Judith James Independent Special Education Consultant

Background

New challenges in the mainstream classroom O Many children with cerebral palsy are placed in mainstream O Teachers are usually very inexperienced in this area O Can we create an integrated approach in mainstream?

All mainstream teachers are under pressure… O Target setting / progress – achieving standards – Ofsted! O Planning for the individual needs of lots of SEND children / providing specific work/modifying tasks O Managing a timetable that may now include visiting professionals who withdraw the child or want to observe O Having to direct the teaching assistant and getting time for feedback / dialogue O Liaising with professionals, getting advice and training, being able to implement this O Learning new and specialist information…

Feedback from teachers… O I worry that he is not making enough progress O I don’t have any time for feedback as the TA goes home at the same time as the children O The TA meets the therapists so I’m not sure what goes on O He keeps missing maths/science/literacy O There are so many people coming – what about the rest of the class? O It is really hard to fit in all of the extra things – physio, additional reading, the maths catch up programme, the occupational therapy tasks O His mum is really anxious and always on the phone

But it is possible… O Kit is in year 2 in a mainstream school. He has dystonic cerebral palsy which means he has significant problems with communication, mobility and some associated learning difficulties. He is a switch user, is beginning to use eye gaze and is managing to keep up with his peers.

How does his package work? O There is a combination of independent (privately funded) therapists working with colleagues from the public sector – excellent relationships have been established O Large but open MDT meetings support dialogue, sharing of ideas and agreeing who does what, and helps to monitor progress O Teachers and assistants have been trained to support specialist approaches and they share their worries and queries when they meet new challenges O School are confident in using packages such as Clicker and equipment such as standing frames and walkers. O Parents take a lead role in liaising and providing consistency in approaches between home and school

O Care staff at home support school work and reinforce learning in core areas. They have joined in training with school staff to ensure consistency in approaches. O Parents maximise opportunities such as taking his walker to the supermarket O He is encouraged to accept help from his brother at home, peers in school to reduce reliance on adults O Staff have been trained to have high expectations and not to promote learned helplessness

Creating opportunities; having a go…