First Steps Together expands SEN education across Greater Manchester

First Steps Together is a growing network of independent special educational needs (SEN) schools that places inclusion, individual care, and community at the heart of everything it does.

This September marks a new chapter for the organisation, with six schools open and serving families across Greater Manchester and beyond.

The expansion not only increases access to specialist education but deepens First Steps Together’s commitment to tailored learning, emotional support, and community collaboration.

At its core, First Steps Together believes every child deserves to thrive in a learning environment that celebrates their individuality.

That belief underpins everything the network stands for - from innovative curriculum design to integrated pastoral support systems.

Each school is designed to meet a range of complex needs through personalised learning pathways aligned to Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), ensuring students receive the right kind of support when they need it most.

While academic achievement is a key goal, First Steps Together recognises that a child’s success is deeply tied to their wellbeing.

Emotional support is seamlessly woven into the school culture, with highly trained teaching staff, safeguarding leads, therapists, and wellbeing coordinators all working to ensure that no child falls through the cracks.

From wellbeing rooms and social development programmes to personalised interventions and family engagement, pastoral support is a shared responsibility across the whole school community.

That holistic approach is one of the reasons First Steps Together is a Rights Respecting School, committed to upholding a culture of care, dignity, and inclusivity.

Since September, Executive Headteacher Mrs Ogden