Universal strategies to support motor development in young children Eve Hutton & Sue Soan
Half of all 5 year olds ‘not ready’ for school ‘Fair Society Healthy Lives’ (2010) The Marmot Review - Strategic review of health inequalities in England post
In 1 in 4 schools in England, children with Special Educational Needs start school with no additional support and without their needs identified. Ofsted (2014) Early Years Annual Report 2012/13 – Unsure start.
Occupational therapy in school settings ‘‘helping teachers make everyday adjustments that will help a child learn and achieve at school...’’
Professional development resources
Universal strategies Were they useful ? Did they change teaching practices ? Implementation in the school settings ?
Method Four schools – 12 weeks Health & well being practitioners & OT students involved. Interviews with teaching staff. Examples of pupils school work.
Findings Teaching staff reported noticeable improvement in sitting, handwriting & cutlery use in all settings.
Conclusions Links to learning & attainment. Relevance for Foundation & Year 1. Access to specialist support. Promoted collaborative working. Implementation dependent on senior leadership support.
Next steps Further exploration warranted. Health & well being. Opportunities for further research funding. Hutton E, Soan S ( 2015) Lessons learned - introducing universal strategies to support the motor and functional skills of Reception and Year 1 children in a sample of schools in South East England. Education 3-13.
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