General News Archives

SEND Model Policy and Information Report Prompts

This document provides guidance and prompts to help you when you are writing or amending your school SEN Policy and Information Report.

The Recovery Curriculum Resource pack – helping children back into school after lockdown.

The Recovery Curriculum is a framework that will help you support your children and young peoples’ re-engagement with learning after a significant break in face to face education. It is based on the work of Barry Carpenter and the Evidence for Learning team

Missed the virtual SEN Summer Conference? Catch up with the presentations here

We put together an exciting online programme of events at the beginning of July. I was a chance to listen to and ask question of some of the the leaders in the field. Missed it? Many of the sessions were recorded and you can watch them here.

Lipreaders and facemasks – we still have some of our lapel badges left

If you are a lipreader, you may be finding the current situation pretty challenging in shops, on transport and around and about. We've created these lapel badges, that may help - they are available free. Just contact us to get yours.

Webinar: Supporting a child with vision impairment in schools

In this recording of our introductory webinar, we use a an example student (Eddie) to show how our Service supports a visually impaired student, explain conditions that cause vision impairment and examples of advice, technology and mobility/orientation for staff to ensure the student has access to the environment and curriculum.

Makaton signs relating to Covid-19

This document contains key Makaton signs related to Covid-19 which you can use as you talk to people about Coronavirus (Covid-19). Makaton signs are helpful for children and young people with communication needs and learning disabilities. The signs are designed to support spoken language - signs are used with speech, in spoken word order.

Covid-19 – Returning to school for students with a Vision Impairment

For pupils with a Vision Impairment (VI) the challenges of returning to a re-organised school are substantial. Although no two pupils or two school environments are the same, we hope this general advice may help you to consider how you can support children with a vision impairment within your school and classroom.

Webinar: Dyscalculia and Maths Learning Difficulties

This webinar looks at the signs and indicators of Dyscalculia and Maths Learning Difficulties in the primary and secondary classroom, discuss teaching strategies to address these needs and look at the screening and diagnostic process.

Covid-19 – Checking audiological equipment & reducing infection risk!

It is important to have a clear procedure in place for checking audiological equipment. This should ensure the safety of both the child and the adult.

Covid-19 – Returning to school for students with a Hearing Impairment

As we begin to prepare for the gradual return to school, it is important that staff are fully aware of the specific challenges students with HI will face and the impact these challenges may have.

Webinar Series: ‘My Understanding of Deafness’ for primary students

Unlike most of SENDsuccess’s material This 3 part course is designed for students themselves, rather than parents or teachers. This version is for primary students and aims to give them an understanding of deafness and what that may mean for a young person with a hearing loss.

Preparing to come out of lock-down: Social Narratives

These resources have been created by SENDsuccess to help children with autism, or other social communication differences/high anxiety, to prepare for the idea that lockdown will end, and things will begin to get back to normal, albeit a new and maybe different ‘normal’

Webinar Series: ‘My Understanding of Deafness’ for secondary students

Unlike most of SENDsuccess's material This 4 part course is designed for students themselves, rather than parents or teachers. It's for secondary students and aims to give them an understanding of deafness and what that may mean for a young person with a hearing loss. The four parts cover everything from types of hearing loss to how hearing can effect confidence, types of listening device and tips for looking after your mental health.

Understanding Communication: Intensive Interaction – Parent/Carer Guide

Tips for parent/carers on how to effectively use 'intensive interaction' at home.

Sighted Guide: Helping a vision impaired person navigate

A handy guide to help sighted people and vision imapaired people walk together comfortably and safely.

Webinar: Effective transitions for children with SEND in Early Years.

This webinar we look at what nurseries and pre-schools can do make the big move into Reception as smooth a possible, and the preparation that schools need to undertake to help the process.

New initiative from the Early Years and Childcare team: ‘Starting School Together’

The Waltham Forest Council Early Years and Childcare Team have created an initiative called ‘Starting School Together’ – to support schools, early years provision and families help children successfully transition to school. During Covid-19, this will provide a range of support and advice to schools, childcare providers and parents/carers regarding transition. Find out more here

Webinar: strategies to support dyslexic students in the classroom: spelling

This comprehensive webinar discusses the principles of effective teaching of spelling; how to aid student retention of new spelling patterns; how to plan and deliver effective spelling intervention sessions and how to mark spelling to develop students' confidence to write.

Lots of our training sessions are now available as webinars – updated training schedule

In these strange times SENDsuccess is still delivering training to school staff across the borough. Many of these courses are now available for you to view as webinars. Check out out updated trainig course booklet here to see what's already available and what presentations are coming up!

Deafness during Lockdown – a personal reflection

In Deaf Awareness week one of our staff members reflects on what it feels like to be deaf in during lockdown. Day to day, people who are deaf or hard of hearing face many challenges doing tasks that many take for granted. Since the beginning of lockdown and social distancing, this has made tasks even more difficult and, at times, scary and confusing.

Advice and guidance on social distancing and the hearing impaired

This time of social distancing is difficult for everyone, but for people with a hearing impairment it brings many additional challenges. Here's what you can do to make things easier for your HI friends and colleagues.

Advice and Guidance for a Send Support Plan for Hearing Impaired students

All deaf children require a Send Support Plan. In this article we look at what information should be included on this plan to help schools fullfill their statutory duty.

New series of webinars: ‘Supporting young people with hearing impairment in school’ now available

SEND success has just completed a full set of four webinar presentations looking at supporting young people with hearing impairment in mainstream school. You can find all parts on the website now.

Stuck at home: Helping your child understand

Many children with learning disabilities and autism find language difficult. It can be quite easy to spot that a child has difficulties expressing themselves - but they may be quite good at hiding the fact that they also have difficulties understanding others.

Webinar: Lego Therapy

Lego therapy, or Lego club, as many schools call it, can be helpful for children with ASC and social communication – its develops turn taking skills, collaborative skills, joint attention, negotiation and how to ask for and accept help and clarification.