The SENAD Group has a portfolio of specialist schools and colleges in Derbyshire, the West Midlands and Wales. These offer academic and vocational programmes, therapy and expert care for young people between the ages of 5 and 19 years, with autism and a range of special educational and complex care needs.

Edward Mitchell, Assistant Head Teacher at the lower site of Alderwasley School, first encountered iASEND in January 2024 during a demonstration and recognised its potential to improve the analysis of pupil data and enhance parental engagement. Understanding the importance of incremental progress for their pupils, he was particularly interested in the platform’s ability to track small steps of progress effectively.

To ensure the tool met the needs of both the school and its students, Edward sought feedback from the teaching staff. After their meeting with Vicki Clayson, Education Consultant at iTRACK Education, he met with junior heads Ashley Newton and Annie Hugill to discuss their impressions of iASEND. They expressed enthusiasm for the tool, recognising its potential benefits for both staff and pupils.

Following the positive feedback from Ashley and Annie, the school initiated a trial of iASEND in April 2024. This trial period allowed staff to explore the platform’s features and assess its impact on data analysis and parental communication. Encouraged by the success of the trial, Alderwasley School decided to fully implement iASEND in July 2024. Annie says: “iASEND is really easy to use. The National Curriculum statements are broken down into small steps and we can already see that progress has been made. The children can see this progress and as a result their confidence and self-esteem has grown. This did not happen before as the statements were too broad and they never met all the criteria.”

The adoption of iASEND at Alderwasley School exemplifies a proactive approach to improving educational outcomes for pupils with autism and other diverse, complex needs. By prioritising data analysis and parental engagement, the school aims to effectively track and celebrate the small steps of progress for their students, ultimately enhancing the overall educational experience.