Welcome
As your diaries for this academic year are beginning to fill up, please remember to come along to the SEND network meetings to hear important updates from Devon services and meet with colleagues from other settings.
During the Spring term meetings, we will be having an input from the (SpLD) Dyslexia service, DiAS, Early Help and be considering how to support sensory regulation in the classroom.
These events are suitable for both primary and secondary colleagues.
There is a meeting based in each region or online:
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Exminster: Tuesday 6 February 2024 13.00-16.00
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Bideford: Wednesday 7 February 2024 13.00-16.00
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Online: Tuesday 20 February 2024 13.00-16.00
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Totnes: Wednesday 21 February 2024 13.00-16.00
Exminster is looking very popular so be quick to book your space using the button below.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Best wishes
Hannah Chamings, DCC SEND Adviser
SEND Conference on Thursday 6 June 2024: Leading Transformation Together
Join us for our annual SEND conference at Sandy Park, Exeter. The day of informative and inspiring talks and networking opportunities, will explore how we can all build and strengthen a collaborative approach to leading, supporting and transforming SEND provision for our children and young people, and their families, across Devon.
We are thrilled to have two fantastic keynote speakers Natalie Packer, author of 'A Teachers Guide to SEND' and 'The Perfect SENDCo', and Mikey from Mikey’s Wish Foundation.
Natalie will be sharing her knowledge and experience of strategic leadership for SEND and giving practical insights into what it means to create a whole school approach to SEND and Inclusion. Mikey is an inspirational young man who will be telling us his personal experience of verbal dyspraxia, sharing what and who helped him along his journey.
This conference will provide all school leaders, including SENCos, Head Teachers and Trust SEND leads, working across all settings, with the opportunity to reflect on their current practice and provision and consider how we can all work together to develop our practice and achieve the very best for our children and young people.
Click the button below to book your space and bring your Head Teacher for half price!
Following feedback from SENCos and the advisory teams, the SEND RfA form has now moved to an online form which can be accessed here:
Request for access to SEND support - guidance - Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)
There is NO need to refer into a second SEND advisory team, when already engaged with one of our teams. Where you are already engaged with one of our SEND advisory teams (C&I, SEMH or S&P), please maintain contact and consultation with them in the first instance to:
- review impact of recommendations and guidance already provided
- discuss any new identified barriers to learning, and desire outcomes from SEND advisory teacher engagement
Our advisory teams will ensure that, where appropriate, there will be joint working across the teams and/or hand over CYP cases to the best placed team at the best time.
Dates for your diaries:
Click on the course link for more information and how to book.
Autism and Demand Avoidance : Thursday 22 February 2024 9.30-12.00 – Exeter
AET Making Sense of Autism: Schools Tuesday 27 February 2024 10.00-12.00 - online
Sensory processing and autism Thursday 29 February 2024 9.30-12.00 – online
AET - Autism and Anxiety Tuesday 5 March 2024 10.00-12.00 – online
It’s National Storytelling week!
We know that storytelling is a key element in helping children to develop their language skills, including developing vocabulary, supporting understanding and offering opportunities to talk about feelings. One of the ways we can support families to help their children’s language skills is by encouraging them to read to and tell stories to their children.
The National Literacy Trust (NLT), through their Words for Life website, have produced some short videos to help families develop their confidence in telling stories both at home and when out and about. The NLT has also produced a list of books every child should read, divided by age group. If children are not yet able to read the books recommended in their age bracket, these can be read by an adult, with informal talk about the characters and plot. It’s also an opportunity to talk about new words and explore their meaning.
Good Housekeeping's guide: ten must-reads for under fives | Words for Life
Good Housekeeping's guide: ten must-reads for 5 to 7-year-olds | Words for Life
Good Housekeeping's guide: ten must-reads for 7 to 11-year-olds | Words for Life
Good Housekeeping's guide: ten must-reads for 11 to 13-year-olds | Words for Life
If you are looking for inspiration for your book choices in class, our colleagues in the DCC English team share their guidance on ‘texts that teach’, divided by age group and including factual, fiction and poetry choices.
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Are you modifying resources for children and young people in your setting?
Here are some quick keyboard shortcut keys that might speed up resource production!
Crtl + A: This will select all text so you can adjust the font size quickly. Any sans serif font such as Arial is recommended for children and young people with a vision impairment
Crtl + B will turn on Bold
Crtl + C will allow you to copy all text, Crtl + V will allow you to paste and Crtl + X will allow you to cut text
Best practice for paper resources is text to fit on A4 sheet. (This may mean you have to go over several sheets). A3 is too large to scan across and can affect posture.
Reduce visual clutter so children and young people can focus on what is visually relevant. (This will support ALL)
Join RNIB Bookshare: This is a free accessible library for children and young people with vision impairment, dyslexia, autism, ADD and physical disability (if it affects access to print). You can download or print curriculum resources and texts including school reading schemes.
Shortcut keys for your laptops:
Windows key and + (plus) will magnify text
Windows key and - (minus) will reduce the size of text
Windows key + U will allow you to adjust the size of text, mouse or cursor etc
For more information about modifying resources or setting up RNIB Bookshare, please contact your ATVI. Strategies for each curriculum subject are available here: Teaching strategies by curriculum subjects - Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)
Additional SEND ICT advice is available here: SEND ICT - Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)
NHS Devon is offering free asthma training sessions for all education staff. This is a 30-minute session following the standard national training framework for children’s asthma, which should be completed every two years in the school setting.
Training will be delivered by a children and young person’s specialist asthma nurse, who will also be able to answer questions. Following the session there will be fifteen minutes to discuss and enrol to become an asthma friendly school.
Some schools are already in the process of becoming asthma friendly, and this session can be an alternative to the provided e-learning. To achieve asthma friendly status 80% of school staff should be training in asthma care. More information on asthma friendly schools, or getting started please see the My Health Devon Information for schools webpage.
Please complete the Microsoft form if your school is going to attend using this link https://forms.office.com/e/sC4QzvFEQw
For further information or questions please contact Kayleigh Newell kayleigh.newell1@nhs.net.
Please use this link to join the Asthma training and Asthma Friendly Schools on Monday 19 February at 2pm
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Inclusion 2024 Live (Monday 29 January to Friday 2 February) is an interactive online week of free to access, virtual Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Inclusion webinars. |
The week, hosted by the Youth Sport Trust, provides the opportunity for teachers, school staff, community providers and sports organisations to listen to and learn from experienced practitioners and young people.
For more details about the free webinars and how to register, click the button below:
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