🧑🎨 The Unsung Artists of Education
There’s a certain type of hero in every school.
Not the caped kind. Not even the “I’ve got a stapler that actually works” kind.
I’m talking about the SENDCO.
You know — the person who somehow juggles inclusion plans, legal paperwork, staff training, broken printers, and seventeen half-written emails that all begin, “Apologies for the delay in response…”
SENDCOs are the creative geniuses of education.
Except, instead of being allowed to paint or perform, they spend most of their time signing forms that prove they once considered painting or performing.
Honestly, it’s like asking Banksy to fill out a risk assessment for the wall.
Or expecting Ed Sheeran to spend all day signing merch instead of writing songs.
That’s the reality for so many SENDCOs right now — mountains of paperwork, minimal time with the children they’re championing, and yet they still show up with humour, heart, and a questionable relationship with caffeine.
🎧 Enter Ginny Bootman
This week on the Make it Make SENDs podcast, I sat down with Ginny Bootman — SENDCO, former headteacher, author, and full-time advocate for empathy and relationships in education.
Ginny doesn’t just talk about inclusion — she lives it. She’s got this incredible knack for cutting through the admin fog and reminding us what SEND is really about: people.
In our conversation, we talked about:
- The art of empathy in leadership
- Time management (and the myth of “free periods”)
- Staying human in a job that often feels superhuman
…and of course, we laughed. A lot.
▶️ Listen to the Episode
🎙️ Episode: Follow the Empathy Road – Educating for Inclusion with Ginny Bootman
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
🖋️ To Every SENDCO Out There…
Next time you’re elbow-deep in an EHCP and wondering if this is what you signed up for, remember:
you are the artist.
It’s just that your canvas happens to be a very large pile of paperwork.
Keep fighting the good fight — one referral form, one phone call, one perfectly laminated visual timetable at a time.
🙌 Thank You, Ginny
Check out Ginny’s work:
- Book: Independent Thinking on Being a SENDCO by Ginny Bootman (113 tips for building relationships, saving time and changing lives) – crownhouse.co.uk+1
- Ginny’s Talks & Podcast appearances – find them at her website and listen to her podcast “Follow the Empathy Road” Ginny Bootman | Follow the Empathy Road.+1
- https://thesendcast.com/category/episodes/ginny-bootman/
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