The SENDcast
Alternative Provision with Veena Virahsammy
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Episode notes
Alternative Provision (AP) can often look ‘fluffy’ from the outside, leading to misconceptions about its true purpose. To clarify and raise awareness, Veena Virahsammy joins me to give her insight on ‘Alternative Provision’. After her son faced exclusion from school, Veena established her own AP to support him and others in similar circumstances. In our conversation, she shares her experiences launching this initiative and emphasises the vital role that AP plays in education.
“All I was fighting for was for my son to have a full-time education”.
Veena Virahsammy
Over the past two years Veena’s Alternative Provision has grown and she now works with 30 children in 28 schools. Listen to this podcast to understand:
- The definition of Alternative Provision
- How it’s more than daycare
- The challenges and realities
- Collaboration with schools
- The importance of purposeful learning
Veena's insights shed light on the complexities surrounding alternative provision and the need for a collaborative approach to better support students. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of understanding each child's unique circumstances and addressing unmet needs.
About Veena Virahsammy
✨ Meet Veena: a former award-winning radio presenter and YouTube marketing consultant who pivoted her career to become a qualified clinical hypnotherapist. In 2022, after her son was unlawfully suspended from his mainstream secondary school, she founded Oxford Creators – an alternative education provision dedicated to empowering children aged 8-18 at risk of exclusion or not attending school due to anxiety, mental health challenges, or special educational needs.
Veena passionately shares her journey and highlights the hidden struggles within the education system on her social media @mumtomillionaire, the name of her podcast. Join her mission to redefine the narrative for misunderstood children.
Contact Veena
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 – [email protected]
- 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.