Author name: lorraine

Studen playing Clarion
SEND

Treloar School Triumphs with NASS ‘Breaking Barriers’ Award

The National Association of Independent Schools & Non-Maintained Special Schools (NASS) has awarded Treloar School the 2023 award for ‘Breaking Barriers’, in recognition of the music department’s work to teach their students to learn and play music using Clarion. Working together with Open Up Music, Treloar’s has been teaching students to play the ground-breaking instrument, Clarion, which allows the musician to play with any part of the body, including eye movement. The instrument adapts to the musician, not vice versa, making it a creative and accessible way for physically disabled students with complex disabilities to express themselves through music and progress to high levels of performance skills.   Using iPads and PCs, students at the Hampshire based school can all play the instrument using their own particular abilities; each student can play Clarion in a different way.  Lisa Bond, Head of Treloar School, said: â€œTreloar School provides expert and compassionate care and learning for students with physical disabilities, many of whom also have communication needs, sensory impairment and / or learning difficulties.  An example of this support is the curriculum and innovative practice from the music department. The music team and students alike are determined that their disability should not prevent them from expressing themselves through music. All students across the school are provided with music sessions which provide a powerful and creative outlet whilst enriching and opening up opportunities and interests for the future.” Treloar’s currently has two orchestras, the Treloar School Open Orchestra and the Treloar College Open Orchestra, and offers students one-on-one Clarion tuition. The orchestras, each made up of up to ten students, have performed at internal and external concerts, including at the School’s Christmas concert. Clarion enables the students to develop their musical skills with the same progression route as that of a typical orchestral instrument. A total of six pupils and former pupils have been accepted into the National Open Youth Orchestra, and after Treloar’s took part in ABRSM Pilot workshops, Clarion will now be part of their formal assessments. Martin Ingram, Principal of Treloar School and College, said: â€œYears ago, students would not have had access to such great technology, and forms of expression. By breaking down these barriers, musical education at Treloar School has created a fantastic opportunity for the students here, which we hope will inspire teachers and young people across the country. Clarion has helped us to make huge leaps forward in making musical performance accessible for our students and it is a pleasure to see, and to hear, their progress!” Jocelyn Watkins, Director of Music, Treloar School and College, said:“Clarion enables all our students to take part in musical performing, and composing, in a meaningful way; the instrument is flexible in its set up which means our physically disabled students can access the instrument fully and it allows for progression, as on more traditional instruments. Clarion adapts to the student, rather than the other way round, and can be played on iPads, using eye gaze technology as well as by using smart navigation. Since taking part in the Clarion pilot many years ago, we have ensured that all students have access to Clarion and staff are trained on how to use it and support students playing it. We have students who have never been able to play a musical instrument independently, who now find that not only can they play with great control and expression, but they can take part in the wider world of music and its community.”

SEND-Friendly spaces are important for some children
SEND

Four Top Tips to Create an Inclusive SEND-Friendly Space

With over 1.5 million children in the UK recognised as having special educational needs (SEN), the demand for spaces that cater to those who require extra support is growing. The number of children requiring SEN support has increased by 87,000 since 2022 alone, but less than 10% of these children attend schools that can meet their particular needs. The majority of children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) requirements are typically expected to thrive within the same home and play spaces as those who don’t require additional support. National decorating contractor Bagnalls works with colour specialist partner AkzoNobel, famous for its Dulux branded paints, to develop an understanding of how colour can help prioritise wellbeing for those with SEND needs. Bagnalls and AkzoNobel recommend the following four tips to create a positive and soothing SEND-friendly space using colour and light. Key findings Select your shade carefully Colour helps young children to navigate a space and gain an understanding of their surroundings. Colours such as bright red and yellow are often used in primary classrooms to attract attention and engage. Using bright, warm-toned colours can stimulate creativity and increase energy during play. However, these bright shades can be unsettling for those who experience hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity. Dawn Scott, a colour expert at AkzoNobel, agrees, explaining “It’s best to avoid yellows, reds and oranges as these tones can trigger hypersensitivity and create an overwhelming atmosphere. The best colours to craft a calming space are harmonious, muted colours.” Cooler tones, such as blue and green, encourage more peaceful sensory play. Cooler tones are calming and studies have shown that colours such as lavender and aqua can help to reduce stress. Neutral tones, such as pale grey and tan, can also lower stress levels. Therefore, these colours are great choices for bedrooms, particularly for children who get frustrated around bedtime. Orange can help to stimulate feelings of hunger, so is the perfect choice for the kitchen of a fussy eater, while purple works to diminish appetite but can produce a sense of calm and stability. Finding a balance between warmer and cooler shades is important in all spaces. Understanding the specific requirements of those using the room is essential. As Dawn says, “Always consider the end user group and the intended use of the space when selecting your colours.” Consider age range Colour sophistication develops as we grow. Dawn stipulates that “fresher, brighter colours are more appropriate for a younger audience. Greyed-off, muted and richer tones are more trend-led and therefore aimed at older children.” Colour is still important for the older age ranges, but allowing older children to choose a tone that makes them feel positive will help with independence as well as overall wellbeing. Although primary brights appeal to developing senses, whether used within the classroom, at home or in a space reserved for play, these tones can be overwhelming, making the area inaccessible to those with SEND needs. Selecting a calmer, sky blue for your child’s bedroom over a bright, neon blue will create a restful atmosphere that is still engaging for your little one. Yellow is associated with learning, making it a great choice for a classroom setting. Instead of opting for a harsh, overly bright yellow, try a softer, pastel tone. Lean into the light Light is crucial. The amount and direction of light within a room can affect the levels of calm, concentration and imagination possible within a space. Always consider light reflectance values (LRVs) – the measure used to quantify how light or bright a colour is. Dawn recommends using “cooler tones in southerly sunny rooms and warmer shades in northerly shady rooms to help balance the reflection of light and make the space feel comfortable.” If your room is particularly small, you’ll want to capitalise on the light available to you to make the space seem bigger and brighter. However, you don’t need to stick to lighter colours to achieve a sense of a larger space. Darker, richer tones, such as royal blue and forest green, can trick your mind and give the illusion of endless space and colour. Whilst this trick is beneficial for those who are not easily overstimulated, those with extra SEND needs may find a space decorated in deeper colours overwhelming. If glare is becoming an issue, causing eye strain and fatigue, Dawn suggests “putting a stronger accent colour opposite your window to absorb some of the glare and bounce less light around the room.” Almost all children who live with blindness or vision impairment also have additional SEND needs. For those who are visually impaired, LRVs are extremely important. 96% of those registered blind in the UK are able to detect some level of light. Contrast plays an important role in ensuring accessibility within a space. Always consider tonal contrast and make sure the saturation of two contrasting colours is significant, as those with low vision may find it difficult to differentiate between two similar tones. Complementary colour combinations are also difficult for those with vision impairment to differentiate, such as red and green or orange and blue. These combinations can be jarring and overwhelming for many. Try sticking to a single colour palette, either red or green, instead of combining the two. By being aware of the light within your space and understanding the role contrast plays in wayfinding, you can ensure your space is accessible to everyone. Using brighter, primary colours in a selective way can enable further accessibility, especially when it comes to play and imagination. Bagnalls recently completed some important painting within a playground that makes it easier for visually impaired students to identify landmarks and potential hazards. Invest in colourful furniture Overly bright primary colours can be intimidating and overwhelming for many with SEND needs. By adding pops of engaging colour via furniture instead, you can create a space that is accessible for everybody. Dawn recommends a “neutral colour scheme to create a calming atmosphere that the addition of colourful furniture can enhance.” The beauty of having colourful furniture is that you can move

A little girl, with a daisy in her hair wearing a short sleeved light blue dress, with 2 thumbs up, on a sunny day with grass in the background.
News

Neurodiversity Celebration Week Launches 2023 Campaign

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (Neurodiversity Week, NCW) has released its 2023 events schedule and resources. This year’s campaign (13th â€“ 19th March 2023) is set to be the biggest yet and will see 24 free virtual events across 7 days. Over 70 speakers are engaging in educational and inspiring conversation around neurodiversity, through sharing their lived experience and professional expertise. To date, Neurodiversity Celebration Week has seen over 2,600 schools, 200 universities, 1.4m students, 1,200 organisations and 150 charities from around the world pledge their support for the campaign. This year is set to be another record-breaking week, and the team behind the campaign are looking forward to celebrating different minds and continuing to raise global awareness of neurodiversity. The event schedule and free resources for 2023 are now available on the NCW website, and includes guides, presentations, videos, a brand new social media pack, and suggestions on how you can celebrate neurodiversity throughout the week. Neurodiversity Week is a worldwide initiative founded by Siena Castellon in 2018. It challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences and aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organisations and individuals with the opportunity to recognise the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent. In 2022, the campaign partnered with Lexxic, a leading specialist psychological consultancy and pioneers in the field neurodiversity. With their mission to create a world where all minds belong, they are proud to be supporting Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Aidan Healy, Neurodiversity Celebration Week Campaign Director commented: “The Campaign tagline for Neurodiversity Celebration Week is ‘Celebrating Different Minds’. We chose that because for us, neurodiversity is more than labels like Dyslexia, Autism or ADHD. The campaign is more than ‘raising awareness’ or simply highlighting a challenge to be recognised by society. “To celebrate neurodiversity, we also want to highlight what’s positive about it! It is about thinking about things in a different way than the majority, than the cultural norm. It is about having unique strengths, talents and perspectives that come from thinking differently. And every society or organisation would be better if it was more inclusive of diverse thinkers. “We want everyone to feel they can take part and Neurodiversity Celebration Week and that it captures the different voices we have in our community.” Neurodiversity Celebration Week welcomes everyone to get involved and help support a worldwide culture of neuro-inclusivity. All the events and resources are free to attend and access. To find out more and get involved please visit neurodiversityweek.com

NASEN 2022 Awards - Assistive Technology Training Programme
News

nasen to Lead DfE-Funded Assistive Technology Training Programme in Partnership with Microlink

nasen – the National Association for Special Educational Needs – is inviting expressions of interest from schools in England to take part in the Assistive Technology Training Test and Learn Pilot, announced last month by the Department for Education. The pilot, which is funded until August 2023, will involve staff from 150 maintained mainstream schools in England receiving free-to-access training to improve the way they use assistive technology (AT). Delivered with partners at Microlink, the training will encourage staff to use technology which they already have available to them to reduce or remove the barriers to learning for all children and young people, including for learners with SEND. Schools interested in participating should visit www.nasen.org.uk to express their interest and be kept updated with details about the training offer and next steps in the application process. The programme builds on the success of a previous AT Training Pilot, which also saw nasen collaborate with Microlink, to run online training sessions to nominated AT Champions in around 80 schools in England. Then, as now, the partnership brought together expertise in AT and SEND, along with an understanding of the day-to-day operation of schools and how assistive technology supports an inclusive classroom for all learners – both with and without SEND. nasen CEO, Annamarie Hassall MBE, said: “Assistive Technology has an increasingly important role to play in education for all children and young people, and we know that its effective use can be empowering – even life-changing – for a learner with SEND or learning differences. “nasen is thrilled to have been selected by the Department for Education to run this programme, and delighted to be teaming up with Microlink once more to help ensure all learners are given the tools required to enable progress and achieve the best outcomes.” Marius Frank, Head of Education and Project Lead at Microlink, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be working once again in partnership with nasen. The feedback we received from primary and secondary schools participating in the pilot programme earlier this year was fantastic. The moment teachers release the power of Assistive Technologies in mainstream classes, so many children and young people get almost immediate benefits.” To find out more and to express interest in a place on the programme, visit www.nasen.org.uk. Successful applicants will be informed by the end of January, with the first training sessions being delivered by the end of March 2023.

Dan White the author of the new children’s book cluster 'Look, Brook', part of Pearson’s Bug Club collection for primary readers Superheroes with disabilities
Blog

Superheroes with disabilities – author Dan White on his new Bug Club books

When was the last time you read a book that featured a dynamic character with a disability? How many plot lines can you recall in which ‘having a disability’ was not the primary focus of a character’s story? The reality is, there’s little out there showing children with disabilities in a strong, positive light; full of action and adventure; with characters who get into mischief, explore, dream, misbehave and show the strength and confidence we want to inspire in all children and young people across the country. When my daughter Emily, who uses a wheelchair, was at school, she used to get so frustrated, she found no characters in books that she could relate to. No narratives that aligned with her experiences. As an author and as an illustrator, I felt it was time things changed. Inclusion is not a delusion – that’s my motto, and it’s what informs my work every day. A few years ago, I created a series of books around five superheroes with disabilities. Just like any other superhero stories, they all had a special power and got involved in some great adventures, it just happened to be that these superheroes all had a disability. Daredevil is blind, Professor X is paraplegic, Pawsy has a hi-tech running blade, Claypole uses a white cane and Brook uses a wheelchair. None the less, they were still able to save the day. Importantly, both to me and society as a whole, is that these stories don’t infantilise or explain disabilities to readers too clinically but instead, provide the opportunity to bridge the gap between children with additional needs and their peers. When Pearson approached me to write a cluster of books for their Bug Club range, I was delighted. I jumped at the chance of writing more stories that all children, including those with disabilities, can relate to and engage with. Stories where characters with disabilities are centre stage. This particular cluster of books focuses on Brook, a young girl who uses a wheelchair and is very proud of her disability, and indeed, empowered by it. Her confidence and determination take her on a world of adventures, fulfilling the dreams, aspirations and goals that she and many other children today have. In the first book, Brook finds herself travelling to the moon. In the second, she enters a time machine, encountering a range of inspiring people from the past who have disabilities, and in the third book, Brook meets children who are new to using a wheelchair. I wanted this particular story to focus on the transition some children go through to help them understand that it doesn’t have to be scary. Brook teaches them how much they can still do. Playing football, swimming, playing with their friends who are on skateboards and more! It’s all possible. It’s important that as readers, we understand the experiences of all children and appreciate that despite their difficulties, they can push the boundaries, they can – and perhaps more importantly – will achieve. Walking down a street and seeing a child with a disability, whether they are in a wheelchair, unable to walk in the same way, or even sound or look the same, will always be fascinating to some children, but by sharing stories and adventures like Brook, we have a chance to broaden understanding and acceptance. We need more positive texts – picture books, written stories, poetry and more – where characters with disabilities shine through, because all children, whatever their background or ability, have a right to feel represented. Dan White is the author of the new children’s book cluster ‘Look, Brook’, part of Pearson’s Bug Club collection for primary readers. To explore the full Bug Club range, visit https://bit.ly/3TV2krT

Kieron Lee, one of Anna's charity Ambassadors and a past Autism's got Talent performer attending the JAAQ Mental Health Social Media Platform launch event
News

Introducing JAAQ – mental health social media platform

JAAQ is a new mental health social media platform and brings together world-leading mental health professionals to answer thousands of questions about all kinds of topics.  Autism charity Anna Kennedy Online is backing JAAQ after Anna was approached by Danny Gray and the JAAQ team to be one of the 50 first content creators for this new Social Media Mental Health platform.  JAAQ were so blown away by Anna Kennedy’s enthusiasm and drive that they agreed to film the well known performing arts show Autism’s got Talent this year. They have also agreed to film next year’s show since they said this was a fantastic platform for talented autistic children and adults to showcase their talent . Kieron Lee, one of Anna’s charity Ambassadors and a past Autism’s got Talent performer, launched his debut single at the JAAQ Mental Health launch in Central London last week. Kieron said: “It has been an absolute honour and privilege to work with JAAQ on the official music video for my debut single ‘NYN.’ “I cannot thank the team of lads for believing in me and making someone who often feels misunderstood so comfortable and appreciated. “The team at JAAQ have inspired my drive to raise more awareness surrounding mental health and autism. These people are helping shape a better tomorrow and it is so inspiring. “The official music video was premiered at the JAAQ launch and the experience was surreal. I was so proud and honoured to be a part of something that will change the lives of so many. “I’d like to thank Ash & Yoni who stuck with me through this entire journey, two of the nicest people I have ever met. I can’t wait for what the future has in store. “It has been an honour to do this alongside, Anna Kennedy who I am super thankful for. “Please check out the video on the official platform of JAAQ and browse the platform and get advice on a huge range of topics from world experts.” Anna Kennedy added: “I am so proud of our Charity Ambassador Kieron Lee he blew everyone away at the launch event. His voice filled the room leaving many in tears’ “Congratulations to Danny and Team JAAQ, an amazing Mental Health and Social Media Platform. The site is now live and will be evolving and populating each week. “I am proud to be a content creator of JAAQ. This is an amazing platform to spread the word about the work of our charity and to raise autism awareness and acceptance through my experience as a founder of autism services, founder of Anna Kennedy Online autism charity, and my own personal experience as a mother and wife. “There’s lots more to come on this Social Media platform and the perfect place to ‘Just Ask a Question ‘“This is going to be a fantastic platform for our charity sharing our work.  It is completely free no costs involved and such a useful resource.” Register with JAAQ to keep updated www.jaaq.org Born Anxious Kieron Lee ACRONYMS T-Shirt Kieron Lee “NYN” Click here to download from Spotify Kieron Lee “NYN” Click here to download from Amazon

QTrobot
Schools and Colleges

Options Autism hail Roger the robot for boosting pupils’ social skills

Philippa Whipp – a headteacher who believes we are only just beginning to discover the potential innovative educational technologies such as AI can offer to autistic learners – says it’s time to embrace cutting edge ed-tech. Her school, Acorn Park independent school in Norfolk is backed by Options Autism, which has schools and services across the country to help children and young people with additional needs. She says: “With innovation and creativity at the heart of Option Autism’s continual progression and development of provision for pupils and in extending the expertise of staff, we were excited to take part in the pilot study to research the benefits of introducing QTrobot by LuxAI, into our schools. It gave us the opportunity to explore the potential of this cutting-edge technology to enhance learning and support the development of socially empowering life skills. “QTrobot is an expressive social robot designed as an assistive tool for teachers and therapists alike, to support autistic children and young people. The robot offers pupils engagement opportunities and interactions – speech, facial expressions, and movements – that are predictable, consistent, and non-judgemental. QTrobot creates a third party in the learning experience, celebrating correct responses and guiding the children through verbal and visual prompts. “It often takes lots of time and planning to introduce a new piece of kit, so we were very happy to discover that we literally just needed to take QTrobot out of the box and turn it on, and simply connect two tablets – one for the learner, one for the teacher. The teacher controls the input to the robot, while prompts for a visual or verbal response appear on the learner’s tablet, after which it returns to a blank screen. It is extremely simple and intuitive to operate, so it can be used by non-specialists. Alongside various pre-set routines and games, easily accessible programming tools allow new content to be built. This opens up many more possibilities, such as bespoke tasks and responses tailored to a child’s needs and based upon specific progressive learning expectations for that individual. “Our pupils are very comfortable interacting with technology. Gaming, for example, offers a predictable, consistent environment – if they are unsuccessful in a gaming situation, they simply start the game again – QTrobot offers a similar non-judgemental learning experience. “Initially, QTrobot – or ‘Roger’ as he is now called, stayed in my office – a non-threatening introduction for our pupils. We began with the simplest functionality – programmable speech. It soon became apparent that even our older pupils, whom we had assumed would not be interested, decided Roger was ‘cool’ enough to acknowledge with a wave. This ‘natural’ introduction allowed the pupils to see that Roger was not authoritarian in any way, and did not place demands on those interacting with him. There were also ‘silly moments’ when Roger would say something funny, and the children became very relaxed towards him. “Staff began requesting classroom visits from Roger, he rapidly became a regular part of everyday, and this revealed some unanticipated benefits for our teaching staff. They observed his deliberate, precise teaching style, maintaining consistently positive interactions, and the progress children made. When children responded incorrectly to questions, Roger remained non-judgemental and placed no demands upon them, he provided them with scaffolding and opportunities to rethink and try again, and if they were unsuccessful after several attempts he simply modelled the correct response. “It was like coaching by ‘osmosis’, as staff recognised Roger’s impact on the children. Asking and responding to questions and answers in this way, is more conducive to learning for autistic pupils and avoids feelings of frustration or ‘failure’. Roger has been very successful connecting with all our pupils – our non-verbal children also respond positively to him, mirroring his movements. “In the future, we are considering using Roger to help pupil’s transition into school, especially for children who have been out of school for prolonged periods of time – adapting to a new environment and everything that that entails can be daunting. Roger would act as a bridging tool between home and school, explaining daily expectations and delivering messages in a non-directive, predictable way, and providing assurance and support. “Working with the development team at LuxAI, it’s very apparent that their focus is on cognitive impact rather than clever animatronics. In fact, QTrobot’s lack of ‘human-ness’ is an asset. There are no confusing gestures or facial expressions – a simple wave or smile, one that our pupils become accustomed to – means they can read those cues and focus on their learning, rather than trying to decode behaviours. “We entered the pilot with open-minds, we had no pre-set targets and Roger has surpassed our initial expectations. We are still discovering his potential, but he’ll never take the place of a teacher or therapist. However, he’s an incredibly useful piece of tech and is providing an innovative approach to enhancing our pupils’ learning, and supporting the development of socially empowering life skills.” By Philippa Whipp, Head of School, Acorn Park School, Norfolk – an independent specialist school catering for pupils aged 5-19 with autism and associated conditions, part of Options Autism.

CGI helps SEN students safely navigate new experiences
SEND

CGI helps SEN students safely navigate new experiences

CGI has created a virtual reality (VR) environment in a pro-bono project for Bettridge School, a school for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The school wanted to safely present social situations and common place daily events to students which are a vital part of their education. Working with teaching staff at the school, CGI developed a web and virtual reality application that allows students to experience everyday social interactions, such as a trip to a supermarket. The application also enables the school to directly build new scenarios in the future. A team from CGI’s Emerging Technology Lab in Gloucester delivered the application using imagery captured from 360-degree cameras. Tesco enabled a digital capture of a local store which students can now safely investigate in a realistic and meaningful manner. The VR application can accommodate students with different abilities to explore scenarios that can be either teacher-guided or student-driven depending on specific needs and objectives.  Jo Bleasdale, Headteacher at Bettridge School said; “I’m blown-away by the technology and knowing how it will build pupils’ confidence going from the virtual world to reality. The impact of this project has been far beyond what I imagined. Working in collaboration with the CGI team has really delivered what we set-out to achieve and it is great to have worked in partnership with a local organisation.” Patrick Hutchings, Senior Vice President Consulting Services for Secure Innovation and Advisory at CGI, said: “It has been wonderful to see pupils really benefitting and enjoying using our VR application and the difference it’s making to their education. Part of CGI’s culture is to build relationships with the communities in which we live and work.  This pro-bono project was put forward by one of our employees who identified an application of our technology that could make a real difference to the school’s pupils. We hope to build on this very successful example with other schools and groups.” CGI is proud of being a responsible business and is committed to a more inclusive and sustainable world.  As part of CGI’s commitment as a responsible business it aims to build relationships with the communities in which CGI members live and work. This is done through employees’ activities such as volunteering, fundraising and pro bono initiatives that use their technical knowledge to enable, benefit and create a positive impact for local communities. 

Brick Lane School Outside Seating area
News

Eagerly awaited new school for autistic 5-18 year olds opens in Tower Hamlets, East London

Brick Lane School, Tower Hamlets – a beautifully refurbished new provision, designed to meet the needs of young people aged 5 -18 with a primary diagnosis of autism – recently opened its doors to welcome the first cohort of excited students and staff. Situated on Bacon Street in the heart of the Brick Lane community, the school is the first inner London provision to be opened by Options Autism, an award-winning organisation that operates a nationwide network of schools for autistic young people, associated complex needs and behaviours that challenge. The eagerly awaited new facility – located on the site formerly occupied by St Matthias Primary School – features nine spacious classrooms including an early years section, dedicated science, ICT, art and food tech teaching rooms and a library. Also included is a newly fitted school kitchen for the provision of breakfast and lunch in the catering hall, three play spaces, a sports centre and communal areas, staff room, reception and school offices. The refurbishment has been carefully engineered to create an environment suited to meet the needs of all the Year 1 to Year 13 pupils. The school with capacity for 76 pupils, takes referrals from Tower Hamlets and the surrounding local authorities of Camden, City of London, Hackney, Islington, Southwark and Westminster – all within a 30-minute school run. Transport links are good with Shoreditch High Street overground station and numerous bus routes a short five-minute walk from the school. Adam De Vecchi, the inspirational new headteacher at Brick Lane, has over 12 years’ experience working with children and young people with autism and learning needs. He explained the school’s vision, “Brick Lane School aims to build positive futures for all our young people by providing a unique, safe and secure environment that best meets the needs of children with an autism spectrum condition (ASC) diagnosis residing in the local area. “With a 4:1 pupil/staff ratio in each class of up to 8 pupils – the teachers and their teaching assistants can be far more creative and flexible in their approaches to learning and teaching than is possible in most mainstream schools. Our broad and balanced curriculum will be tailored to meet the needs, abilities, interests and future aspirations of each pupil. â€œThe in-house multi-disciplinary team comprising a clinical psychologist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, plus other therapeutic staff will provide further support for our pupils. â€œHere at Brick Lane School, we know that by providing the right environment, coupled with the experience, knowledge and understanding of our high skilled staff, we can significantly help to reduce and overcome the challenges and barriers to learning, that many autistic children and young people face. “Our aim is to give every pupil a fresh start, protect them from discrimination or exclusion, and with our relational and restorative approach to learning, help create positive futures for them in further education, training and/or employment.” If you are interested in finding out more about Brick Lane School, please visit www.bricklaneschool.co.uk , email referrals@optionsautism.co.uk or call 020 7186 0156. Categories

Kevin Brown with a pupil at Boldmere Junior School, in Sutton Coldfield.
Schools and Colleges

World record holder and discus champion gifts life-changing assistive tech to Boldmere Junior School

Local hero, four-times World Masters Discus Champion and multiple world record holder Kevin Brown has donated a life-changing gift to the pupils at Boldmere Junior School, in Sutton Coldfield Orcam Assistive tech. Kevin has given the school an OrCam Learn, a clever pen-sized assistive technology device that helps people with learning challenges, including dyslexia, to build classroom confidence and support reading and learning. Kevin, an ambassador for assistive technology innovator OrCam Technologies, has experienced first-hand the challenges of navigating education with a learning difficulty, after being severely bullied in the classroom and left with no support to improve his reading and writing. Being an experienced user of the OrCam Learn himself, he is now a strong advocate of the value it brings to individuals with learning challenges, at any stage of their lives. Kevin hid his challenges for most of his life and was not identified as having dyslexia until the age of 41. He is very passionate about helping children who are experiencing similar struggles in their learning, whether from dyslexia or other learning challenges. Kevin Brown, World Masters Discus Champion, said: “I’m delighted that by donating the OrCam Learn to Boldmere Junior School, it will give its pupils more confidence and independence, something I never had at school myself. I’m really happy that the pupils can benefit from the learning solution – which is user-friendly and helpful following just a brief tutorial – at the earlier stages of their educational journey. For me, the OrCam Learn is like your best friend by your side. It has been a massive game-changer in my life and it has allowed me to be myself and who I want to be as an individual and never held back by my dyslexia.” Matthew Sadler, Head of Boldmere Junior School, said: “We are thrilled that Kevin has donated the OrCam Learn to our pupils. It is a fantastic learning solution, very easy to use, and most importantly it puts all of our pupils on a level playing field regardless of their learning challenges.”  Becky Jones, SENDCO at Boldmere Junior School, commented: “The children are really excited to use the OrCam Learn. You literally just point the device at a piece of text and it will read it to you. That same device will then read text off a computer screen, or even printed text from a poster on a wall. It is going to make a huge difference to the progress of children with learning challenges.” The OrCam Learn is a wireless, compact, handheld solution with an intuitive point-and-click operation that “captures” and immediately reads out loud a full page, paragraph, or single word of text – from books, digital screens, or handouts. It enables individuals to explore their full potential – as the learning solution offers vital, practical reading support that includes interactivity with the user reading and the device providing real-time feedback, as well as comprehensive analysis and reporting of the student’s progress for teachers and parents to review and tailor the learning process accordingly. For more information: https://learn.orcam.com/gb/ or www.orcam.com and YouTube and follow OrCam on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram

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