Here’s a quick summary of what’s new this month. Please share your feedback on this update.
Starting the School Year on the Right Track
A new school year is underway, and this month we’re focused on one thing: making it as easy as possible for you to get started. That’s the idea behind our brand new podcast, B Squared Unlocked, hosted by Dale Pickles and Jon Twycross. In episode 1, “Starting the year right with Connecting Steps”, they talk through everything schools need to get Connecting Steps ready for the new school year – baselining, setting up classes and groups, managing students and users, and what to do if you’ve forgotten your password after the summer.
Find out why we launched B Squared Unlocked
A quick reminder for administrators: there are a few admin tasks to complete in MyBSquared to make sure Connecting Steps and Evisense are ready for the new school year (see details below).
Looking ahead, our Autumn programme of SENDcast Sessions is themed around Working Towards the SEND Reforms, with expert guidance to help your whole school navigate what’s changing with confidence. Natalie Packer’s FREE SEND Briefing – The SEND Reforms: what’s next? is also open for registration. We’ll confirm the date as soon as the government responds to the SEND White Paper consultation. And if you haven’t already, catch up on our FREE SENDcast podcast, which has been running each week all summer.
Whatever you need this term, our support team is on hand – email support@bsquared.cloud or book a 15-minute support session.
B Squared Unlocked – Our New Podcast for Customers
Hear from Dale & Jon why we’re launching a new podcast
We’ve launched B Squared Unlocked, a brand new podcast made specifically for schools using our software. Hosted by our Managing Director, Dale Pickles, and Technology Director, Jon Twycross, it’s a practical series built around the questions our support team hear all the time. The kind of insight you can catch up on any time, in the car, walking the dog, or between lessons.
The first episode, “Starting the year right with Connecting Steps”, is out now. It covers baselining, setting up classes/groups, managing students/users, and getting ready for the year ahead.
New School Year Admin for Administrators
A quick reminder: There are a few admin tasks the software administrator in your school will need to complete in our administration portal MyBSquared to make sure Connecting Steps and Evisense are ready for this school year. Please check that all your students are in the correct groups – if your classes haven’t been updated yet, ask your school administrator to log into MyBSquared and follow the instructions in the guide below. We want to help you start the year on the right track. Remember our support team is on hand if you need any help. How to prepare students for the new school year
What’s New This Month?
PSHE changes in Connecting Steps
This year, the government updated its RSE and Health Education guidance for schools to use from September 2026 – the biggest change since 2019! New areas now include online safety around AI and deepfakes, vaping, gambling, and stronger safeguarding language, plus much greater transparency for parents.
We’ve rebuilt our content to match – Primary Steps Plus, Progression Steps Plus, and Steps 4 Life Academic Skills (our packs containing PSHE assessment) have been substantially rewritten. So your assessment stays fully aligned with the new guidance from day one, at no additional cost to your school. You will see changes to your existing data once the new content goes live. We’ll be in touch with further details once it’s live. Read more on the PSHE assessment update
Interested in adding PSHE assessment?
If your school doesn’t have our PSHE assessment yet and want to be aligned with the new government guidance,
email us at sales@bsquared.co.uk and we’ll send you a quote to upgrade.
Try out our AI in Connecting Steps FREE for 2 weeks
See how much time you can save using our Advanced Features to help summarise assessments, outline next steps, and generate reports. The summaries can be specifically written for the student to help them understand the progress they are making. They can also be translated into 40 other languages!
Sign up before Friday 23rd October for a FREE 2-week trial.
We shared a whole year’s worth of updates at the end of last term – See everything that’s new in our year-in-review.
Or catch the video round-up – What’s new at B Squared this year.
Did You Know Connecting Steps Users Get Evisense Explorer for FREE?
Evisense Explorer – FREE Parental Communication Tool
Evisense Explorer is included FREE for all pupils licensed in Connecting Steps. Post class blogs, newsletters, event reminders, and progress updates in a secure, private space. Parents can comment and respond.
Evisense Explorer doesn’t include media uploads but you can upgrade individual pupils to Evisense Premium at any time to add photo, video, and audio.
Ofsted now expects active, positive relationships with parents. Try Evisense Explorer today and see how it can boost parental engagement in your school!
Lock in the Lower Rate before Prices Rise
From 1st October, SENDcast Sessions prices increase from £10 to £15 each.
Buy sessions before 30th September to lock in the £10 rate, or get 3 for £25 across our library of over 150 expert-led training sessions – buy now and save for the year ahead.
Expert SEND Guidance for the Year Ahead Working Towards the SEND Reforms
Our Autumn speaker programme is built around the theme ‘Working Towards the SEND Reforms’. The aim is to give school staff, SENCOs, and leaders the expert guidance you need to navigate the changes ahead with confidence, with sessions from Ginny Bootman, Victoria Bagnall, and Natalie Packer. Each new session will be available at the introductory price of £10 for the first 7 days from its release date, rising to £15 after that. So keep an eye out and buy quickly to lock in the lower price!
See the Autumn programmeFREE SEND Briefing
Update on the SEND Reforms
Join SEND consultant Natalie Packer for a FREE live briefing exploring what’s changing for SEND, and what school leaders should do about it. This update will cover where the reforms stand, with practical implications, followed by a LIVE Q&A.
The briefing will take place once the government responds to the SEND White Paper consultation – register for FREE now and we’ll let you know the date as soon as it’s confirmed.
Register for FREE nowGet a 1-year subscription for your whole school to access
150+ expert-led training videos for just £100+VAT. Still the same great value!
“The SENDcast Sessions are absolutely brilliant – high quality, practical and so easy to fit in around a busy school week.”
All staff can watch and rewatch any of our 150+ sessions, whenever suits them – genuinely great value for a whole school!
Have you listened to our FREE podcast?
Coming Up in October
Episodes on creating an inclusive environment for autistic learners, closing the gap with behaviour policy, rethinking Emotionally Based School Avoidance, making residentials truly inclusive for pupils with SEND, and supporting neurodivergent pupils who aren’t attending.
Here’s a reminder of our September Episodes
- Beyond the Classroom: Sensory Support at Home – Natasha Grays
- Hyperfocus: From Survival to Superpower – Emma Muir
- SEND Reforms – What Does It Mean for Trusts – Simon Tanner & Helen Bray
- Late Diagnosis, Loud Music and Parenting Neurodivergent Kids – Terry Bolton
Supporting ADHD Awareness Month
October is ADHD Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is ‘A Community of Support’. We’re proud to be part of it, sharing resources that help build understanding and connection for the ADHD community. Listen to our latest ADHD related episode, Hyperfocus: From Survival to Superpower, in which Emma Muir talks honestly with Dale about late diagnosis and what “superpower” really means in the context of neurodivergence. Read more about ADHD resources
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Showcasing Assessment Best Practice at Star Primary School
Faria Alam, Assistant Head of Inclusion & SENCO,
explains how Connecting Steps became her “superpower”!
We love hearing how our customer schools put assessment into practice, so we invited Star Primary School to share their story, Faria Alam, Assistant Head of Inclusion & SENCO, explains how Connecting Steps became her “superpower” in high needs funding and EHCP meetings – turning scattered evidence into clear proof of the small steps of progress children were making. Evisense has taken things further still: teaching assistants now capture evidence on iPads linked directly to each child’s next steps, shifting the focus from “has this child met this outcome?” to “what can they do next?” It’s helped for children who don’t meet the threshold for an EHCP too – including those with SEMH, speech and language, or global delay. Also for parents of neurodivergent children, seeing video evidence of what their child can do has created real “wow moments” of confidence. As Faria puts it, “assessment is now a genuinely joined-up, working process, not an end-of-term tick-box exercise.” Watch the video
We’d Love to Hear Your School’s Assessment Story
Book a relaxed 30-minute chat with our MD, Dale, and we’ll record a short video showcasing how your school approaches assessment. As a thank you, we’ll give your school a FREE 1-year SENDcast Sessions subscription to access 150+ online training sessions for all staff. Book a chat with Dale
Executive Function Trial – Don’t Forget To Order by 30th September!
If your school signed up for our FREE Executive Function framework trial and submitted your feedback already, you’ve got until 30th September 2026 to place an order and claim your 30% discount. Don’t miss out! Email our sales team to order
Come and Record your Thoughts on the SEND Reforms with Dale!
At this year’s Tes SEND Show we’re exhibiting with two stands – one for B Squared and one for The SENDcast podcast. Head up to the top floor at the Business Design Centre to find our dedicated podcast studio, where Dale will be recording live episodes with guest speakers throughout the show.
We’d love you to be part of it too. Pop into the studio and record 5-10 minutes with Dale, sharing your thoughts on the SEND Reforms – you could even feature in a future episode. Recording times are Friday 9th October 2-4pm and Saturday 10th October 1-3pm. No need to book, just come along and say hello. Find out more
National Education Show Wales
B Squared will be at the National Education Show in Cardiff on 2nd October. We’ll be showcasing our Curriculum for Wales assessment frameworks that cover from Routes for Learning through to Welsh Progression Step 3. As well as our e-portfolio Evisense for capturing, storing and sharing evidence of pupil progress. Come and see us on stand 165!
Find out more
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Please share your feedback
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