How did you come to be a SEND professional?
I didn’t plan a career in SEND—it found me. I started as a volunteer with the Podaj Dalej Foundation in my hometown in Poland, and quickly realised I was witnessing something powerful: families, professionals, and individuals with SEND working together with passion, honesty and hope.
That experience stayed with me and shaped every decision that followed.
I studied Special Pedagogy at The Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw, completing both Bachelor and Masters degrees, specialising in intellectual disabilities, rehabilitation in multiple disabilities and social care.
What mattered most to me was working directly with children, young people, and adults through the Son-Rise Program, rehabilitation foundations and charities supporting children and adults with learning and physical disabilities.
I learned alongside, and was mentored by, leading researchers and professionals, whose evidence-based thinking and ethical approach strongly influenced my practice.
It reinforced my belief that effective SEND provision must be grounded in both strong research and meaningful day-to-day work.
Alongside this, wheelchair rugby became a major part of my life. I spent over ten years as an international referee, learning from athletes about resilience and identity in the face of disability.
In 2012, I moved to the UK to see how SEND worked in a different system. I expected to stay a year.
I stayed because I found a sector that, at its best, genuinely strives to see the whole person—particularly through organisations like the Percy Hedley School, where education and therapy are deeply interconnected.
How does SEND education in Poland differ from the UK?
From my experience, the SEND systems reflect their very different cultural and educational contexts.
In Poland, support is generally based on a formal diagnosis, with psychological-pedagogical counselling centres providing decisions that define a child’s needs and the type of provision they should receive. This approach gives families a sense of clarity and structure, and specialist schools are more commonly used and socially accepted.
SEND provision must be grounded in both strong research and meaningful day-to-day work
In contrast, the British system places greater emphasis on inclusion and individual rights, focusing on supporting children in mainstream schools and involving parents closely through processes such as EHCPs.
Both systems have strengths as well as limitations, and neither is perfect. They are shaped by different cultural expectations, and both could learn from each other to improve the way children with SEND are supported.
How has your unique perspective shaped your work in the UK?
I am fortunate to work in a school that values my background and experiences. In my Lead Role, I’ve helped develop a holistic curriculum for some of our most complex learners, shaping therapeutic and educational approaches to meet their needs.
I hope I’ve brought a fresh perspective on learning—understanding that children learn in different ways, valuing their metacognition and helping break down barriers.
Working with colleagues, I’ve focused on ensuring pupils and families have their voices heard, improving assessment systems, and translating government policy into meaningful, evidence-based practice.
I’ve also used my more unique academic background to think strategically about school systems and policy, ensuring our approaches are sustainable and effective.
Above all, my goal has been to create an environment where pupils don’t just get by—they truly thrive and reach their full potential.
How do you relax after a busy day at work?
After work, I like to combine simple pleasures: a walk in nature, a bit of meditation, and, most importantly, enjoying some good food—I find it especially hard to resist and enjoy the North-East’s epicurean culture.
It helps me relax, recharge and make sure I don’t burn out, reminding me that there’s life beyond work.
If you had not gone into teaching, what might you have done instead
I would have focused on shaping policies and strategies for people with disabilities. My passion is ensuring systems work effectively, inclusively, and in ways that genuinely improve the lives of children, adults and families with SEND.
If you had ten minutes with the Secretary of State for Education, what advice would you give them?
I would focus on three priorities. First, invest in early identification and intervention—children with SEND benefit enormously when their needs are understood as early as possible and supporting schools, families, and local services to respond quickly is both life-changing and cost-effective.
Second, strengthen the workforce. Teachers, therapists and support staff need specialist training, professional development and must feel valued, because their expertise directly shapes children’s outcomes.
Third, listen to lived experience—families and children with SEND should be central to decision-making, ensuring policies reflect real-life needs. Remember that there is a human cost to funding cuts that is not always visible.
