Did you know that children with Down syndrome have a different learning profile?

Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day this Saturday, Sarah Holton from Down syndrome UK, joins Dale to tell us how we can 'support children with Down syndrome to reach their full potential'. Sarah is a specialist advisory teacher and parent to two children, one of whom has Down syndrome. She shares practical, research‑informed strategies to help children with Down syndrome thrive.

Why listen?

• Understand the Down syndrome learning profile (strengths like visual learning; challenges like hearing, visual acuity, and verbal short‑term memory).
• Get classroom‑ready tips: use visuals, scaffold carpet time, teach play skills, and adapt materials for better inclusion.
• Discover the support available.

"It's really important that we make sure that we are finding ways for our children with Down syndrome to show what they know."

Sarah Holton

View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop!

Sarah is our Specialist Advisory Teacher and leads our Early Years Development Programme. Sarah has worked with DSUK for many years developing our PEGS programme, delivering regular behaviour bootcamps and Information Sharing Sessions on topics including early reading, numbers and choosing a preschool. More recently she has been involved in the development and delivery of our Early Years Development Programme. She is a mum to two children, one of whom has Down syndrome.

https://downsyndromeuk.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/PositiveaboutDownSyndrome/

https://www.instagram.com/positive_about_down_syndrome/

Education@downsyndrome.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/company/down-syndrome-uk/

https://www.youtube.com/@positiveaboutdownsyndrome

Early Years Development Programme

Primary Development Programme

• B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk
• Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast
• Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk
• Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

This is a special episode focusing on the new White Paper and the SEND reforms consultation.

Last week, I published my response and reflections — not just on the White Paper and the consultation itself, but also on what they mean in the wider context of the current SEND system, the Curriculum and Assessment Review, and the new Ofsted Inspection Framework.

It turned into quite a big document… about 35 pages in total. There's a lot in there to digest, and a few people asked whether there might be an audio version.

So here we are.

In this episode, it's just me, reading through my response and sharing my thoughts. Hopefully it will help you reflect on how we got here, some of the challenges in the current system, what isn't mentioned in the White Paper and reforms, and where things might go next.

And of course, I'll also touch on what this means for B Squared and the work we're doing.

I am always open to conversations, so feel free to get in contact with your thoughts.

Here are the timings for the different sections:

Section  Start  
1 0:01:29
2   0:05:09  
3   0:09:15  
4   0:47:31  
5   1:02:41  
6   1:13:21  
7   1:22:53 
8   1:32:09

Useful links...

• B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk
• Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast
• Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk
• Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
• Fixing a Broken System document - https://bsquared.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Fixing-a-Broken-System-1.pdf
• SENDcast Session FREE Briefing on the White paper and SEND Reforms - https://thesendcast.com/product/whats-in-the-schools-white-paper-for-send/

We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.