EfL Schools White Paper Virtual Meeting – Recording, reflections and next steps

The panelists

The panels included colleagues who have been working directly with ministers and the Department for Education to help shape and influence the paper and the reforms that follow:

Benedict Coffin (DfE, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, National System Division)

Benedict has over two decades’ experience working in the Department for Education.  He was part of the team which brought the Children and Families Act into law and has worked on SEND policy since.  A key part of his current role is to engage closely with specialist providers, both to hear and understand the sector’s concerns and to champion their interests within the Department.

Margaret Mulholland (ASCL, SEND and Inclusion Specialist)

Margaret Mulholland is the Inclusion Policy Specialist for ASCL and has worked as a teacher and leader across mainstream and special settings. Margaret is an Honorary Norham Fellow at the Department of Education, University of Oxford and is a columnist for TES. She sits on the SEN Advisory Board for Challenge Partners and Whole Education. Margaret works with schools & trusts across England to support inclusive school improvement.

James Waller (Sunningdale School, Headteacher and EQUALS, Chair)

James is the Headteacher of Sunningdale School, Sunningdale Early Years Centre, and Director of the SENhub in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. He contributes to several national bodies shaping specialist education, including the Department for Education’s (DfE) Expert Advisory Group (EAG) for Early Years SEND, the National SEND Forum, and the Council for Disabled Children’s (CDC) Early Years SEND Partnership Advisory Group. He is the Parliamentary Co‑Chair of the CDC’s Special Education Consortium (SEC) and also serves on the DfE’s Schools and Academies Funding Group (SAFG). In addition, James is the Chair and a trustee of Equals, a national non‑profit supporting learners with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties, and a trustee of the Federation of Leaders in Special Education (FLSE) 

Simon Knight (Frank Wise School, Joint Headteacher and DfE SEND & Inclusion EAG)

Simon has sat on numerous DfE groups developing policy and guidance documents, including the recent SEND inclusion in education expert group, and is currently representing SEND on the Teaching School Hubs Council. He has also supported the writing of the NPQ Behaviour and Culture, NPQ SENCO and DfE guidance on Initial Teacher Training: Special Schools and Alternative Provision. He regularly contributes comment and content to a range of publications and events on the theme of SEND and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Education by Brookes University for his work in SEND.

Katherine Walsh (River Learning Trust, Director of Inclusion and CST, SEND Community Chair)

Katherine is the Director of Inclusion at RLT. She is an experienced teacher and school leader in both primary and secondary settings in the UK & America. Over the past 10 years Katherine has developed a particular expertise working with leadership teams to develop school wide systems, establishing shared and inclusive visions for young people with SEND. Katherine is the lead author on the DfE commissioned  Whole School SEND Teacher Handbook and is the chair of CST’s SEND & Inclusion community.

Cheryl Gaughan (James Montgomery Academy Trust, Strategic Lead for SEND and Inclusion and EQUALS, Vice Chair)

Cheryl is the Strategic Lead of SEND and Inclusion across 20 schools for the James Montgomery Academy Trust. All of the schools are primary mainstream, 2 have Local Authority integrated resources- 1 for Autism and the other C&I. She is the DfE local lead for the Engagement Model and works with 2 teaching school hubs to develop the SEND content for ECTs and mentors, NPQSEN materials and facilitates on both of these. Cheryl is a member of the NNSP, vice-chair of EQUALs and I sits on the advisory board for Evidence for Learning.

Cathryn Falconer (Danecourt School and Maritime Academy Trust, Headteacher)

With over 20 years’ experience in special education, Cathryn Falconer is the SEND and Inclusion Lead for the Maritime Academy Trust and Headteacher of Danecourt Special School in Medway. Beginning in specialist settings, she developed extensive expertise supporting children with complex learning, communication and physical needs, shaping a leadership approach that combines high expectations with compassion and a strong focus on removing barriers to learning. Through her Trust-wide role, Cathryn works with mainstream colleagues to strengthen SEND provision and embed inclusive, evidence-informed practice across schools, bringing a practical leadership perspective on how inclusive practice can inform policy and drive meaningful system change. 

Matt Rooney (St Giles School, Executive Principal)

Matt is Executive Principal at St Giles School, Retford, and a passionate advocate for innovative, inclusive education. He champions practice that adapts to learners rather than labels, driven by the belief that inclusion is not a placement but a promise, and that with the right support, at the right time and in the right place, no dream is out of reach for every child and young person.

Panel Chair: Alistair Crawford (The Eden Academy Trust, NNSP, Whole School SEND and EQUALS, Trustee)