The short answer is yes, yes, yes!  Not only is practical science possible  for SEN learners — it’s completely necessary  if you want to engage any student in science. Most students with special educational needs are visual or kinaesthetic learners. They learn best by doing . If a practical can be done in a mainstream classroom, it can absolutely be adapted for an SEN one. When I first introduced mainstream-style practicals into SEN classes, I got a few raised eyebrows. There

When I was at school, science was always my favourite subject. It just made sense to me. I was curious about how things worked and always wanted to dig deeper. That love of discovery led me to study Medicinal Chemistry at UCL, where I graduated in 2002. I started out in the drug development industry — which, at the time, seemed like the natural next step. But after a while, I realised it wasn’t what I’d imagined. The work was repetitive, progress was slow, and the spark just

Hi, I’m Karen — a specialist science teacher who’s been lucky enough to spend over twelve years working in a SEN school. I absolutely love what I do. There’s nothing better than seeing that spark of curiosity when a student realises that science is  for them after all. Over the years, I’ve taught students with a wide range of learning needs, and I’ve learned that traditional approaches don’t always fit. That’s why I focus on making science practical, hands-on and full of real