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The annual Tes SEND Show is a vibrant celebration of innovation and inclusion in special educational needs.

It’s a great opportunity for our team to explore some of the latest in assistive technology.

It’s also a chance to chat to visitors about the CENMAC service and how we support children and young people experiencing barriers to learning.

We loved our new CENMAC stand backdrop with drawings by the fantastic graphic facilitator Dr Pen Mendonca.

David Howard (Advisory Teacher)

I had a fantastic time at the Tes SEND show. It was energising to meet so many passionate and dedicated professionals, all committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs.

The interest in our CENMAC service was excellent, especially from Local Authority staff from Hertfordshire, Hampshire, and Surrey. Such enthusiasm is encouraging in light of the DfE assistive technology loan library pilot, encouraging Local Authorities to purchase and loan assistive technology for children with SEND in their boroughs. With CENMAC providing the guidance on this scheme it is great to hear that LAs are getting up and running.

Wayground Curriculum

One of the standout moments for me was discovering the curriculum offer from Wayground. Their approach to fully personalised curriculum adaptation for classroom resources is genuinely impressive.

As someone who once managed curriculum development for the National Autistic Society, I could immediately see how their solution would have been a game-changer—particularly in mixed-ability settings where personalisation is key.

Mountains of sweets

If I had to pick a challenge from the day, it would be resisting the mountain of sweets and chocolate on offer… but I managed to stay strong!

All in all, a truly inspiring day filled with great conversations, innovative ideas, and a shared commitment to making a difference.

  

Advisory Teachers Carys, Wayne, Victoria, David, Ana and Maureen on the CENMAC Stand

We loved our new stand backdrop featuring illustrations by graphic facilitator Dr Pen Mendonca

Maureen De Longhi (Advisory Teacher)

I always enjoy my annual visit to the Tes SEND show and it’s a pleasure to meet so many people striving to improve the lives of all children and young people.

My standout moments of the show were:

AQA Unit Awards

I had a great conversation with the team at AQA and discovered their Unit Award Scheme. It looks like a promising tool for Teaching Assistant training and professional development. I’m keen to explore how it could be integrated into our support strategies.

Stix Mindfulness

The CENMAC team has had good initial success using Stix with a number of the children and young people we support who experience high levels of anxiety. I had a lengthy conversation with the team at Stix Mindfulness discussing how their tools can best be integrated in secondary school settings for students with ADHD and autism. They demonstrated how their tools can be used without an iPad or Wi-Fi connection—a real game changer for secondary schools where tech access can be limited. The potential for promoting calm and focus for students in mainstream secondary settings could be transformative and I intend to look into this further.

Safespaces

I was also really interested to see Safespaces. They design and supply safe rooms for individuals with complex needs. I can see how they would be very useful in special schools or mainstream primary classrooms to provide spaces for children to regulate and take time out while still being in the classroom.

Rentadinosaur

The absolute highlight for me was Rentadinosaur. Their incredible puppets and costumes are used in specialised SEND events across the country. It’s a brilliant way to engage students through sensory, imaginative experiences. Who doesn’t want to make friends with a dinosaur?

Wayne McCullough-Dee (Advisory Teacher) 

There was so much to see at Tes SEND, but here is my stand-out: 

Connect Design 

With over 35 years of experience in accessibility, Connect Design brought a powerful message to the event: that every learner deserves access to educational materials tailored to their needs.  

Their stand showcased a range of accessible formats—Braille, Large Print, Audio, and Easy Read—designed to support individuals with print impairments, including those with dyslexia, low vision, and learning difficulties. What truly impressed me was Connect’s commitment to collaboration.  

Their work with awarding bodies, local authorities, and healthcare trusts reflects a deep understanding of the systemic barriers faced by learners and educators alike.  

Connect’s training resources were another highlight, offering clear, engaging guidance for professionals seeking to improve their inclusive practices.  

Advisory Teacher Maureen making friends with a dinosaur

Advisory Teacher Maureen with two towering dinosaurs from Rentadinosaur

Victoria Annan (Advisory Teacher)

AAC Social Groups 

I had an inspiring couple of days at the Tes SEND Show filled with meeting lots of exciting exhibitors and exploring a wide range of innovative assistive technology. A highlight was meeting Adam Benee, the co-founder of ChattyBoxx, who runs amazing AAC social groups for children and young people who are non-speaking and use technology to communicate — their fun sessions, led by a qualified speech and language therapist, are definitely worth checking out on Instagram @chattyboxx.  

Fun with Cosmo Switches 

We also had great interest in the Cosmo Switches at the CENMAC stand, with visitors enjoying the interactive iPad games. These educational activities are designed to support learners with SEND by developing communication, attention, and turn-taking skills in an engaging and inclusive way. My 22-month-old daughter even came along on the Saturday and had so much fun exploring and playing with the Cosmo switches herself! 

Joe Herbert (Specialist TA – AAC, and Trainee SaLT)

Gamifying Literacy

A highlight of the Tes SEND show would be getting to see Neuralign in action and learning about how the gamified literacy program targets areas such as sequential memory, visual closure and working memory.

Neuralign is comprised of five difficulty levels, with nine game ‘styles’ accessible in places of learning and in home settings. It was useful to learn about Neuralign’s evidence basis and ongoing approach for interventions designed for young people with dyslexia, as well as how the multi-sensory design can be used within learning/rehabilitative programs for adults.

 

Overall, we really enjoyed the Tes SEND show. We hope those of you who attended enjoyed it too and managed to make the most of everything there was to experience.

Head of CENMAC Kathryn playing a Cosmo Switches game with little Sofia