SEN Opportunities
supporting innovation and access to quality provision
ABOUT US
VISION & MISSION
Our vision is that young people with special educational needs and disabilities receive quality provision and opportunities to maximise their ability and achieve their potential.
Our mission is to promote and facilitate access to the best possible educational, vocational and therapeutic provision for young people with additional needs, regardless of their means.
We achieve this by providing sustainable support and working with educational establishments and organisations to:
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develop innovative provision that improves outcomes for young people
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facilitate choice and fair access to appropriate specialist provision for families.
TRUSTEES
Trustees are unpaid. They are aware that many youngsters do not receive the provision or support they require due to funding issues or lack of parental awareness of organisations that can help.
SEN Opportunities would like more young people with special needs
to have the opportunity to achieve their potential.
Mary Briggs
Chair and Founding Trustee
Mary has pursued a varied career, predominantly in education. Following a degree in English and Education at Cambridge University she has taught a variety of subjects and age groups in state, independent and international schools. She ran her own successful children's book business and worked for a leading book publishing company, managing the promotions of authors Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson.
Mary's recent roles have focussed on social enterprises. She facilitates vision and strategy, been chair of trustees of a non-maintained residential special school and governor of a state special school, and director of a cafe providing employment to people with learning disability.
She has three children, one of whom has an unusually 'spiky' SEN profile as he has moderate learning disability but is non-verbal with very severe speech and language needs. He has benefited from specialist learning environments providing expertise and opportunities to help him overcome his significant barriers to learning. On two occasions securing appropriate provision has involved successful educational tribunals against the local authority.
Mary has a passion for maximising the potential and ability of youngsters with special needs by providing fair access to appropriate provision.
Roger Legate OBE Trustee
Richard Norman
Trustee
Richard has been involved in special needs education since 1982. For sixteen years he was Headteacher of Grafham Grange, a residential special school for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health issues. He was part of the management team that managed the transfer of Grafham Grange from maintained status into the non-maintained sector in 1992, the first school to do so in England.
Richard left to join West Sussex Learning Service as a special needs advisor and became Principal Adviser for Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. He was responsible for managing the preparations for implementation of the children and families act in 2014 in West Sussex.
Since retiring from public service he has been involved in providing consultancy services to local authorities and schools. A period as chair of governors and trustee at an independent special school capped a career in special education that has seen all sides of the challenges facing families, local authorities and schools.
Experiencing the practical challenges of running a non-maintained special school and being directly involved in developing and delivering SEND strategy at county level has provided him with a unique perspective of special educational provision. That breath of experience and expertise will be valuable as a trustee of SEN Opportunities in helping the charity realise its ambitions.
Roger has had a distinguished career working in special needs education. He was Headteacher of a number of special schools, including the role of Principal at Linden Lodge School in Wandsworth. He has many years experience working with children with SEND, families professionals, Local Authorities and charities. Since retiring as Principal he has spent many years as a SEN consultant and trustee.
Linden Lodge School is a specialist school for children with visual impairments and profound and multiple learning difficulties. During him time as Principal the school opened a £2 million family centre and provided extensive outreach services to children and other organisations. Roger received an OBE for his outstanding service to special education.
Nicholas Briggs
Founder and Trustee
Nick is a graduate engineer and PWC trained chartered accountant whose experience includes working as Chief Financial Officer, Board Director and Finance Director for a range of companies predominantly in energy, engineering and product development industries.
He has extensive experience of strategic, financial, legal and commercial operations in companies based in the UK and abroad. He currently works as Finance Director for two companies focusing on renewable energy. He has supported a variety of charities as Director and Trustee, including United Purpose, an international development charity.
Having a son with special needs has provided Nick with first-hand experience of both the challenges and potential for success for children and young adults with disability.
SEN Opportunities
Charity Number 1174327
Registered Address: Summers Morgan, Sheraton House,
Chorleywood, Herts, WD3 5LH