Tes SEND Show live podcast with Simon Airey - Neurodivergent Play

If you missed the Tes SEND Show - or were there but couldn't make every session - this is worth a listen. This is a special episode recorded live at the show, where Dale was joined by Simon Airey, an autistic teacher, speaker and neurodiversity consultant, and the founder of Neuroaffirming With Simon. Simon makes the case that there's no wrong way to play. He talks about lining up 37 Radox shower gels in height order, and a child happily waving sticks around the playground on his own, to show why solo play can be so regulating: there are no demands. He and Dale discuss observing without judgement, asking "what are you noticing?" instead of "why are you doing that?", and adding to a child's play rather than trying to change it. Simon's top tips: always observe first, keep resources open-ended, and let children show you what play looks like for them. About Simon Airey Simon Airey is an autistic teacher, speaker and consultant, and the founder of Neuroaffirming With Simon. He works to bridge the gap between parents and teachers in supporting children, with a focus on neuroaffirming practice, play-based learning and practical classroom inclusion.
Drawing on his classroom experience and lived insight, Simon helps schools and local authorities adopt approaches that work for both children and staff.
About the Tes SEND Show The Tes SEND Show is the UK's largest event dedicated to special educational needs and disabilities, bringing together teachers, SENCOs, school leaders, therapists and parents for two days of CPD, seminars and exhibitors.
This series brings you short summaries of some of the 2026 seminar programme, recorded on site in our pop-up podcast studio. A new episode lands every Tuesday for eight weeks.
tessendshow.co.uk
thesendcast.com/tes-send-show-special-episodes
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• Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squa…
• Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk
• Subscribe to the SENDcast - thesendcast.com/subscribe
The SENDcast is powered by B Squared We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.