An Interview with Darleen Grimsby

Darleen Grimsby – MEd SEND and Inclusion | NASENCO

Darleen Grimsby is currently Deputy Head of a complex special needs school in Norfolk. Recently she has been promoted to a SENCO position with responsibilities across the entire Trust, something she believes her master’s degree played a pivotal role in helping her achieve.

We caught up with her to see how her students (and her career) have benefited from the Masters in SEND programme.

How has your setting benefitted from your new skills and knowledge?

I would say the biggest impact was the reading model that I created and rolled out during my course of study which was one of my assignments on the Dyslexia Leadership and Intervention course. As a direct result of that piece of work, we now have 90% of pupils who are able to access some sort of reading and most of them can be assessed as well. When you consider that this includes children with profound and multiple learning difficulties or complex physical disabilities this is particularly significant for them and for how we support them in our school.

When OFSTED last came to inspect us they were very complimentary and commented that everything that had been done was very well researched. This is all down to my master’s study. I’ve also helped bring other members of my team along with me. It’s not just me building my career,, but it’s supporting those around me to be the best that they can be as well.

My research project focused on supporting the emotional regulation of non-verbal children with autism. It’s not only helped me better understand the importance of a holistic approach – but Norfolk County Council are treating it as a pilot study and are now rolling it out on a much larger scale. When we get the results it will feedback into our plan next term and will hopefully help other schools and parents in the county. 

What did you enjoy most about studying for your master’s?

The master’s programme helped me become a specialist in my field and as a professional carve out what it is that I want to do. It has allowed me to gain the necessary breadth of understanding about special educational needs (and keep my fingers in lots of pies!), while also doing closer study on reading and providing mental health support for non-verbal autistic children. 

It’s also given me the encouragement to go and do what I want to do and investigate what I am truly passionate about.  

How do you think studying for your master’s has helped with your own personal development?

A lot of what I’ve done here at my current setting has been influenced by what I’ve done through my masters with Real Training. I’ve done a lot of research as part of my study programme and put new things in place and I think that definitely contributed towards my career progression. 

In recent job interviews when people have asked me what type of leader I see myself as, because I’ve done my SENCO training and had time to reflect, I’m pretty clear on that.

The masters has also opened so many doors for me on a personal level. My reading model was used as a case study in published in a book by Dr. Sarah Mosley, I’ve just written an article for a magazine and I’ve been asked to put forward a book proposal.  

What did you select for your enquiry-based research project?

I chose to focus on mental health support for non-speaking autistic individuals aged between four and 16 years old. It’s something I’m very passionate about and we’re also seeing a huge rise in the number of children coming into our setting who are non-speaking. Managing their anxiety can be quite a challenge.

I found that access to a well-known adult and a feeling of trust was an essential component for emotional self-regulation. Getting this in place meant that the child felt that their communication needs were being addressed (sometimes even through non-verbal communication such as glances) and their broader needs would also then be met. This helped to reduce anxiety, as well as further re-enforcing that trusting relationship.

There were lots of strategies that both parents and professionals reported to be effective but the presence of a familiar/ known and predictable adult who honored and followed through with what they communicated was a common thread in a holistic approach.

[You can read more about Darleen’s project here]

What are the top three things you have implemented since or during your study? 

• Launched a new reading model that 90% of children can access
• Implemented strategies to help reduce anxiety in autistic children and promote communication-rich environments including using graded core boards
• Started work to introduce guidance to help children access self-regulation techniques – we’re calling it the ‘pre-zones of regulation’ and I’m working closely with our behavioural specialist

How did you find our online learning experience and tutor support?

Online learning for me really worked because I could pick it up whenever and there was no pressure, which really helped. There wasn’t the need to attend classes. Everything being online gave me the freedom to juggle work and childcare, so that completely worked for me.

I found that as I went along I got even more comfortable finding my way around and interacting with peers. The tutors were always there and it was always a really good experience – they answered things straight away.

Would you recommend this programme to others?

Yes! If you are passionate and have that drive then I think it is an amazing platform. This is really cheesy and I can’t believe I’m saying it, but it’s like the world becomes your oyster. 

Learning with Real Training has had such a huge impact because it’s opened up so many doors for me that I really didn’t think would be there. I’ve also been able to bring other staff along with me – that’s really important.