomed, understood, and quickly given the support they need to settle and feel safe.”
“What motivates me is that you get to see the difference,” she adds. “You see how much a child can flourish when something clicks into place - when they feel understood and when we make the right adaptations to support them in a way that helps them grow in confidence. It’s incredibly rewarding.”
That difference comes down to careful thought about the details. For example, if a child is struggling with sensory sensitivities or cognitive overload, then sensory breaks and circuits are built into their day, positioning in the class is carefully thought out; if a child uses visual or hearing aids then these are checked and set up at the beginning of each day.
Pupils who struggle with transitions might be given early warnings before a change in activity, or a quiet space to use when the classroom feels overwhelming. Sometimes, that space is the nurture room - a calm, reassuring environment that offers a temporary alternative to the classroom when a child needs time to regulate or reset. “We don’t see it as a step away from learning,” says Debbie. “It’s part of what enables learning by helping children find the calm and confidence they need to rejoin their class when they’re ready.”
She works closely with teachers to anticipate and remove barriers before they become obstacles, and with parents to make sure the school is tuned in to each child’s needs. “Parents know their children best,” she says. “When you take the time to really listen, they’ll often tell you exactly what that child needs to feel calm, confident and ready to learn.”
Debbie doesn’t draw attention to her role, but her colleagues and the families that she supports say she’s at the heart of a culture that makes inclusion feel natural. Every child who arrives, whether they’ve been at the school for a week or a year, is met with the same message: you belong here, just as you are.
In Debbie’s words…
At Benjamin Adlard, we talk about creating our own weather and I believe in that wholeheartedly. When children, parents, or colleagues walk through our doors, they feel the warmth. It’s a sunny school, not by chance, but by choice. That climate - that sense of belonging and safety - is crafted by every member of staff, every single day.
Over the years, I've come to believe that what matters most isn't the challenges a child presents with, it's how the adults around them choose to respond. We don’t look for someone to blame when something goes wrong - not the child, not the family and not external circumstances. We stop and ask - what can we do now? What’s within our control? That mindset shift, from blame to responsibility, makes a huge difference to how children experience school, especially those with additional needs.
I often say to colleagues ‘be a problem-solver’. That’s what our children need. We don’t write anyone off. We look again, try again, think again. Every child is telling us something, even if they can’t find the words and when I work with children who’ve had difficult experiences elsewhere, that’s the principle I hold on to. It’s never too late to build trust, connection, and the right support.
There’s a real sense of joy in the air here. That comes from people who love what they do and who care deeply about the children in front of them. I feel lucky to be part of a team like that - where we’re all pulling in the same direction, where inclusion isn’t a bolt-on but the very core of what we’re about.
Afterall, at its heart, inclusion is love in action. It’s high expectations, yes, but with compassion. It’s consistency, yes, but with flexibility. It’s about believing that every child can thrive, and then doing everything we can to make that belief a reality.
We create our own weather here at Benjamin Adlard, and we do it because every child deserves to walk into a school that feels like sunshine.
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Case Study - Benjamin Adlard Primary School, making inclusion fundamental to school life.