Here’s a quick summary of what’s new this month. Please share your feedback on this update.
At B Squared, we love giving our schools a little extra. From FREE resources to exclusive trials and personalised support, we want to make sure you’re getting the most from our software.
Did you know we offer a wide range of FREE assessment frameworks within Connecting Steps? These include Development Matters, Primary Curriculum, and Pre-Key Stage Standards for pupils working at Age Related Expectations in England, as well as frameworks for Scotland and Wales. Our newest additions include English as an Additional Language, Phonics for Pupils with SEN, and Maths for Life (for schools with an active subscription). You can use these FREE up to your current student licence level, and easily extend your licence if you want to roll out across your whole school. We often provide FREE trials of new frameworks or features. Right now you can try the Alternative Provision framework or explore the AI in Connecting Steps to see how much time it can save you.
Evisense Explorer is FREE for all students licensed in Connecting Steps. It provides a secure, social media-style platform to help your school build active, positive relationships with parents. Upgrade to Evisense Premium to include photos, videos, and documents, and enjoy a 20% discount for Connecting Steps users. Schools can also get a FREE 3-month trial of Evisense Premium.
All support is completely FREE including our 24/7 searchable support site, help from our team during office hours, or a 15-minute online support session. You can also stay up to date with SEND developments through our SENDcast Sessions FREE SEND Briefings every six months, or expand your knowledge with the FREE weekly SENDcast podcast.
For advice on making the most of working with B Squared, call us on 01252 870133. Let us help your school enjoy a little extra every day!
B Squared’s response to the Schools White Paper
and other recent changes in Education
England’s SEND system is broken. How did we get here? What is the Government is trying to fix? And what can schools do now?
Our MD, Dale gives his response: “What I found surprised me, not because the picture is bleak, but because it is more coherent than most people realise. It also reflects a lot of the concerns parents, educators, and leaders have raised. There is a lot of detail missing, and it is far too early to fully judge, but I believe the intent is right, and I want to explain why…”
Have you tried our FREE Evisense Explorer?
Evisense Explorer is our FREE, secure, social media style tool that helps schools build positive, two-way communication with parents in a private space. It doesn’t include media uploads, but you can upgrade to Evisense Premium for photo and video sharing.
Explorer is free for pupils with a Connecting Steps licence and £1 per pupil for others. If your school already has Premium, it’s free for extra Connecting Steps pupils and £1 per pupil for everyone else – see full pricing information.
Try Evisense Explorer today and see how it can boost parental engagement in your school!
New assessment frameworks now available
- Alternative Provision – Identify barriers to learning, track pupil progress and support successful reintegration into mainstream education where appropriate. Based on the Personal Development Assessment Model by Philip Parker (InspirEd). From just £50 for up to 30 students – register by 1st April for a FREE school trial
- English as an Additional Language – Assess and track pupils’ English development across listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Get clear insight into each stage of language acquisition, not just when fluency is reached. Based on the Bell Foundation’s EAL assessment, this framework is FREE for Connecting Steps users – find out more
- Maths for Life – Track and support pupils’ practical mathematical understanding, focusing on real-world, functional skills that support everyday independence. Connecting Steps users with an active Maths for Life subscription (created by Karen McGuigan) can add this framework for FREE – find out more
Not using Connecting Steps? Book a FREE online demo to find out how to show progress from starting point for all your pupils.
book a demo
What’s new this month?
Bulk edit posts in Evisense for faster updates
The new Post Actions feature lets you update multiple posts at once, saving time and making management easier – how to guide
Quickly perform the following actions on multiple posts:
- Edit the privacy settings
- Edit the post status (Draft, Published, Reported)
- Delete
View posts in masonry, grid, or feed layouts to organise and manage content more easily.
Post Actions button
(top right menu)
Privacy/status/print/delete options
(bottom right menu)
Not using our communication hub for parents and schools?
Sign up for a FREE 3-month trial to see how Evisense can help your school build active, positive parental engagement.
Our March SENDcast Sessions are now available to view
Fabulous feedback on Kate’s FREE SEND Briefing on The Schools White Paper!
SEND school improvement consultant, Kate Browning provided a clear and practical breakdown of the proposed reforms and what they will mean for pupils with SEND, SENCOs, and schools. The broadcast earlier this month attracted 700+ registrations and over 120 live attendees. Kate has already received plenty of 5-star reviews for this must-watch session for anyone wanting to understand the changes. Register on the SENDcast website to watch the recording for FREE.
What viewers are saying about Kate’s session:
“Kate’s insight was excellent, as usual. Really helpful session.” Simeon Paul – SENDCO, Welland Park Academy
“Really informative and clear. Kate you are amazing, it’s reassuring to have your opinion and explanations at a time of change.”
Melanie Wrigham – SENDCO
Church Langton CofE Primary School
“Fantastic session where Kate went over all the details and even the things missing so that we knew what everything meant. Felt in very safe hands. The recording is worth watching for anyone who is wondering what the future holds.”
Charlotte Wilson – East Devon District Council
“Thank you – this session was very informative.”
Rosalind Conroy – Belper School & Sixth Form Centre
Have you listened to our FREE podcast?
Coming up in April
Episodes on understanding PANS and PANDAS, assessing complex learners, FOP, and supporting young people with long-term illness.
Here’s a reminder of our March episodes
- Working effectively with TAs – Sara Alston
- Young carers: voices that matter – Kasia Thompson
- Supporting children with Down Syndrome to reach their full potential – Sarah Holton
- Understanding epilepsy’s impact on children and young people – Catherine Hodder
Special Episode: National Neurodiversity Shows
Dale speaks with Steph Barnett, planner of the National Neurodiversity Shows, about their mission to create inclusive spaces for neurodivergent individuals and their families.
The first of four UK shows takes place in Cardiff on 30th April. The SENDcast is a proud media partner and will also be exhibiting – so be sure to stop by and say hello!
Find out moreMORE NEWS
Share your school’s assessment best practice
We’re inviting schools to take part in a short video showcasing how you approach assessment and use Connecting Steps. Join a relaxed 30-minute online chat with our MD, Dale. We’ll record the session and share your school’s great work to highlight best practice and inspire other settings.
Interested? Click to book a chat with Dale and find out what’s involved, then use the same link to schedule a time to record your video.
How can we help SEND learners prepare for adulthood?
Preparing for adulthood helps learners with SEND build the skills, confidence, and independence they need for fulfilling lives. This focuses on four main areas: employment, independent living, community inclusion, and good health. We believe it’s never too early to start developing these vital skills, which is why we’ve developed a small PfA assessment framework for use up to the end of Key Stage 3, alongside a subject-based curriculum. It works well with our Primary Steps or Progression Steps frameworks.
View framework details
Sign up by 27th March to try the AI in Connecting Steps for FREE
Find out how to save time using AI in Connecting Steps to help with summarising assessments, next steps, and writing reports. Get a FREE 2 weeks trial. But hurry as you’ll need to sign up before the end of term! Get the trial
Trial our new Alternative Provision framework – register by 1st April
Designed specifically for Alternative Provision settings, this framework focuses on the wider personal development that underpins engagement with learning, including emotional regulation, independence, resilience, and social skills. We are offering Connecting Steps users a FREE trial of the new framework from Monday 13th April until Friday 22nd May. This gives you time to explore how it supports assessment, intervention planning, and reintegration for your pupils. Register by 1st April for a FREE school trial
March: a busy month for raising awareness!
It has been a busy month for raising awareness of important causes, including Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Young Carers Action Day, Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness, and other great SEND-related initiatives. At B Squared, we’re proud to support schools with SEND assessment, SEND training sessions, and our FREE weekly SENDcast podcast, offering practical guidance and resources to help school staff better understand and support all pupils across these key areas. Find out more
Get help when you need it
Remember, if you have any questions, our support team are happy to help. Book a FREE 15-minute online support session, and they’ll guide you through anything you need.
Please share your feedback
We want to make sure that our monthly updates are useful for customers, so we’re really keen to get your feedback. Please let us know what you think.
