Welcome to
Prescient
Education
Consultancy in Inclusion and Special Educational Needs & Disability
David Bartram OBE
Founder, Prescient Education
David Bartram OBE
David has been a SEND policy adviser to the Department for Education, an adviser to the Mayor of London's education team and Director of SEND at the London Leadership Strategy. He is the SEND adviser to Challenge Partners and Whole Education, editor of Great Expectations, Leading an Effective SEND Strategy in School and co-author of Beyond Boundaries, Leading Great SEND Provision Across a Trust.
David has supported the development of Inclusion policy in a number of countries including Ethiopia, Seychelles, Thailand and Malaysia. David is a member of the Education Policy Institute Advisory Board, Chair of the Impact Ed Research Commission into Inclusive Environments and co-founder of EvaluateMySchool, the largest UK-based school evaluation platform now used by over 2000 schools. He is also a trustee of the KPMG Foundation, which seeks to bring about systemic change in business and society and unlock the potential of the most disadvantaged children in the UK.
David was appointed an OBE for Services to Special Education in the 2016 New Year's Honours list.
Awarded an OBE for Services to Special Education
— 2016 New Year's Honours List
International Work
David has a keen interest in international SEND and Inclusion policy development, working closely with governments across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean to develop and advise on inclusive education policy.
Qatar
David was invited by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to deliver the opening keynote address on Inclusive Education at the inaugural national SEND conference in Qatar — a landmark event bringing together all private schools and kindergartens across the country.
Ethiopia
David has worked with the Ethiopian government to support the development of inclusive education policy, engaging with education leaders and practitioners to strengthen SEND provision and build capacity across the school system.
South Africa
David delivered a keynote speech to Ministers and system leaders at the British Council Sub-Saharan Africa conference in Johannesburg, sharing expertise on inclusive education and SEND policy with leaders from across the region.
Malaysia
David was commissioned by the Malaysian Ministry of Education to conduct a review of SEND modules within initial teacher training. The work focused on early transition best practice and stakeholder collaboration across government, schools and support services to improve inclusive education outcomes.
Thailand
David worked with the Ministry of Education in 2016/17 Thailand to conduct a policy review on Inclusive Education by exploring 3 areas; policy, practice and culture.
- Review of national inclusive education policy framework
- Observation and evaluation of classroom practice across provinces
- Cultural attitudes towards disability and inclusion in Thai schools
Seychelles
In 2013, David was commissioned by Ms Macsuzy Mondon, Minister of Education in the Seychelles, to complete an audit of special educational needs provision and practice. The audit engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including government ministers, school principals, teachers, parents and pupils, resulting in an eight-point strategic development plan for SEND provision across the island nation.
Working with International School Groups
David has worked with some of the world's leading international school groups, advising on SEND strategy, inclusive education policy and the development of high-quality provision across global school networks.
Cognita
David worked with one of Cognita's Singapore schools as part of a school review team, with a specific focus on inclusive practice. The review examined the quality of SEND provision and inclusive culture within the school, providing strategic recommendations to strengthen outcomes for all learners across the school.
GEMS Education
David was invited to launch the collaboration between GEMS Education and Whole Education in Dubai, with the aim of mobilising best practice in SEND provision throughout GEMS schools across the UAE. The partnership brought together school leaders and specialists to build a coherent, ambitious approach to inclusion across one of the world's largest international school networks.
Qatar Foundation
David met with President Abeer Al-Khalifa and Vijita Patel, the Executive Director for Pre-University Education at Qatar Foundation to explore collaboration on inclusive education across their network of schools.
Sharing expertise
on the world stage
Speaking at The Academies Show, NASEN, TES SEN Show, and international conferences across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, India, South Africa, Poland and Ethiopia.
Keynote Speeches
David is an internationally recognised keynote speaker on SEND, inclusive education and school leadership, addressing Ministers, system leaders and practitioners across the UK and around the world.
National Conferences
David is a sought-after keynote speaker at national education conferences, including the Academies Show, NASEN and the TES SEN Show, addressing school and system leaders on SEND strategy, inclusive practice and school improvement.
Trust Conferences
David is a regular keynote speaker at trust leadership conferences across England, addressing executive leaders, headteachers and governors on strategic SEND development, inclusive culture and building high-quality provision across multi-academy trusts.
School Improvement Conferences
David delivered a keynote address at the Whole Education National Conference, speaking to school and system leaders on inclusive practice, SEND strategy and building high-quality provision for all young people.
SEND Reviews
David offers expert SEND reviews for both individual schools and multi-academy trusts, providing honest, evidence-informed evaluation and clear strategic direction to improve provision for every learner.
Trust SEND Review
David provides comprehensive SEND reviews across multi-academy trusts, working with executive leaders, SENCOs and governors to evaluate the quality and consistency of SEND provision at scale. Each review produces a detailed strategic report with clear recommendations to strengthen leadership, improve outcomes and build a coherent, ambitious approach to inclusion across all schools within the trust.
Individual School Review
David works directly with individual schools to conduct in-depth SEND reviews, examining leadership, policy, practice and culture. Reviews engage with headteachers, SENCOs, teachers, parents and pupils to build a full picture of current provision — resulting in a bespoke report that supports the school in raising standards and improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
SEND Peer Review
David has designed and led SEND peer review projects for some of the most respected organisations in the education sector. He has developed peer review frameworks for Challenge Partners, worked with local authorities including Northumberland, and led peer review projects for schools across Kent as part of the KSENT project — helping schools and systems to evaluate their SEND provision through a collaborative, evidence-informed lens.
Publications
David has authored and edited leading texts on SEND strategy and inclusive education, used by school and trust leaders across the country.
Great Expectations
Leading an Effective SEND Strategy in School
An essential guide for school leaders on developing and sustaining high-quality SEND provision. Drawing on David's extensive experience as a national adviser, this book offers practical frameworks, case studies and strategic tools to help schools meet the needs of every learner.
Beyond Boundaries
Leading Great SEND Provision Across a Trust
A landmark resource for trust leaders navigating the complexities of SEND across multiple schools. Co-authored by David Bartram OBE, this book provides a strategic roadmap for building coherent, ambitious and inclusive SEND provision at scale across multi-academy trusts.
Work with
Prescient Education
Whether you're a school leader, local authority, or government ministry seeking expert SEND consultancy, David Bartram OBE brings over 20 years of frontline experience and national policy expertise to your organisation.