Sensory and Physical Key Stage 4
| SKILL | WHAT TO DO FIRST Identifying and supporting need | ASKING FOR HELP Making a referral for specialist advice | |
| Fine and gross motor | Universal Level (Whole School / Whole Class) These strategies apply broadly across the school or classroom to support all children: Awareness of a child’s physical needs and how these may impact on developmental mile stones, socialisation and learning. Teaching practice which facilitates access to the curriculum, inclusion and participation. Create a ‘clutter-free’ environment. It may be helpful to complete a risk assessment of the setting including indoor and outdoor areas and trips outside of the school. Consider the organisation of the classroom and seating plans to make sure that it enables CYP to move freely between them and allows for sufficient working space. ISCAN OT Universal advice sheets Occupational Therapy Resource Library Incorporate fine and gross motor opportunities into as many aspects of the curriculum as possible to support specific skill development and targets. Consider activities which focus on spatial awareness, planning and body awareness. Encourage peer support through whole class awareness sessions. Consider supporting of feet using step or box. Provide a locker for child or young person to store books, bags and coats etc. rather than needing to carry them around during the day. Appropriate size and height chairs/tables to encourage a correct posture and to support fine motor function and writing. Ensure child or young person is able to reach and use facilities e.g. hand basins/taps/coat pegs / lockers. Provide additional classroom resources such as sloping board, adapted scissors and pencil grips etc. Staff understanding of when to refer to Occupational Therapy and or Physiotherapy. Links with other local schools to observe and share good practice. Whole setting interventions: Motor Skills United Keyboarding without Tears Ready Steady Write Active Tameside Physical Literacy Balance bikes Yoga Group Level These strategies are best suited for small groups of children with similar needs: Undertake Co-ordination Matters activities and record outcomes. Opportunities for 1:1 and small group work e.g. Aqua beads, chopsticks game, Lego, iron on beads, and jigsaws. Fine and gross motor skill interventions (previously listed) that may be carried out in small groups and targeted towards a child’s needs. Incorporate handwriting/ hand strengthening activities into daily plans e.g. using age appropriate resources such as Theraputty, elastic bands, crochet or knitting, aqua/iron on beads, tweezer and chopstick games, peg activities, bead bracelet making, jigsaws and Lego. Keep withdrawals from class to a minimum. Individual Level These strategies are tailored to meet the specific needs of an individual child or young person: Concerns about a child’s physical needs should initially be raised with parents/ carers and discussed with relevant professionals e.g. SENDCo. Use observation in a variety of settings and contexts e.g. P.E. and unstructured time to identify any barriers that affect the child’s access to play and participation. Discussions with parents/ carers to identify any strengths and needs can be helpful for planning. Creation of a One Page Profile which is shared with all staff. Consider positioning of child or young person in the classroom to minimise distractions. Allow additional time for the CYP to complete tasks. Consider any additional support for self-care tasks, when required or requested by the CYP. Take account of potential fatigue and reduce the pace of structured lessons, providing regular opportunities for breaks and rest. Adaptations to support writing Consider access arrangements for assessments and exams, and apply for and implement them, as necessary. Consider further assessment of handwriting e.g. DASH assessment if the child over 9 years. Consider alternatives to handwriting e.g., voice recorder, iPad, laptop or netbook. Provide lined paper with spaces sufficiently wide enough to for writing tasks. Adaptations to learning resources Consider modifying activities that CYP with perceptual difficulties may find challenging such as work sheets with lots of information, word searches or crosswords. Provide additional equipment or resources such as sloping board, adapted scissors and pencil grips etc. Consider transportations of any required additional resources between lessons when appropriate. Use technology to support learning including apps e.g. Dexteria Jr, Blobble Write and Hairy Letters. Environmental adaptations Give consideration to transporting of food at lunchtime e.g. providing assistance with trays and seating. Consider sitting on a standard chair at the end of bench style folding tables rather than on attached stools to improve postural support. Allow CYP to leave lessons early when travelling between rooms or buildings to avoid large groups in corridors and enable extra travel time. Consider timetabling and location of rooms where possible to facilitate movement whilst continuing to take into consideration access to facilities and fatigue. Consider giving additional time to change for PE lessons. Teach strategies to improve self -organisation, including use of diaries, planners, and checklists of daily equipment needed. | ISCAN Occupational Therapy Universal advice – find more help using these links Occupational Therapy Resource Library :: Tameside Children and Young People Training modules (within universal sensory advice) Strategies to support physical education Strategies to support practical subjects If you think a child or young person has a fine or gross motor difficulty that is a barrier to their daily activities, please refer to ISCAN OT. The quidance below outlines how to make a good referral to the service: Children’s Occupational Therapy :: Tameside Children and Young People Recommended guidance for making a referral to OT Making great occupational therapy referrals | RCOT Early consideration and planning for transition through school or to alternative settings. | Following getting advice from appropriate professionals e.g. Occupational Therapy (OT Physiotherapy (PT) services., the following may be considered to support the integration of professional advice: Staff accessing training provided by Learning Support Service e.g., fine motor skills, gross motor and co-ordination skills training. Access to support from an additional key person in the setting to facilitate access to the curriculum, help the child manage their condition, or move with safety around their environment. Flexible support in the setting to include personal care such as dressing and toileting, as required or requested by the CYP. Consider whether assistance or supervision is needed for outside play, break and lunchtimes to ensure mobility and safety of the CYP. Plan activities during unstructured times which are inclusive and promote the CYP’s independence. Inclusion of OT/ PT on any reviews and planning meetings for the child. Ensure any suggested specialist advice from OT/ PT is shared with all staff and incorporated into the CYP’s IEP or SEN Support Plan. Implement an accessibility plan to move around the school and give thought to if an individualised fire evacuation plan is required. Ensure access to additional and specialist equipment, as advised by professionals such as Occupational Therapists (OT) and Physiotherapists (PT). Ensure all staff in the setting receive relevant training e.g. manual handling. Allocated key person with time to adapt resources/ attend training and conduct individual work. SENDCo to support the key person in planning and using differentiated activities and more specialist strategies and resources to support the CYP. Early consideration and planning for transition through school or to alternative settings. Consider the need to differentiate physical curriculum and need to incorporate OT/ PT exercises into everyday routines and/ or general class/ PE lessons. 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 child’s needs and contact relevant OT/ PT. Liaise with family 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 school environment e.g. changing plinths/ ramps/ hoists. Consider space needed to accommodate specialist equipment e.g. 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 e.g. ovens in cookery to be wheelchair accessible. |
| Sensory | Whole School ISCAN OT Universal advice Occupational Therapy Resource Library :: Tameside Children and Young People ISCAN Universal Support for children with sensory processing differences Training modules Introduction to sensory processing Creating a sensory friendly school environment Sensory detective at school Sensory strategies to help with focus and attention Strategies to support physical education Strategies to support practical subjects Advice School environmental checklist Supporting sensory regulation in school Proprioception advice Sensory strategies to support concentration Advice sheets Supporting readiness for play and learning (Physical and sensory combined) Supporting sensory processing Differences with Dressing Supporting sensory processing differences with eating and drinking Supporting sensory processing differences with toileting Useful websites for schools: Joining in with Sensory Differences | NHS GGC Sensory Resources For Schools | SIS Phase Transitions Proactive planning supports children moving between year groups or educational phases. Include: Extra visits to new settings Transfer of sensory strategies and pupil-specific adaptations Familiarisation with routines and staff Staff Development in Sensory Processing Staff should be equipped with a foundational understanding of sensory processing differences. Training may include: Introduction to sensory systems and sensory diets Links between sensory regulation and behaviour Embedding universal sensory strategies into the daily routine Neurodiversity and Developmental Trauma Awareness Recognise that sensory processing differences are commonly seen in autistic children and those who have experienced developmental trauma. Ensure language is neuro-affirming and that staff: View sensory needs as typical within neurodivergent development Are confident in adapting approaches without pathologising behaviours Work collaboratively to identify and implement supportive strategies. Classroom Consideration of classroom environment, including low stimulus areas, use of Hessian backgrounds for displays, use of cream coloured paint for walls and plain soft furnishings. Introduce new activities or play equipment in a multi-sensory way e.g. by showing, listening, saying, looking, writing, drawing. Make use of resources such as: Move n sit cushion Busy Legz Fiddle/fidget toys Ear defenders Wobble cushion Chewelry Putty Therabands Individual In discussion with parents, talk about the child or young person’s (CYP’s) sensory preferences and dislikes in order to build a picture of their sensory needs. Look at how the CYP responds to the environment and make changes as appropriate. Examples include adjusting lighting, reducing noise levels, managing odours, and modifying layout. Ensure a One-page profile is in place and shared with all teaching and non-teaching staff. Adaptations should be recognised as regulation strategies; CYP should not receive consequences for using them or avoiding sensory input. | 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 access to activities which meet the CYP’s sensory needs into the day, for example: timetabled movement breaks, sensory circuits and access to other personalised sensory activities dependent on the outcome of the sensory assessments conducted. Plan individual/small group activities dependent on the sensory needs identified. These activities may form part of an individual 5 point scale or RAMP. Providing access to small calm, quiet space, e.g. a small pop-up tent or room with low level noise and lighting. Referral to ISCAN OT Children’s Occupational Therapy :: Tameside Children and Young People Recommended guidance for making a referral to OT Making great occupational therapy referrals | RCOT | Carry out more detailed sensory assessments/audits in collaboration with outside agencies such as Occupational Therapy and implement appropriate modifications. Referral to ISCAN OT: Children’s Occupational Therapy :: Tameside Children and Young People Recommended guidance for making a referral to OT: Making great occupational therapy referrals | RCOT From the sensory assessment checklist(s) devise a bespoke sensory diet and implement. SENDCo and outside agencies to support the key person/Teaching Assistant to plan differentiated activities and strategies to support the CYP. Continue to liaise with any Health Professionals, as appropriate. Ongoing monitoring and reviewing of specific strategies and advice given by professionals e.g. Occupational Therapists and the Learning Support Service. Advanced sensory training and parent/carer training to further develop understanding of sensory behaviours and to develop a plan for the individual CYP. Access to a sensory room or designated space. |
| Hearing Impairment | Universal Level (Whole School / Whole Class) These strategies apply broadly across the school or classroom to support all children: Make sure that you have the deaf child’s attention before you begin. Face the light so that your facial movements can be easily seen. Avoid covering the mouth or walking around when speaking. Avoid walking around when speaking. Speech sound decreases over distance and becomes difficult to hear with movement or a change in direction. Repeat key words and concepts, and check the child understands through open questions and closed questions. If you have group discussions, repeat useful contributions from other children. Check the understanding of new vocabulary. If you use slang words, idioms, phrases that have a double meaning or non-literal meanings, provide an explanation. Use more vocabulary that is familiar to the child and break up complex sentences into short sentences. Give extra time for the child to consider a question and formulate an answer. Use additional visual aids and objects to further support understanding. Be mindful when using multimedia resources such as TV, videos etc. If the child is a good reader, use subtitles, otherwise provide key information at the beginning, and summarise at the end. Background Noise Be mindful of the noise levels in the classroom. Too many people speaking at once will make it difficult to listen and hear as hearing aids are programmed to amplify all speech. Good classroom management where noise levels are kept to a minimum will help the child hear more clearly. Hearing aids not only amplify the main speaking voice, but all background noise too such as, class chatter, scraping chairs, rustling papers, computers, fans, background music etc. These noises may be uncomfortable to listen to and prevent the child from listening to the main speaking voice. Practical Lessons When demonstrating a practical process, it is important to talk and demonstrate separately to ensure the child has full access to the learning A visual signal to stop and attend to the teacher may need to be devised in addition to all the guidelines listed above. An example, use the light switch to turn the light on and off to gain attention. Individual Level Creation of a One Page Profile which is shared with all staff. Allow additional time for the CYP to complete tasks. Seating Arrangements It is important that the child/pupil is seated in an advantageous position in the classroom. They should be facing the teacher with good access to lip pattern and facial expressions’ Health & Safety Considerations. In the event of a fire or evacuation/lockdown, the supervising teacher should ensure that the child is aware of what is happening and that they have understood all the necessary instructions. Hearing Aids/Hearing Devices These should be always worn in the classroom. If the child arrives to school not wearing the aid/s or they appear to be broken, contact the parents at once. The aids need to be checked at the beginning of each day by a member of staff. All staff in the classroom must know where spare batteries are kept and be able to fit them into the hearing aids. Hearing aids work best at close quarters (1-2 metres) in quiet conditions. As the distance between the speaker and listener increases, the effectiveness of the aids decreases. | The referral process typically follows the following pathway, A member of staff is concerned about a child/pupil’s ability to hear and shares the concern with parent/primary caregiver. Parent/caregiver takes the pupil to the GP to outline their concern. The GP offers intervention/treatment or refers the child/pupil to ENT/Audiology Department to request a hearing test. An audiologist will conduct a hearing test. Should a hearing loss be evident, the audiologist may refer the child/pupil to our service. The Deaf Education Team will, Send a consent form to the parents/caregivers for them to agree we can visit their child/pupil in the home or educational placement and share relevant information. Teacher of the Deaf arranges a visit to the home/school. The Teacher of the Deaf will assess the level of support required for each child/pupil using the Natsip Eligibility Framework, information from the audiologist, parents/caregivers, school staff, and any other agencies involved. | Following getting advice from professionals from the Deaf Education Team, the following recommendations should be considered to support the integration of professional advice: Assessment by a Teacher of the Deaf identifies a NATSIP score of more than 70%. Highly personalised support plan throughout the day which enables specialist teaching and support to access the mainstream learning environment. Additional support in all key areas of the National Curriculum areas. May need direct teaching input from a Teacher of the Deaf for language development. In class support from a specialist Teaching Assistant, improved access to communication in the classroom. School radio aids available to deaf pupils throughout the day. Pre teaching and post teaching support to consolidate class learning. All curriculum assessments are completed in a quiet distraction free environment. Adaptations and modifications to enable learning to be better accessible. Special considerations for internal and external examinations where necessary, such as extra time, language modification, scribe, note taker. Background noise kept to a minimum. Hearing equipment maintained by parents/carers and school staff. Specialist Teaching Assistants to carry out listening checks. Teacher of the Deaf to check all hearing equipment is working to specification and to contact audiology if a problem arises. Deaf Awareness training provided for all school staff. There are strategies in place to ensure regular communication between parents/carers and school e.g. telephone, email and school website. Specialist support staff supports educational day time trips. Parents/carers are invited to review progress including the annual review for pupils’ EHCP. The Deaf Education Team work closely with other outside agencies, such as Deaf CAMHS, SALT and audiology services. Parents/caregivers, careers service, school and specialist staff provide support for the individual pupil with school transitions and preparation for adulthood. Pupil voice is at the heart of planning and outcomes to enable children and young people to fulfil their aspirations. |
| Vision Impairment | Whole School Once a diagnosis has been ascertained the VI Team will work closely with parents and schools to develop awareness of the child’s needs. The school should monitor pupil progress in this respect e.g. carrying out reading assessment in different fonts (the VI Team will adapt the resources) A range of resources and agencies, within the LA and the wider community e.g Henshaws, Look UK, Victa, OKE, Tameside Umbrella Parent Carer Forum and the RNIB are made available to parents and carers. Classroom Staff to be aware that the CYP may be experiencing visually related difficulties in the accessing curriculum and will provide support. Consider environmental recommendations and strategies available on the VI Website: Children’s Vision Impairment Team – Tameside MBC Teaching methods which facilitate access to the curriculum, social/emotional development and class/group participation. ICT to be used to increase access to the curriculum where appropriate eg. IPads for reading/screen sharing. Individual Pupil Concerns about a CYP’s vision should be raised with parents and carers. Prior to a referral being made advice can be sought from the VI Team website. Gather the views of the young person, using person-centred approaches regarding their opinions and preferred strategies. Once all the information has gathered (eye hospital) a functional assessment will be completed by a Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) and shared with all staff and parents. Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) to liaise with the Eye Hospital for further medical information. Recommendations from the report are implemented to enable full inclusion. To develop a transition plan for the CYP moving between year groups, key stages, primary and secondary school and post 16 provision. The Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) will work closely with the educational provisions to ensure a smooth transition. | VI training (INSET) will be offered. Ongoing assessment, advice, support, monitoring and training from a Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) and to attend review meetings as appropriate. Teachers should implement advice including specific interventions as suggested by the Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI). Provide access to a quiet space for the Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) to work with the CYP for assessments and one -to one inventions. Schools to follow the recommendations following the FVA regarding curriculum access. Continuing advice regarding VI (changes). School staff should be aware that they need to adapt their teaching styles to support the VI Team. The Team offer an adaptation service for the curriculum – from N18 print. Opportunities for individual and small group work to facilitate learning and inclusion. For school staff to provide the VI student with ‘real objects’ and provide real experiences. Environmental considerations e.g seating, stairs, lighting, screen sharing and high contrasted step edges, matt laminated. NO WORK SHOULD BE ENLARGED ONTO A3. This distorts the image and makes it harder for the VI student to scan. A range of specialist equipment to support the student access may include, IPad/Laptop (provided by the school) with screen sharing. Speech software, Zychem Machine, Braille Note and Braillers will be provided by the team. Additional visits for the CYP with a VI can be arranged with the VI Team following the allocation of the school. This includes environmental recommendations and strategies. | Following the assessment from the Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) home visits may be necessary to focus on early intervention and visual skills. Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) to liaise with the Eye Hospital for further medical information. Continuing advice regarding VI (changes and needs). Advising parents to request a Low Vision Aid Assessment if necessary. This can be done by the VI Team if the student attends Tameside Hospital. Signpost parent and carers to organisations via the website (Equipment Grants, Events in the local area e.g Henshaws): Children’s Vision Impairment Team – Tameside MBC Ongoing assessment. Teaching, advice, programmes, support and monitoring from the Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) to work with the CYP, their family and with school staff. An environmental audit can be offered in necessary for reasonable adjustments specifically for a transition. The VI team will provide training to support: Facilitating inclusive and independent learning. Providing in class support Preparing specialist resources. Advise on risk assessments Further support for mobility will be assessed by the specialist Qualified Teacher of Children with Vision Impairments (QTVI) (this includes cane skills and independent travel). The FVA report is shared with the named school, parents and carers. Students who have transitioned between key stages will be prioritised for autumn term visits, assessment, advice and observations. Training for staff is available via INSET/additional courses if applicable from outside agencies (VIEW). The recommendation of individual equipment for the CYP provided by the school e.g. Laptops and iPads. Access to a VI service technician, as appropriate |
