Learning Without Barriers: How Tech Builds Belonging at St Bart’s

Across St Bart’s Multi Academy Trust, the goal is simple: a sense of belonging for everyone. And for Lisa Henshall, the trust’s SEND Strategic Lead, that goal is supported in many ways—including the way technology is used.

But don’t be mistaken. This isn’t a story about shiny new gadgets.

It’s not just about iPads,” Lisa says. “It’s about making sure every child can access learning in a way that works for them.

The focus is on relationships first, tech second. And when used well, tech becomes another way to build those relationships—and help children feel seen and heard.

Not an Add-On—Part of the Culture

All our schools use iPads from Year 1 to Year 6,” Lisa explains. “But what matters is how we use them.

At St Bart’s, assistive tech isn’t a bolt-on. It’s part of everyday classroom life. Children use tools like Immersive Reader, Siri, and speech-to-text not as special interventions, but simply as part of how they learn.

Five years ago, it wouldn’t be unusual to see a number of children in class using Talking Tins (noisy devices that recorded children’s voices and played them back loudly with no volume control), having a plethora of scaffolds, using coloured overlays or being take out frequently for interventions with adults, it was very obvious there were a number of children who were different requiring extra support” Lisa says. “Now, it’s just how we do things. Everyone benefits. Ofsted have frequently commented during our inspections that you cannot ‘spot’ our children with SEND as their support is embedded into whole class teaching through layers of inclusion available for every child.

This universal approach removes stigma. It’s not about who gets ‘extra help’. It’s about offering every learner flexible tools, so they can show what they know.

Freedom to Learn, in Their Own Way

Lisa shares the story of two Year 5 boys, both reading at a Year 2 level.

They were iPad experts far beyond my expertise,” she laughs. “They’d split their screens, access their folder of scaffold supports including sentence stems, key words, phonics tools, recording their learning through voice notes, videos and using immersive reader to access texts when they couldn’t, their level of confidence in themselves as learners and their independence was incredible.”

“There were just a myriad of ways that these previously disengaged learners now had through developing a toolkit with digital assistive tech. They could now be independent confident learners and it was really awe-inspiring.

Despite their challenges with reading, these pupils could plan, write, and edit their work with confidence.

They weren’t being assessed on handwriting or spelling,” Lisa says. “They were demonstrating their understanding—and they were proud of it.

This is at the heart of St Bart’s approach - not every child learns the same way. So the trust works hard to create spaces where differences aren’t just accepted—they’re supported.

Designed for Everyone

Walk into a classroom at St Bart’s and you’ll notice a few things:

• Strong positive relationships
• Predictable routines
• Clear visual supports with dual coding
• Low-sensory environments
• Accessible resources within reach
• Assistive technology to support everyone

These aren’t just for children with EHCPs. They support any child—whether they’re facing long-term challenges or simply having a tough day.

Lisa calls it built-in belonging.

We don’t wait until a child is struggling. We create classrooms that meet needs before they become barriers.

Learning Through Movement—and Joy

One moment that stuck with Lisa came during a Year 4 lesson on circuits. Some children sat at desks. Others worked in the corridor. A few were building a huge exercise circuit across the classroom floor, hopping from one part to the next.

There was one child who was spinning on a chair while helping to connect the circuit,” Lisa recalls. “But they were engaged. They were learning.

The message? Inclusion doesn’t have to be quiet or still. It has to be meaningful. Children learn best when they feel safe, understood, and able to move or express themselves.

Tech sometimes supports that freedom. But often, it’s just about noticing what helps—and building that into the day.

Tech That Fits the Moment

It’s not about using tech all the time. It’s about knowing when to use it so that it supports and extends learning.

We have children with anxiety, selective mutism, or processing difficulties,” Lisa explains. “Sometimes, recording or typing a response instead of speaking aloud makes all the difference.

Tools like Socrates, a classroom quiz platform, let children respond via voice, text, or multiple choice. Teachers get real-time insight and can address misconceptions immediately and in the moment—and children get more ways to participate.

It’s about being responsive,” Lisa says. “If a child can’t show what they know one way, we try another.

Making It Normal

For Lisa, the biggest shift is normalisation.

There’s no separate system for SEND learners,” she explains. “We don’t want any child to feel like they’re different because they’re using a certain tool.

This includes:

• Encouraging all children to try different tech features
• Providing tools for everyone such as iPads
• Allowing flexible seating or workspace choices

The result? A culture where adaptation is expected—not exceptional and children are the experts, especially our children with SEND.

And when every child has access to what they need, stigma fades and children succeed..

Curiosity Over Judgement

Lisa’s favourite three words? “I wonder why.”

That mindset shapes how tech—and all support—is used across the trust.

Why is this child disengaged today? What could help them re-engage? What can we tweak, shift, or remove to make learning easier?

It’s not about fixing children,” Lisa says. “It’s about fixing the environment so that they can succeed.

Assistive tech is just one of many tools in that environment. But used with care, it can unlock independence, reduce frustration, and build confidence and self esteem.

The Outcome: A Sense of Belonging

In the end, it’s not about the technology. It’s about what it allows children to do—and who it helps them become.

When used thoughtfully, tech can:

• Give quiet children a voice and support collaboration
• Help anxious learners manage their workload and predict what is coming next
• Let children show understanding without the barriers of writing, reading or spelling

Most importantly, it can remind every child that their way of learning is valid.

Belonging is the biggest protective factor we can give our children,” Lisa says. “And if tech helps us build that, it’s worth it.

At St Bart’s, inclusion is more than a policy. It’s a way of being. And technology, used with empathy and purpose, helps bring that vision to life.

Explore our wide range of assistive technology here.