About Claire
Independent SEND consultant, working both sides of the table
Claire Andrews is an independent SEND consultant. She works with parents online across England and with schools in person across the North West, on EHCPs, annual reviews, tribunal preparation and SEND provision.
The role
What does an independent SEND consultant do?
An independent SEND consultant is someone with professional SEND expertise who works for you rather than for a local authority or a school. Claire reads plans, prepares parents for meetings, reviews provision for schools and says plainly what she thinks, because nobody is paying her to reach a particular conclusion.
For parents that usually means understanding an EHCP, getting ready for an annual review, or working out what to do after a refusal. For schools it usually means a SEND health check, SENDCo mentoring or staff training. There is no legal representation and no advocacy in the room. It is expertise, given straight, before a decision gets made.
Background
Twenty-five years inside education, now independent
Claire Andrews is an independent SEND consultant working with parents and schools online across England, and in person across the North West. She brings over 25 years of experience in education, including roles as a SENDCo and senior leader, to the practical, everyday challenges that families and settings face around SEND.
That background means she has been on the school side of every conversation a parent might prepare for. She has written EHCPs. She has sat in annual reviews. She has seen what strong SEND provision looks like and what falls short. Now, working independently, she uses that knowledge to help parents understand what to ask for and help schools strengthen what they offer.
Claire’s work is practical and outcome-focused. Whether you are a parent trying to understand a draft plan or a SENDCo building stronger provision, the goal is the same: clear next steps, fewer surprises, better outcomes for children and young people.
How Claire works
Four principles that shape every session
Independent and impartial
Claire works for families and settings, not local authorities or agencies. Her advice is shaped by what is right for the child, not by what is easiest for a system.
Plain English, no jargon
SEND comes with a lot of acronyms and legalese. Claire translates them into language you can actually use in meetings and conversations.
Practical and solution-focused
Every session ends with clear next steps, not a list of concerns. You leave knowing what to do, not just what is wrong.
Bespoke to your situation
No two SEND cases are the same. Claire shapes her support around your specific circumstances, your child, your school, your timeline.
Qualifications
Qualifications and membership
Let’s talk about your situation
Whether you are at the start of an EHCP process, preparing for an annual review, or working out what to do next, a clarity call is the simplest way to find out how Claire can help.
Start with a Clarity Call