SEN/Inclusion
Swinnow Primary School is a fully inclusive school; we work in partnership with children, parents/carers and other agencies to provide the best possible outcomes for all children. We have high expectations of all our children and put support in place at the earliest possible stage when required.
Summer Term News
Leeds Local Offer for SEND
The Leeds Local Offer is a way of providing information to families with children with special educational
needs and disabilities (SEND) 0 to 25 years old in Leeds.
Their website is being re-launched and is well worth a look. Here is the address:
www.leedslocaloffer.org.uk
Supporting you and your child during the re-opening of school on 8th March 2021
We are very much looking forward to the return of all pupils on Monday 8th March 2021. Once again, be assured that we are putting everything in place to make school as safe as we possibly can for all children and adults. Further information about the re-opening of school will follow in the coming days. If you are a parent/carer of a child with SEND and have any questions or concerns regarding your child's return to school, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at info@swinnowprimary.com putting my name in the subject box. In the meantime, please find below resources that may be of use to you in supporting you and your child in returning to school. Mrs Griffen, SENCo, February 2021.
Click here for a social story that can be used to support children with their return to school on March 8th.
Scope Leeds have produced a workshop on 'Transitioning back to school and activities after Covid 19' Click here to view a recording of the workshop.
If you are worried about your child making the transition from being at home to returning to school, SENDIASS have shared with us what looks set to be a useful workshop run by Ranstad. The workshop is designed for parents/carers to support their children and tackle any anxiety (in both yourself and child) caused by lockdown, Covid-19 or the impending return to school. It will run on Thursday 4th March at 5pm.
To reserve your slot please email:
education@ranstad.co.uk
Supporting you and your child during the second school closure
As I did during the school closures back in March 2020, I will continue to add useful resources, documents and links to support you and your child during this difficult time. Make sure you scroll further down this page for lots of useful resources added during the last lockdown. For those children not in school, your child's learning will be posted daily by their class teacher on either Tapestry (Foundation Stage) or Class Dojo and/or Microsoft Teams (KS1 / KS2). If you or your child require any further support with this please do not hesitate to get in touch. Thank you for all your hard work and support at home so far. We will continue to support all our families however we can over the coming weeks. Take care and stay safe, I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Mrs Griffen, SENCo, Jan 2021
Parenting Support
Leeds Children and Families Public Health Team
We know parenting can be a tough job at the best of times, and we know over the past few months, parents’ resilience has been tested in every way. A blog has been created to link parents up with support, offer ideas for managing stress and tips for taking care of their children’s mental and emotional wellbeing. Follow the link below for details:
https://northleeds.mumbler.co.uk/parenting-in-a-pandemic-support-for-your-mental-wellbeing-in-lockdown-3-0/
Scope
Parents Connect are pleased to announce, a series of workshops to support parents through Lockdown 3, click here for the schedule.
Below you will find the links to a number of recorded zoom workshops to support parents during lockdown
- Supporting positive behaviour at home workshop
- Sensory behaviours at home
- creating personal social stories
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWwhx2mtzrw&feature=youtu.be
- Transitioning back to school and activities after Covid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8-iFeg_pJs&feature=youtu.be
Other
Click here for a useful guide with links to a wide range of resources and websites that may be helpful in supporting you and your child at this challenging time.
Supporting Children
Supporting Children with LD & ASD with COVID Isolation.pdf
STARS have produced lots of useful resources for you to use to support your child during Covid-19. These include a wide range of social stories, symbols and transition resources. Definitely worth a look!
Supporting you and your child during the re-opening of school during Covid-19
I hope you are all enjoying a restful summer break despite the wet weather. We are very much looking forward to the return of all pupils from Monday 7th September 2020. While we recognise this may be a worrying time for some of our families, we wish to assure you that we are putting everything in place to make school as safe as we possibly can for all children and adults. Further information about the re-opening of school will be published on the school website shortly. After reading this information, if you are a parent/carer of a child with SEND and have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at info@swinnowprimary.com putting my name in the subject box. In the meantime, I have added below and will continue to add, resources that may be of use to you in supporting you and your child in returning to school. Mrs Griffen, SENCo, August 2020
Useful Resources
Shielding advice for children and young people from Leeds City Council.
News
SENDIASS have a wonderful new website and new events are being added regularly. Follow the link below to find details of a whole host of useful webinars for parents/carers of children with SEND - most of them are free of charge.
https://sendiass.leeds.gov.uk/events
The SEND Partnership Board would like to hear about families experiences during lockdown.
The survey can be completed online:
Young People: https://surveys.leeds.gov.uk/s/SQADTT/
Parents and Carers: https://surveys.leeds.gov.uk/s/5WZI7M/
Click here to read the Leeds SENDIASS July 2020 Newsletter
Supporting you and your child during school closure March 2020
I have created this section to enable me to share useful resources, documents and websites with you, to support you in helping your child at home. For all our children, especially those with additional needs, this is a challenging and confusing time. I will continue to signpost you to useful information and advice. If you need further support, please don't hesitate to contact me, using the email address below, adding my name to the subject bar. I will contact you by email or telephone with some help and advice. Thank you for all your hard work and support at home so far. We will continue to support all our families however we can over the coming weeks. Take care and stay safe, I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Mrs Griffen, SENCo. March 2020
As we enter the final few weeks of term, we are turning our minds to transition. Even though we are still unsure exactly what school will look like in September, we are thinking about and planning for the return of all our pupils including those with SEND, whenever that may be. Everyone has been invited to a transition session which is an opportunity for children to meet their new class teacher. At these sessions, your child will receive an 'All About Me Booklet' to complete with you and return to school (if you don't receive this, it could be that your child doesn't need one, also if your child can't attend the transition session I will post one to you). We will be sending out the 'Transition Mats' as soon as we have more information about how schools will return. If I feel your child will benefit, I have arranged for the staff in your child's new class to send a postcard or two over the summer holiday. If you feel like you need to discuss your child's transition further, please don't hesitate to contact me by email or by telephoning the school. Please see below a PowerPoint presentation produced by STARS that you may find useful. Mrs Griffen, SENCo. July 2020
Transition
Transition Advice PowerPoint from STARS - useful advice for parents regarding your child's transition.
Helping your child with Speech and Language Development
Let’s Get Talking - a wonderful set of resources and game ideas to encourage speaking and listening.
The CSLT toolkit-Leeds Community Health Care link- you can find numerous free resources to help your child with all aspects of speech and language development.
If your child has an individual plan for speech and language you should have a copy of this at home. If not, or you need further resources to support you in delivering the targets at home, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me.
Helping your child with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs
youngminds.org.uk- this has lots of advice and information for families.
Mindmate Spa Contact number 0300 555 0324
For children over the age of 10, kooth.com offer online councillors, resources and support.
Learning support
https://dyslexia-assist.org.uk/ - This website has lots of pictures, game links, video links and tips on helping your child.
Crick software is offering every school and parent free access to their reading and writing support software. Type the link below into your browser bar, then follow the instructions. Add the code when prompted.
Link: http://www.cricksoft.com/home-installation.
Code for Windows/Mac machines: 8526P 863XU UGYQK 6D098
Code for tablets: FA 1T2P 7ATF KF7
For those children with working memory difficulties, click here for some activity ideas.
Supporting children with Autistic Spectrum Condition
http://www.starsteam.org.uk/coronavirus-resources. This contains some useful information and resources to help your child understand the current situation.
autismeducationtrust.org This website has some useful information and the progression frameworks, where you can identify specific targets for your child to work on.
The following resources were created and contributed by one of our parents of a child with ASC:
Exercise and Sensory Activities
Keeping a routine - example daily plan
Home-schooling my child with Autism
Other resources:
SEND Coronavirus resources
What to do in a lock down - ideas compiled by SCOPE
The Coronavirus - A Social Story
Hand-washing tips for people with sensory difficulties
Sheffield NHS coronavirus resources - includes a ‘hibernation pack’, talking about feelings, daily activity symbols, visual schedules for home and much more.
Explaining about the Coronavirus
A child-friendly explanation of the Coronavirus
Coronavirus - a book for children
Dave the dog - a picture book explaining Coronavirus for Early Years children
Bereavement support
Supporting children with bereavement in this situation.
Parent Guide strategies and resources for supporting bereavement
General support
Go Noodle - active screen time using dance, yoga, mindfulness and games.
Dough Disco - this is a Youtube channel that works with music and rhyme to develop children’s fine motor skills. Great fun!
Phonics Play - free to use during this period. Children can use the site at home without their parents needing to subscribe. To access resources all you need to do is log on using the following details.
Username: march20
Password: home
ReadingWise - online reading programmes which can be accessed from home.
World of David Walliams - listen to free audio stories.
SENDIASS - click here to view their May Newsletter.
Other websites
The local authority has set up a specific link on the “Local Offer” website that provides information and advice around SEND needs and the support available at the present time. Click below:
https://leedslocaloffer.org.uk/#!/search/list?query=COVID19
National deaf children's society - https://www.ndcs.org.uk/covid-19-coronavirus-support-for-deaf-children/
twinkl.co.uk - this site has a wealth of resources for all subject areas, ages and learning needs.
Don't forget, there are lots of other useful website links further down this page.
SEND Information Report and Policies
Swinnow Primary School's SEND Information and 'Our Offer'
SEND Provision
Identifying children with SEND
Contact SENCo
Mrs Griffen is our SENCo (special educational needs coordinator). If you would like to speak to her, please telephone the school office or e-mail info@swinnowprimary.com.
SEND News
On Monday 2nd March 2020 a number of adults in school took part in a Makaton Taster Training Session led by the NHS Speech and Language Team. They thoroughly enjoyed learning a wide range of Makaton signs!
This half term, Year 5 have been taking part in Lego Club with Mrs Griffen, our school SENCo. Lego is an excellent resource to support children in developing their communication and interaction skills as well as their motor skills and problem-solving skills. Each week, the children worked as part of a group of three, to construct a Lego model by following a set of pictorial instructions. Each person within the group was assigned a role: supplier, engineer or builder and the team had to communicate effectively, listen to each other, support each other and persevere to achieve the end goal.
On the parent questionnaires, completed at our recent Parent's Evening, one parent suggested we promote deaf awareness - What a great idea! National Deaf Awareness Week is w/c 4th May 2020 - look out for work going on across school around this time.
Parent support group for children with additional and special needs - click here for details of November meetings
Dyslexia Awareness Week - 7th October 2019 - 13th October 2019
On Monday 7th October 2019 Mrs Griffen delivered a Dyslexia Awareness Assembly to Years 1 - 6 as part of Dyslexia Awareness Week. Thank you to all the children for their respectful listening and thoughtful contributions.
Please follow this link to see the PPT used in the assembly.
Autism Awareness Assembly - On Monday 25th March 2019 Mrs Griffen delivered an Autism Awareness Assembly to Years 1 - 6 ahead of World Autism Awareness Week (w/c 1/04/19). Thank you to those parents that attended and thank you to Vicky Clifton, our SEND Governor, who also attended.
Please follow this link to see the PPT used in the assembly.
Useful Contacts / Websites
Information and advice, for parents/carers, children, and young people with Special Educational Needs.​​
Click here to read their November 2019 Newsletter.
Click here to read their January 2020 Newsletter.
Click here to read their May 2020 Newsletter.
Click here to read their July 2020 Newsletter.
Leeds SENDIASS are delivering a series of new Drop In SEND Advice sessions for parents and carers and young people at venues across the city this spring.Click here for more details.
STARS -
STARS are a team of autism specialists who offer advice and training for schools. They also offer drop-in sessions and workshops for parents at Leeds City Library. Click below to download the leaflet.
STARS Drop-in sessions 2019-20
Leeds and District ABC Support Group is a regional resource for parents of children with an autistic spectrum condition. They aim to provide help, support and advice about services, facilities, education, care and welfare for parents and families of children displaying Autistic Spectrum Conditions including Asperger’s Syndrome in the local community of residents in Leeds and surrounding areas.
Click here to download the March 2020 Newsletter.
Advice, support and various services for disabled people and their families.
ERIC -
The Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity - offers support with continence problems, potty training, bed-wetting, bowel problems etc.
Pudsey Cluster is a collaboration of support services that work in partnership with children, young people, families and other professionals.
Downloadable resources to help you support your child's speech and language development.
Useful Documents
EHCP assessment information pack