SNN Presents: SEN Secondary schooling - what are the options?

Selecting a school is a stressful time for parents. This event on Tuesday 25 October aims to help parents and caregovers navigate the various options, processes and availability of seconday school places for SEN students. Our expert panel of speakers includes:

• Kathryn Lung, Head of Learning Support, ICHK;
• Franky Poon, Principal, HKRSS Tai Po Secondary School;
• Trisha Tran, Parent & Advocate and Co-founder of HopeShare;
• Dr Gail Wright, Head of Individual Needs, West Island School; and
• Nicki Ward, Senior Manager - Strategy and Planning, English Schools Foundation

Panelists' Bios:

Trisha Tran

Parent & Advocate and Co-founder of HopeShare

Trisha Tran, a fellow parent of a child with global development delay, has been advocating for an increase in the number, scope and quality of school places for non-Chinese speaking SEN children since 2014. She has carried out extensive research on private and public schooling options in Hong Kong.

Kathryn Lung

Head of Learning Support, ICHK

Kathryn began her teaching career over 20 years ago, teaching English and Drama in UK secondary schools. Over the course of her career, Kathryn’s focus turned towards the areas of English as an additional language and special educational needs. She has extensive experience in developing students’ English language skills, as well as managing and supporting students with a range of additional needs, including SpLDs in reading, writing and numeracy, ADHD, ASD and Global Delays. Kathryn enjoys supporting and building trusting relationships with students and their families in both their personal and academic journeys. She is currently completing her International Award for SEN Coordination.

Franky Poon

Principal, Hong Kong Red Swastika Society Tai Po Secondary School, JC School Diversity Coordinator

Mr. Franky Poon is the Principal of Hong Kong Red Swastika Society Tai Po Secondary School and the Specialist of Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications. ​Mr. Poon was seconded to EDB to provide support to over 80 local schools catering for learner diversity and building an inclusive ethos. He is an experienced speaker and author on supporting students with diverse needs and how to enhance schools' capacity to cater for student diversity. Mr. Poon is the Project Lead of Jockey Club "Diversity at Schools" Project (2018-2021), which aims to enhance primary and secondary schools' capacity to cater for learner diversity.

Nicki Ward

Senior Manager - Strategy and Planning, ESF

Nicki began her career as a primary school teacher in London before qualifying and practising as an Educational Psychologist in the UK. In 2011 she was employed by ESF to establish an Educational Psychology Service for the Foundation's 22 schools in Hong Kong. Passionate and dedicated to improving the educational experience for all students, Nicki spent the last seven years as Head of Student Support Services at ESF before recently taking on a new role as Senior Manager - Strategy and Planning within the Strategic Performance and Quality Assurance Directorate. Nicki continues to manage the admissions process for learning support and Jockey Club Sarah Roe School as part of a broader strategic approach to supporting inclusion and learning diversity within ESF.

Gail Wright

Head of Individual Needs, West Island School

Gail has over 25 years of experience as a mainstream and special educator in secondary, primary and special schools. Gail has been actively involved in developing educational pathways; organising parent workshops; and training teachers. As a Secondary School Advisor, Gail was instrumental in setting up programmes such as Structured Workplace Learning for Years 12 and 13, organising parent and professional conferences, undertaking school reviews, and working with colleagues across the Foundation. In collaboration with a parent and a member of the Springboard Project, Gail held the first parents and professional support meeting at Bradbury School, and which later led to the establishment of the Special Needs Network in Hong Kong that was formally launched at the British Consulate (a precursor network to our current organisation). She also set up ESF’s structured workplace learning programme for upper school students to enable the students to gain vocational skills and to learn about employment pathways. Gail was also on the Committee of the Dyslexic Association for Hong Kong for four years.