Introducing ITV’s Play Time - the groundbreaking new TV show championing SEND children with Céin McGillicuddy and Andy Kinnear
Release Date: 11/09/2025
Breaking the Cycle: How Informed Parents Can Change the SEND System with Samantha Ryan
The SENDcast
Navigating the SEND system can be overwhelming, and many parents find themselves without essential information until it’s too late. Unfortunately, there’s no handbook to guide us. Often, parents only begin to understand SEN processes, the graduated approach, and even SEN law when their child is already struggling. This week, we welcome Samantha Ryan, a neurodivergent mother, SEND advocate, and author. In this insightful episode, Samantha shares her journey as a parent navigating the complex SEND system, advocating for her autistic son who has been out of school since March 2024. With her...
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Introducing ITV’s Play Time - the groundbreaking new TV show championing SEND children with Céin McGillicuddy and Andy Kinnear
The SENDcast
Have you heard of the TV show The Assembly? I’m thrilled to announce that the series director, Céin McGillicuddy and his creative partner Andy Kinnear, have joined Dale on the podcast to discuss their brand-new pilot show on ITV – Play Time! Play Time features six neurodivergent comedians visiting a primary school and are challenged, in the course of one school day, to create and perform an original stage play that’s based entirely on the ideas of a group of 6 to 8 year old school children, many of them from the school’s SEND department. Céin and Andy share their behind-the-scenes...
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Exploring Neuro-Dramatic-Play with Dr Sue Jennings
The SENDcast
In this week’s episode, Dr Sue Jennings, a leading expert in neuro-dramatic play and drama therapy, joins Dale to explore Neuro-Dramatic-Play (NDP). Sue explains that NDP is an attachment-based approach designed to help children, particularly those with negative early experiences, build connections through play. She emphasises the critical role of early attachment, noting that it begins even before birth and is essential for healthy emotional development. Sue shares her incredible stories having worked across over 30 countries, including her time living with a tribal community in Malaysia....
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Specialist Online Provision for Neurodivergent Learners with Cathy Wassell
The SENDcast
The mainstream school environment can be overwhelming for many neurodivergent students, with sensory overload and social challenges often creating significant barriers to learning. Today, we explore an alternative educational pathway that removes these obstacles – a ‘Specialist Online Provision for Neurodivergent Learners’. In this episode, Dale speaks to Cathy Wassall, founder and CEO of the Autistic Girls Network and the Haven Online School. Cathy, a neurodivergent advocate and mother to neurodivergent young adults, shares her journey and insights into how online education can create a...
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The Experiences of Girls in School with Diagnosed/Undiagnosed ADHD with Louise Belshaw
The SENDcast
With ADHD awareness month upon us, we wanted to discuss the important topic of ‘the experiences of girls in school with diagnosed/undiagnosed ADHD’. In this episode, Louise Belshaw, who has ADHD and is a mother to two adult children with the condition, shares her extensive experience as a secondary teacher and her specialisation in ADHD in females. She highlights that: “I've seen too many girls not get the diagnosis, or not go forward with the diagnosis, because they're not being supported by school and the teachers don't know what ADHD in girls looks...
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The Reality of OCD: Creating safe spaces for SEND students with Shaun Flores
The SENDcast
This OCD Awareness Week, I invite you to listen to our latest episode of the SENDcast, featuring Shaun Flores, a mental health advocate and consultant. In this honest and enlightening discussion ‘The Reality of OCD: Creating Safe Spaces for SEND Students’, Shaun sheds light on the often-misunderstood condition of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Trigger Warning: This podcast discusses difficult subjects, including sexual assault. “We understand autism, we understand ADHD, we understand anxiety, we understand depression, we understand dyslexia and dyspraxia and dyscalculia, but we...
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Navigating SEN Parenting: Tools for Thriving with Sharona Smith
The SENDcast
When a doctor or professional asks for details about when, why and where your child’s meltdown occurred, unless you have the most incredible memory, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to remember the finer details. Triggers, timings, environments are all helpful in understanding a child’s behaviour, but how can you keep track of them? “If I had to go speak to my GP or anyone and they said to me, you know what's been going on in the last six months, I'd say, I have no idea.” Sharona Smith Dale had a heartfelt conversation with Sharona Smith, the founder and CEO of Thrive Creations. As a...
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From Anxiety to Attendance: Rethinking SEMH Support with Helen Bray
The SENDcast
Attendance is a national priority, yet many interventions focus on behaviour management rather than addressing underlying SEMH needs. Helen Bray, the Director of SEND for the East Midlands Education Trust, joins Dale today to discuss the impact of SEMH challenges, post-pandemic trauma, and the rise of emotionally based school avoidance on attendance rates. With over 20 years of experience across early years, primary, and secondary education, Helen is incredibly passionate about supporting all pupils to succeed. “It's so isolating and so hard for these children and parents where they just...
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Developing Distributive Leadership in Secondary Schools to Improve Inclusion with Eleanor Sams
The SENDcast
As SEND registers continue to grow and expectations rise across the profession, many SENDCOs are leaving due to overwhelming workloads and lack of support. It’s crucial that we rethink how to empower teachers to meet their students' needs. In today’s episode, Dale was joined by Eleanor Sams, an Assistant Headteacher and SENDCO at the Marvel College in Hull. Eleanor tells us about ‘developing distributive leadership in secondary schools to improve inclusion’ sharing her school’s successful implementation. Their discussion includes: Key challenges for new SENDCOs: The pressure to be...
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Supporting the Transition from Primary to Secondary School for SEN Children with Kirsty Greenwood
The SENDcast
As the new Year 7 cohort settles into secondary school life and the Year 6 students prepare for their upcoming transition, I wanted to highlight this timely topic for our discussion this week. My daughter is about to embark on this journey, and I must admit, the prospect of secondary school feels quite daunting! A recent report revealed that 1 in 4 children disengage during the transition to secondary school, with their enjoyment, sense of safety, and trust significantly declining in the first year. This understandably impacts their attendance. In today’s episode, Dale is joined by Kirsty...
info_outlineHave you heard of the TV show The Assembly? I’m thrilled to announce that the series director, Céin McGillicuddy and his creative partner Andy Kinnear, have joined Dale on the podcast to discuss their brand-new pilot show on ITV – Play Time!
Play Time features six neurodivergent comedians visiting a primary school and are challenged, in the course of one school day, to create and perform an original stage play that’s based entirely on the ideas of a group of 6 to 8 year old school children, many of them from the school’s SEND department.
Céin and Andy share their behind-the-scenes experience of creating Play Time, their inspiration for the show and why they feel it’s important to make inclusive shows like this. Positive representation of SEND in mainstream media, such as Play Time, helps normalise these experiences and reduces the sense of ‘other’ often associated with SEND.
“Play Time is about listening to children that don't usually get heard.”
The show is now available on ITVX and YouTube and will be broadcast on ITV tonight at 11.15pm. Make sure you watch this heart-warming, feel-good show. We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did! Please tell your friends and family and spread the word!
View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop!
Watch the show on
ITVx, YouTube or ITV
Live on ITV
Sunday 9th November at 11.15pm
Watch the Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/1122234831/b93216bdcb
Would you like Play Time to come to your school?
If anyone listening likes the idea of the comedians visiting their school in a future episode, no matter where in the UK you are, please do feel free to drop Céin an email on cein@nannycaddie.co.uk.
About Céin McGillicuddy
Céin McGillicuddy is the comedy writer/director behind comedies Top Coppers, Sexy Murder and Law Man as well as the director of the most recent two series of the BAFTA winning Horrible Histories. Working across both scripted and unscripted, Céin was also the showrunner and series director behind the return of cult hit GamesMaster in 2021 as well as series directing the bold new interview series The Assembly on ITV. Following a late-stage diagnosis for autism, he was inspired to combine his work in comedy and on The Assembly to co-create Play Time; a brand new, charming comedy entertainment format that champions neurodivergent adults and children. Out now on ITVX and YouTube.
About Andy Kinnear
Andy Kinnear is a freelance comedy Editor and writer. A 15 year editing career working on Bafta winning Comedy and Entertainment from Facejacker and Derren Brown, through to scripted comedy such as Harry & Paul, Trying, Cuckoo, Here We Go and Smoggie Queens has established him as one of the most sought after Editors in the industry. His writing partnership with Céin Mcgillicuddy includes cult hit Top Coppers, Sexy Murder and Law Man and their most recent collaboration: Play Time - a brand new, charming comedy entertainment format that champions neurodivergent adults and children. Out now on ITVX and YouTube.
Contact Céin
https://www.instagram.com/ceinmcg/
Contact Andy
Useful Links
- B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk
- Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast
- Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk
- Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
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