James Waller

James is Headteacher of Sunningdale School and Sunningdale Early Years Centre, and Director of the SENhub in Sunderland. Since 2002, he has specialised in education for young people with severe, profound and complex learning disabilities, developing child‑first pedagogical and curriculum approaches now used nationally and internationally. Through the SENhub, these approaches form the basis of support and outreach for mainstream and specialist settings.

James contributes to national policy through various DfE groups linked to Complex Needs, the Early Years, SEND and Funding. He is Parliamentary Co‑Chair of the Council for Disabled Children’s Special Education Consortium, Chair and trustee of Equals, and a trustee of the Federation of Leaders in Special Education.

He has previously managed mainstream outreach teams regionally as well as supported the design of the Early Career Framework, National Professional Qualifications, and specialist initial teacher education programmes. James is also a member of the National Network of Specialist Provisions, the National SEND Forum and Ofsted’s Headteacher Reference Group (NEYH).