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Sign in or register for an accountOverall setting approach.
Use of curriculum/ screeners.
Specific staff teaching/ support.
Set-up of setting.
Involvement with parents/ carers and young person.
Link with assess-plan-do-review-learn.
Staff training and awareness in all areas.
Awareness of key documents such as SEND Code of Practice, Equality Act, Children and Families Bill.
Overall setting approach.
Whole setting staff training.
Use of curriculum or screeners or assessment.
Targeted teaching/ support, including targeted group interventions.
Understanding of effective differentiation.
Involvement with parents or carers and young person.
Link with assess-plan-do-review-learn.
Use of strategies to promote social inclusion eg buddy system.
Overall setting approach.
Use of curriculum or screeners or assessment.
Request involvement from external services eg Occupational Therapy (OT), Learning Support Service (LSS), Educational Psychology Service (EPS) to create more personalised curriculum, including specialist advice and support, individual interventions.
Staff with increasing knowledge and experience or input from Inclusion Lead.
Capacity building and training for all staff.
A more individualised programme of support or highly personalised curriculum including specific staff teaching or support, including targeted small group and individual interventions.
Individualised set-up of setting and workstation area eg taking into account accessibility, safety and environmental stimulation.
Parents or carers and young person participating in setting up, delivery and reviewing interventions.
Link with assess-plan-do-review-learn.
Concerns about a young person’s vision should be raised with parents or carers and a referral should be made to the local Orthoptist and Visual Impaired Team (Learning Support Service).
Information to aid understanding of visual impairment should be shared with parents/ carers and staff and can be found at RNIB.
Awareness of the young person’s needs, SEND guidance, specialist support and resources can be found at RNIB.
Staff to be aware that the young person may be experiencing visually related learning difficulties and provide support to enable them to plan appropriately.
Gather the views of the young person, using person-centred approaches regarding their opinions and preferred strategies.
Create a ‘clutter-free’ environment. Pay attention to layout of furniture, seating and adult position in the setting.
Avoid standing in front of windows as your face can become difficult to see.
It may be helpful to complete an environmental audit of the setting including indoor and outdoor areas.
Assessment by Qualified Teacher of children with Visual Impairments (QTVI) and report distributed to key staff. Recommendations of the report implemented in the setting to enable full inclusion in the mainstream class.
The setting should monitor pupil progress in this respect eg carrying out reading assessments in different fonts. Learning materials must be selected and prepared for their clarity. Make basic adaptations to activities and materials to facilitate access for a visually impaired young person eg oral descriptions of visual materials, saying the young person’s name before asking a question.
Awareness that the young person may need more time to complete the tasks and the pace of the work may need to be slower. Information about adapted resources is available at Sight Advice FAQ.
Low level adjustments may need to be made to activities eg reducing length of visual tasks. Break up visually demanding tasks with other activities.
Standard adjustments advised include:
Teaching methods which facilitate access to the curriculum, social/ emotional development and class/ group participation.
The curriculum includes examples of diversity.
ICT to be used to increase access to the curriculum, where appropriate eg iPads for reading. Use of information relating to a range of resources and agencies, within the Local Authority and the wider community eg Victaparents and LOOK UK.
Involvement of parents or carers and provision of information relevant to them eg using resources available at RNIB.
Considerations for good transitions between stages of education (and preparing for leaving education), and how to plan and prepare for these eg opportunities to walk with an adult, repeating the process, practising any travel arrangements, moving towards more independence.
Strategies such as talking the young person through the route, noting key points, textures or space to feel for, may help.
Development of a transition plan for young people in Post 16 provision and preparing for adulthood, further information can be found at Council for Disabled Children.
Teaching practice which facilitates access to the curriculum, social or emotional development and participation eg drawing upon information contained within specialist websites, such as RNIB.
Setting must access specific VI related training provided by the Visual Impairment Service.
Access to wider staff training eg RNIB On-going assessment, advice, support, monitoring and training from a Qualified Teacher of the Visually Impaired (QTVI), up to 6 hours annually, as well as attendance at review meetings. Staff should implement advice including specific interventions as suggested by the QTVI. Provide access to a quiet space for QTVI to work with the young person.
Curriculum plan reflects levels of achievement and must include individually focused support plan. Young person involved in setting and monitoring their own targets.
Teaching methods based on experiential and tactile learning with a strong verbal emphasis, which facilitate access to the curriculum and class participation.
Setting staff to provide some modification of learning materials to facilitate access eg attention to speed of lesson delivery and speed of working of young person.
Opportunities for individual and small group work to meet identified needs and to facilitate learning and inclusion, as appropriate.
Opportunities for explanation, and exploration of resources before they are used in an activity eg through pre-teaching.
Specific interventions may be necessary and advice should be followed from QTVI.
Develop peer awareness.
Opportunities for group interventions to develop social inclusion with peers eg Circle of Friends.
Environmental adaptations eg pay attention to layout of furniture, seating and lighting in the setting.
Accessibility of outside environment including edges clearly marked.
Large print and differentiated materials, provided by the setting, as appropriate to meet assessed needs including: touch typing, coloured overlays and matt laminating pouches.
Access to equipment, including the use of an iPad or laptop with highlighted keys and software, meet assessed needs.
Further information about assistive technology can be found at Sight Advice FAQ or RNIB and Living Made Easy.
Visits away from the setting are planned well in advance and takes into consideration the young person’s needs.
QTVI liaison with Eye Hospital. QTVI to make referral to Low Vision Aid clinic.
Opportunities will be provided for the young person/ parents/ carers to meet other young people with VI in the local area eg Henshaws.
VI Education Team to attend all review or planning meetings.
On-going assessment, teaching, advice, support and monitoring from a QTVI, to work with the young person, their family and with setting staff.
Training and written advice for staff from the VI Team, including adjustments and modifications for assessment and exam arrangements. More information can be found at RNIB.
Additional support for the young person from a Teaching or Support Assistant in class, and around the setting, as indicated by assessment to:
Teaching or Support Assistant to be allocated time by the setting to adapt resources/ attend training and conduct individual work.
Regular planning sessions between the QTVI and Teaching or Support Assistant.
Opportunities for tactile exploration of the environment and resources.
Pre and post tutoring of activities.
Presentation of learning materials in alternative formats, including Braille, tactile diagrams, audio / speech.
Planning based on previous visual performance and/ or prognosis of possible changes. 30 hours (20 annual sessions) from a QTVI to provide all the teaching and support outlined above.
Inclusion to VI curriculum activities across the District.
Advice, assessment, teaching, support and programme of work from Mobility Officer regarding mobility and independence skills; frequency based on assessed need, block of work equivalent to weekly contact. The report written by a QTVI in conjunction with the Mobility Officer will be shared with all stakeholders and will include information as outlined in the Universal offer.
Staff member to become a Vision Champion within the school by completing a training course offered by the Visual Impairment Service or companies such as Positive Eye.
Training for staff on Paediatric Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) and Implications for learning as necessary and Resources.
Day to day access to assistive technology and equipment eg Electronic Brailler/ note taker and/ or laptop / iPad with speech software, audio books etc. Staff to facilitate a pre-Braille learning programme as advised by the QTVI. Access to VI Service technician, as appropriate.
Information for staff and parents/ carers can be found at National Deaf Children's Society NDCS and RNID - National hearing loss charity.
Awareness of the young person’s needs and how key skills are affected by hearing loss, particularly in communication, language acquisition and fine and gross motor skills eg some forms of hearing loss are associated with balance.
Creation of a One Page Profile which is shared with all staff.
Assessment by Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) and report distributed to key staff.
Recommendations of the report implemented in the setting to enable full inclusion within the setting.
The curriculum includes examples of diversity.
Where appropriate the young person may receive a short-term intervention:
Gather the views of the young person, using person-centred approaches regarding their opinions and preferred strategies. The setting must monitor progress in this respect.
Make basic adaptations to activities and materials to facilitate access for the young person.
Pre-teaching key vocabulary, repeat instructions to check understanding and reinforce messages.
Use of multisensory approaches to all teaching across all subjects such as the use of visual resources.
Use appropriate language when asking direct questions and allow additional time to respond. Repeat contributions from other young people if needed. Signed, supported or augmentative language based on the young person’s informed choice.
Follow advice about how to support and include young people who are deaf or hearing impaired in post-16 settings. Resources here Professional post-14 resources.
Seek advice from the HI Team on effects of hearing loss and setting strategies. Staff to receive training from the HI team, as required.
Carry out an assessment of room acoustics and make reasonable adjustments by adapting the physical environment and reducing background noise. Pay attention to seating, position of the teacher, lighting and acoustics including background noise eg close windows and doors.
Use of soft furnishing and fabric backed boards to minimise echo/vibration.
Review seating plans and make sure the young person can clearly see the teacher and other speakers.
Staff awareness of areas of potential risk associated with childhood hearing impairment e.g. social and emotional impact, reduced opportunity for incidental learning.
Involvement of parents/ carers and provision of information relevant to them. Use resources available at Council for Disabled Children.
Development of a transition plan and hold Transition meetings for young people in Post 16 provision and preparing for adulthood.
Teaching practice which facilitates access to the curriculum, social/ emotional development and class participation.
Information and guidance can be found at NDCS National Deaf Children's Society and Council for Disabled Children.
Involve the HI Team in completion of baseline assessments and development of an individual support plan. Settings must access specific deaf related training/ opportunities for modelling of suggested strategies by HI Team/ Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD).
Access to wider training for staff eg NDCS Teachers must implement advice as suggested by the Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) related to:
Access to daily group teaching of key skills such as phonics/ key vocabulary and social skills. Provide access to a quiet room for Qualified Teacher of the Deaf / specialist TA/ audiologist session/ visit.
Young person is involved in setting and monitoring their own targets. Specific interventions for language development, speaking and listening and phonics learning eg Lip reading, Auditory Verbal Therapy, Natural Aural Approach, Cued Speech, Sign Language, Total Communication Approach. Further information can be found at NDCS.
Opportunities for explanation, clarification and reinforcement of lesson content and language.
Attention given to seating, lighting and acoustics in setting and around the setting. Staff should be in the light when speaking. The young person should be seated away from busy areas and close to the source sound to enable clear sight of action delivery.
Opportunities for individual and small group work in a quiet room.
A key person who is trained in working with pupils with a hearing impairment and understands hearing equipment to:
Develop peer awareness. Opportunities for group interventions to develop social inclusion with peers eg Circle of Friends.
Advice from other professionals eg Speech and Language Therapist, Cochlear Implant Programmes as appropriate.
Use of equipment and technology products, including: use of radio aids/ soundfield speaker systems as appropriate to meet assessed needs.
Also seek advice about how to link equipment to Interactive White Boards, computers, iPads etc. Settings must use subtitles on all audio resources eg TV and DVDs.
Access to transcripts where there are no subtitles. Visits away from the setting are planned well in advance and takes into consideration the young person’s needs.
Key person from the HI team will link with the setting, young person, parents/ carers and professionals.
Opportunities for parents/ carers, young people and extended family to attend a local High Hopes parent support group High Hopes Foundation.
Access to deaf adults and peers in the community.
Support by a QToD through the referral process for cochlear implantation. Advice and guidance on suitable technology and apps eg NDCS
Liaise with other, external agencies for advice and guidance and a multi-agency approach eg Audiology.
Regular reviews of setting-based interventions, involving parents/carers and the QToD, to ensure progression and adaption if necessary.
Direct teaching and/ or in class support from Qualified Teacher of the Deaf/ specialist TA INSET to whole staff regarding hearing loss, use of radio aid etc.
Access to specialist health assessments, advice and equipment (eg Audiology for ear mould impressions and repairs).
Access to a Communication Support Worker (CSW) with appropriate BSL/ communication skills when advised.
Specific deaf related training opportunities for staff on request to the HI Team.
Possible use of speech audiometry and other specialist tools to assess access to spoken language in class on request to LSS Hearing Impaired Team.
Specialist language assessments, upon advice from the HI Team.
Additional support from LSS HI Team if needs change on request from the setting.
Potential barriers to access and participation are observed and assessed across a range of different contexts within the setting.
Awareness of a young person’s physical needs and how these may impact on development, socialisation and learning.
Information regarding young people’s strengths and needs and their preferences for support are recorded and shared with all staff working with the young person (for example, through the use of a Support Plan if appropriate).
Create a ‘clutter free’ environment.
Complete risk assessments and audits of the environment in relation to the young person’s needs are regularly undertaken and extra consideration is given to any visits or trips.
Ensure that there is sufficient availability of space for free movement within the classroom. Seating plans and the organisation should be considered to ensure sufficient working space.
Positioning within the classroom should be considered to minimise distractions.
Undertake and implement an accessibility plan for movement around the room and setting and give thought to whether an individualised fire evacuation plan is required.
Resources and additional equipment should be provided for young people’s needs such as sloping boards, scissors, pencil grips, chairs and adapted cutlery etc. This should be considered for all tasks.
Reduce the amount of copying that the young person is asked to complete. Incorporate fine and gross motor skills practice, development and targets into daily aspects of the young person’s curriculum.
Consider activities which focus on spatial awareness, planning and body awareness. Consider any additional support for self-care tasks.
Be mindful and take account of the potential fatigue that a young person may experience. Adjust the pace of sessions and ensure that there are opportunities for rest and for breaks as needed.
Consider the location of rooms and timetabling where this is possible to facilitate ease of movement whilst continuing to take into consideration facilities and fatigue.
Encourage the use of technology to support learning for example assistive technology and apps.
Support the development of sequencing skills for everyday tasks with a focus on increasing and supporting independence, for example, organisational skills, equipment organisation and tasks of daily living such as getting dressed in the morning.
Encourage peer support across the learning environment.
Provision of accessible materials such as lined paper with spaces that are sufficiently wide enough to accommodate the young person’s needs.
There are mechanisms in place that support access to work, for example, attaching paper to the desk with masking tape when writing or completing tasks.
Equipment in the classroom such as chairs and tables are at the appropriate height and position for the young person.
Consider supporting of feet using a step or box.
Withdrawals from class are kept to a minimum.
Provide access to handwriting and hand strengthening activities for example, elastic bands, typing skills, tweezer and chopsticks games, jigsaws, and threading.
Consider appropriate settings for educational trips as well as transport to and from (e.g. use of a vehicle with tail-lift, specialist seats etc).
Use of whole setting resources and interventions and information from organisations such as:
Access to support from an additional key person in the setting to facilitate access to the curriculum, support the young person to manage their condition or move safely around the environment.
This should be discussed with the young person. Provision of flexible support in the setting for personal needs as necessary and required whilst encouraging as much independence as possible.
Consider free and unstructured time in relation to the young person’s physical needs. Provide assistance and support for accessibility if this is required.
Plan activities during unstructured times which are inclusive and promote the young person’s independence.
Consider the size and height of the chairs and tables and ensure that these are appropriate and encourage a correct posture to support fine motor function and writing. Should appropriate height tables and chairs not be possible for all activities consider support for the young person’s feet.
Provide space (such as a locker) for the young person to store and keep their equipment or bag in rather than them needing to carry this around with them during the day.
Adjust the environment as necessary, for example, installing hand rails on stairs and grab rails or rails within the bathroom. Provide access to disabled toilets.
Ensure access to additional and specialist equipment, as advised by professionals such as Occupational Therapists (OT) and Physiotherapists (PT).
All adults who are working closely with the young person have received relevant training for the young person’s needs (for example, manual handling).
Consider access arrangements for assessments and exams, and apply for and implement them, as necessary.
Consider further assessment of handwriting and motor skills such as the Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting 17+ (DASH 17+).
Consider alternatives to handwriting such as, voice recorders, iPad, laptop or netbook.
Consider modifying activities that young people with perceptual difficulties may find challenging such as work sheets with lots of information, word searches or crosswords.
Allow the young person to leave lessons early when travelling between rooms or buildings to avoid large groups in corridors and enable extra travel time.
Additional time is provided to complete tasks.
Teach strategies to improve self -organisation, including use of diaries, planners, and checklists of daily equipment needed.
Deliver targeted motor skills development and provide extra time to complete this.
Ensure that the young person is able to access all facilities within the setting such as being able to reach hand basin taps, lockers etc.
Resources and additional equipment should be provided for young people’s needs such as sloping boards, scissors, pencil grips, chairs and adapted cutlery etc. This should be considered for all tasks.
All staff understand referral processes for services such as Occupational Therapy. Share good practice across settings.
Provide opportunities for small group and one to one work to develop individual skills.
Seek advice from appropriate health professionals should the young person have a diagnosis that affects their participation in activities. Request involvement from external services for example, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services.
Staff have accessed appropriate training relevant to the young person’s needs. Inclusion of the Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist on any review and planning meetings for the young person.
Ensure any specialist advice is shared with the young person, all staff and incorporated into the young person’s plan.
Allocated key person with time to adapt resources / attend training and conduct individual work. Inclusion Lead to support the key person in planning and using differentiated activities and more specialist strategies and resources to support the young person.
Incorporate moving and handling plans and care plans into planning, as advised by professionals. Ensure any plans are meeting need.
Request a review should any aspects change. Ensure any specialist equipment continues to meet the young person’s needs and contact relevant agencies regarding any repairs or alterations.
Carry out risk assessments on a regular basis and incorporate any actions and strategies into planning.
Make advised adaptations to the setting environment eg changing plinths/ramps/hoists. Consider space needed to accommodate specialist equipment eg walker, standing frame.
Ensure access to specialised seating and/or height adjustable tables. Carry out lessons on ground floor if there is no suitable access to classrooms on upper floors.
Consider adaptations required in practical lessons eg ovens in cookery to be wheelchair accessible.
In discussion with the young person and parents, talk about the young person’s sensory preferences and dislikes in order to build a picture of the young person’s sensory needs.
Look at how the young person responds to your environment and make changes as appropriate eg lighting, noises, smells, tactile adjustments.
Ensure a one page profile is in place and shared with all teaching and non-teaching staff. Ensure staff are aware why these adaptations are needed, and that the young person does not receive consequences for engaging in sensory regulating behaviours or avoiding certain activities.
Introduce new activities or play equipment in a multi-sensory way to the young person e.g. by showing, listening, saying, looking, writing, drawing.
Make use of resources in the setting such as:
Considerations for good transitions between stages of education, and how to plan and prepare for these eg allowing the YP to have extra visits to new settings and ensure transfer of information.
General sensory awareness and sensory strategies training to develop understanding of sensory diet and behaviour. Ensure staff understand that sensory needs are typical for young people with Autism and also those that have experienced Developmental Trauma.
Develop more in-depth Understanding of sensory needs and behaviour amongst all staff. If appropriate, complete initial sensory processing audit and environmental audit checklists.
Build in timetabled access to activities which meet the young person’s sensory needs into the day, for example: timetabled movement breaks and access to other personalised sensory activities dependent on the outcome of the sensory assessments conducted and advised by professionals such as Occupational Therapists eg a room or space with low level noise and lighting.
Consider using a workstation and/or set up a low stimulation workstation for focused tasks, a privacy board on group table or personal table with few distractions but informative visual information and support.
Consider whether it would be appropriate to allow the young person to leave lessons early when travelling between rooms or buildings to avoid large groups in corridors and enable extra travel time.
Incorporate adaptations for sensory feedback, eg Include specific activities to provide sensory feedback for the young person eg lifting and tidying heavy equipment away, putting on a backpack, using a weighted blanket.
If young people are unwilling to touch specific objects offer alternatives such as tools, cling film over tables etc.
Plan individual and small group activities focusing on sensory activities such as those involving resistance eg Pushing heavy play equipment, leaning into a wall, using resistance bands and peer massage.
Implement strategies and advice given by professionals eg Occupational Therapists and the Learning Support Service.
Consideration of adapted unstructured time provision eg access to ICT suite, library.
Carry out more detailed sensory assessments/ audits in collaboration with outside agencies and implement appropriate modifications. From the sensory assessment checklist(s) devise a bespoke sensory diet and implement.
Inclusion Lead and outside agencies to support a key person in planning differentiated activities and strategies to support the young person.
Continue to liaise with any Health Professionals, as appropriate. Ongoing monitoring and reviewing of specific strategies and advice given by professionals eg Occupational Therapists and the Learning Support Service.
Seek more advanced sensory training and parent/ carer training to further develop understanding of sensory behaviours and to develop a plan for the individual young person.
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