Testimonials
I cannot recommend Debbie highly enough.
As the parent of a child with complex medical needs, I have spent many years trying to navigate education, attendance concerns, medical absences and the impact these challenges have had on my son’s learning and wellbeing. At times, the process has felt overwhelming and isolating.
Debbie took the time to carefully listen to our situation and provided clear, knowledgeable and compassionate advice. What impressed me most was her ability to see the bigger picture. Rather than viewing my son’s difficulties simply as an attendance issue, she understood the wider impact that a long-term medical condition has had on his education, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
Debbie clearly explained the legal duties of schools and local authorities, helped me understand the support that may be available, and outlined practical next steps that I would never have known to consider on my own. Her knowledge of SEND, medical needs provision, EHCP assessments, educational rights and alternative provision is exceptional.
Most importantly, Debbie has given me something I have not felt for a long time – hope. Hope that my son can receive the support he needs, hope that his educational difficulties can be understood properly, and hope that there is a clear path forward for our family.
Knowing that Debbie is able to help review evidence, support EHCP applications, assist with formal correspondence, advocate for children’s rights, and guide families through what can often feel like a very daunting process is incredibly reassuring.
For any parent feeling overwhelmed, unheard, or unsure where to turn, I would wholeheartedly recommend Debbie. Her professionalism, expertise and genuine care have already made a significant difference to our family, and I am incredibly grateful for her support.
Tracey, June 2026
I am delighted to recommend Debbie Symes as a SEND and Inclusion Consultant and advocate. Debbie has provided invaluable support to our school, working alongside leaders, staff and families to ensure that some of our most vulnerable children receive the provision, support and recognition of need to which they are entitled.
Debbie combines an exceptional knowledge of SEND legislation, statutory processes and inclusive practice with a genuine understanding of the realities facing schools and families. Her advice is always clear, practical and firmly focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for children.
One of Debbie’s greatest strengths is her advocacy. She is not afraid to challenge decisions, ask difficult questions or persist when systems become barriers to meeting a child’s needs. She has supported us in navigating complex SEND cases, helping us to ensure that children’s needs are accurately understood and that appropriate provision is secured. Her knowledge and confidence have been particularly valuable when working with external agencies and navigating statutory SEND processes.
Just as importantly, Debbie approaches her work with compassion. She understands how exhausting and overwhelming the SEND system can be for families and ensures that parents feel listened to, informed and supported. At the same time, she understands the pressures schools face and works collaboratively with staff rather than simply telling them what they should do.
Debbie’s involvement has made a tangible difference to children and families within our school. She has strengthened our ability to advocate effectively, challenged us where appropriate and provided reassurance and expertise when dealing with particularly complex situations.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Debbie to schools or families looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and determined SEND and Inclusion professional. Above all, Debbie keeps the child at the centre of every conversation and is relentless in ensuring that their voice, needs and rights are not lost within the system.
Teresa Phillips - Headteacher (September 2026)
I have had the pleasure of working alongside Debbie and can confidently say that she is an exceptional SENDCo. Her professionalism, knowledge, and dedication to supporting children and families are outstanding. She has an incredible work ethic and consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the best outcomes for pupils. Despite her extensive expertise, she remains approachable, compassionate, and easy to work with, building positive relationships with staff, parents, and external professionals alike. Her commitment to inclusive practice and her ability to provide practical, effective support make her an invaluable asset to any educational setting. I would highly recommend her services to anyone seeking expert SEND guidance and support.
Michelle Hinton - Thomas Willingale Primary School (July 2026)
Whilst working as a School Counsellor I spent many years working alongside Debbie. I always found her to be passionate about helping the children and families at the school. I witnessed how she helped pupils to adapt and achieve their best in their environment when they may be struggling with all sorts of challenges in life. She did this with compassion whilst always maintaining a professional approach.
The impact she had on families and children in the school has been evident to me as they remember her with admiration and gratitude. A pupil who she supported a few years ago still talks about her in our counselling sessions together and he talks about how grateful he is for the help she gave him saying "Miss Symes helped me a lot, I won't forget her" (year 6 pupil).
Tracey Hayes, BSC(Hons), PG dip, MBACP
I had the privilege of working with Debbie when she was my Deputy Headteacher and SENDCO, and I can honestly say that she has had a lasting impact on both my professional and personal life.
Professionally, she taught me so much about supporting children with SEND. She helped me to understand that every child is unique and that sometimes we need to look beyond the behaviour we see on the surface and ask what might be behind it. The strategies and techniques she taught me have stayed with me, and even though I no longer work alongside her, I still use them in my work with children today.
What makes her even more special to me, though, is that she didn't just teach me about understanding children — she helped me to understand myself.
Through working with me, she recognised traits in me that I had never really understood and suggested that I might benefit from an ADHD assessment. At the time, I had no idea how significant that recommendation would become. Following the referral and eventually receiving an ADHD diagnosis has helped me make sense of so many things about myself, including difficulties and experiences that I had struggled to explain since childhood.
Having someone who knew me professionally, understood SEND, and could recognise those traits in me was incredibly important. She saw something that I couldn't see in myself and gave me the encouragement to explore it.
Although we no longer work together, I still carry so much of what she taught me — both in the way I support children and in the way I understand myself. I am incredibly grateful for her knowledge, patience, kindness and ability to see the person behind the behaviour.
She is not only an exceptional SENDCO and educator, but someone who genuinely makes a difference to the people around her. I feel very lucky that our professional relationship developed into a friendship, and I will always be grateful for the influence she has had on my life.
Clare Hall
Fi - May 2026
My daughter has Williams Syndrome and already had her EHCP in place. However, we were struggling to get her into a special school as she was being refused based on her needs being 'too severe'. We knew that this was not the case. Debbie went through the EHCP and worked out that it was inadequate. That schools looking at it, would struggle to identify my daughter's strengths and needs. We were at the stage of going to tribunal over school placement and had a date set. We were completely exhausted and frustrated with the endless red tape.
Although Debbie doesn't live or work in the same area as my daughter, she took the time to research the locality, the schools and unpick what was going wrong. She told us what to ask the current school for, interpreted assessments and understood what school settings would be looking for and what wording needed to change. In the end, Debbie quickly rewrote the EHCP based on the professional reports we sent her, and her own understanding of school assessments, which we then sent to the local authority. They agreed it, then sent it out to local special schools. She now has a place at our first choice school for this September. In the end, it was a very quick process.
Joe, June 2026