SUPPORTING OUR CHILDREN WITH SEND
DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Once again, schools have been closed to the majority of children due to escalating infections. As with other schools, Pelsall Village School was only open to those children who absolutely must attend. Some of these children may have specific SEND, EHCP or vulnerability needs which will be managed in school as normal. However, if such children were staying at home during these challenging times, their class teacher was posting appropriate educational tasks on their class page on the school's website every day as well as offering daily interactive Zoom lessons to help maintain useful contact with school.
As much as possible, it is recommended that children with SEND needs are able to quickly establish a simple but regular routine whenever having to work at home. Using the school's website to access their educational tasks will continue to help give them some reassurance of normality as well as following visual timelines of what needs to be done each day. If you feel your child will benefit from talking through what is going on at the moment, creating pictures to support the conversation will also be of some help to reduce anxiety levels.
If you have any questions or would like some more specific SEND tasks to help your child during this time, please contact me at s.tuckwell@pelsallvillage.co.uk
In the meantime, here is a very comprehensive and very useful website for supporting SEND children and parents at this time https:/nlandeducation.padlet.org/gill finch2/SupportForChildrenandFamilies.
Mrs Tuckwell-Allen
Assistant Head Teacher & SENCo
Pelsall Village School
Updated: January - March 2021
First posted: March - May 2020
Autism West Midlands Parent Webinar Event
Autism West Midlands are holding a webinar for parents, carers and professionals on Thursday 13th May 2021 between 10am and 11.15am.
It aims to explain how autistic people process information and will include explanations on what neurodiversity is, the autistic brain, how autistic people process information and what impact this will have as well as some top tips for supporting autistic people.
To book a place on this webinar for free, go to the Autism West Midlands website (www.autismwestmidlands.org.uk) and click on the https:// link.
FACE Walsall Parent Survey 2021
Attached is an invite from FACE Walsall - Walsall's independent local parent carer forum - to complete a short survey regarding local authority lockdown support for children with SEND. If an email address is left at the end of the survey, parents or carers will be entered into a prize draw with a chance to win a £50 ASDA voucher.
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITY
AT PELSALL VILLAGE SCHOOL
"Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them." (Revised Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs, November 2001).
Therefore, at Pelsall Village School, we will always endeavour:
• to ensure that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum;
• to provide a differentiated curriculum appropriate to the individual’s needs and ability;
• to ensure the identification of all pupils requiring SEND provision as early as possible in school;
• to ensure that SEND pupils take as full a part as possible in all school activities;
• to ensure that parents of SEND pupils are kept fully informed of their child’s progress and attainment;
• to ensure that SEND pupils are involved, where practicable, in decisions affecting their future provision.
At Pelsall Village School, we recognise that many pupils will have special needs at some time during their school life. In implementing this policy, we believe pupils will be helped to overcome their difficulties. Whilst many factors contribute to the range of difficulties experienced by some children, we believe that much can be done to overcome them by parents, teachers and pupils working together.
Mrs Sallyann Tuckwell-Allen,
Assistant Head Teacher and SENCo
Autumn 2020
For further information, please see below:
DATES FOR DIARIES: PARENT & SCHOOL UPDATES
Autumn (2) 2019: SEND PARENT QUESTIONNAIRE; SEND 'DROP IN' at PARENT CONSULTATIONS
Spring (1) 2020: SEND PARENT NEWSLETTER
Spring (2) 2020: SEND 'DROP IN' at PARENT CONSULTATIONS
Summer (1 & 2) 2020: SEND PARENT NEWSLETTER / SEND 'DROP IN' at PARENT CONSULTS (COVID)
Autumn (1) 2020: SEND PARENT NEWSLETTER
Autumn (2) 2020: SEND PARENT QUESTIONAIRE; SEND 'DROP IN' at PARENT CONSULTATIONS
Spring (1 & 2) 2021: SEND PARENT NEWSLETTER / SEND 'DROP IN' at PARENT CONULTS (COVID)
Autism Awareness Week (29th March to April 4th 2021)
At Pelsall Village School, we continue to be an autistic friendly school with our classrooms and teaching methods designed to support not only the 9% of our pupils with ASD tendencies or a diagnosis but all of our SEND children, whether they are on the SEND register or only needing a Personal Learning Plan to help with the challenges of daily life.
As the National Autistic Society will clarify, autism is a spectrum disorder which means that autistic people can have varying support needs. One third of autistic people will also have a learning disability whilst the other two thirds will not. Some autistic people do not have accompanying learning disabilities but may have another learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
The autistic spectrum is not linear, people often talk about the 'spikey profile' which means that someone may be an expert on nuclear physics but unable to remember to clean their clothes. Some autistic people may have high needs and need full time care, some may need a bit of support with day to day activities whilst others may lead fully independent lives. Indeed, parents of autistic children will always advise "don't try to change autistic people. Accept their differences."
If you would like any further information about autism, the National Autistic Society's website is a good starting point: www.autism.org.uk or for local information visit: www.autismwestmidlands.org.uk. Otherwise, please feel free to contact the school SENCo (Mrs Tuckwell-Allen): s.tuckwell@pelsallvillage.co.uk.
COLLINGWOOD AUTISM SUPPORT GROUP
A support group for parents & carers of children with autism. It can be very daunting if your child has been given a diagnosis of autism. Being part of this group, meeting other people going through the same fears, problems & experiences you are can help.
EVERY TUESDAY 7-9pm
Collingwood Centre
Collingwood Drive
Great Barr
Birmingham
B43 7NF
Other Useful Links:
Amazing Things Happen
A short film that explains Autism very well. Appropriate for children too.
Autism West Midlands
Local events for Children and Families, Help and Support, Books and Resources, Outreach
Tel: 0121 450 7582 / 0212 450 7575 / 0303 0300111
http://www.autismwestmidlands.org.uk/
British Dyslexia Association
The BDA is the voice of dyslexic people. Our vision is that of a dyslexia friendly society that enables dyslexic people to reach their potential.
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
The Ear Foundation
The Ear Foundation is the only national UK charity to support and to provide activities for deaf children and young people with cochlear implants, their families and supporting professionals.
http://www.earfoundation.org.uk/
Epilepsy Action
Epilepsy Action is a community of committed to making life better for people with epilepsy by providing advice and support for all ages and their families. See their website for their 2017-21 strategy plan.
http://epilepsy.org.uk/info/children-young-adults
I CAN
I CAN is the charity that helps children with speech and language difficulties across the UK. The charity works to create a society where their special needs are recognised, understood and met, so that they have the same opportunities in life as other children.
The National Autistic Society
The NAS exists to champion the rights and interests of all people with autism and to ensure that they and their families receive quality services appropriate to their needs.
National Deaf Children's Society
The National Deaf Children’s Society is the only UK charity solely dedicated to providing support, information and advice for deaf children and young people, their families and professionals working with them.
National Parent Partnership Services
National Parent Partnership Services offer information, advice and support for parents of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). Your child’s school or your Local Authority will have details of your local service.
http://www.iassnetwork.org.uk/
Resources for Autism
Play and Youth Clubs, Holiday Play Schemes 5-18 ASD
Tel: 01922 654639
Young Minds
Young Minds offer free, confidential online and telephone support, including information and advice, to any adult worried about the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25