Supporting Your Child With Additional Needs To Access Work From Home

During the current school closure we are aware that families are under greater strain, but families whose children have Special Educational Needs may be feeling this more than most.
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With this in mind, here are some additional resources which we hope may be of support.
  • Where possible break down the information given into chunks
  • Change/amend any language they may not understand (or ask them to use the online dictionary)
  • Allow your child time to think to process the information given. They may not be able to answer questions straight away.
  • If reading with your child, wait until the end of the page to correct mistakes
  • Encourage students to sound out words when struggling
  • Try to follow Pause, Prompt, Praise rule
  • If your child is not sure of what a word means, ask them to “read around” and see if they can work it out.
  • Get them to familiarize themselves with dictionaries, on line or hard copy
  • Ask your child to summarize what has recently happened
  • Ask them to make a prediction - what happens next
  • Keep encouraging your child 
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Covid-19_Resources/Resources_for_schools/7_Top_Tips_to_Support_Reading_at_Home.pdf
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ - Online dictionary to support your child in understanding specific words
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/ Online activities to support your child in English and maths working at the developing pathway

Some of your children are learning sounds to support spelling. Youtube has a selection of clips from Read Write Inc.
https://www.twinkl.co.uk/ - are offering a free subscription and have a wide range of resources and ideas
https://www.mymaths.co.uk/ - Supports learning of maths topics at every level with a visual approach. Computer based maths games too! Login details are in your child’s planner

Fun ways to help your child practice their skills through activities and board games.
https://matr.org/blog/fun-maths-games-activities-for-kids/ - 25 Fun Maths Activities And Games For Children To Do At Home For Free
https://www.happypuzzle.co.uk/ - Sells over 300 educational games & puzzles including those to help children with maths, literacy and thinking skills

Books are not downloadable via the school website but here are a range of options that our Librarian has put together Not all books are available all the time but you can add to a wish list and effectively reserve a book as you would in a normal library.
There is also the BBC book club https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/cbbc-book-club

For some Science learning, the Science Museum is offering:
https://learning-resources.sciencemuseum.org.uk/resources/?type=at-home (activities)
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/games-and-apps (games)

BBC Iplayer have a number of new documentaries
https://www.bbcco.uk/iplayer/episode/p06mvpsw/dynasties-series-1-1-chimpanzee
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0007f78/animals-at-play-series-1-2-playing-together https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/categories/documentaries/

If your child is enrolled in the Units of Sound intervention they will be able to log in from home using their usual log in. https://online.unitsofsound.com/ You will need to “allow” Adobe Flash and if you have a microphone this will allow your child to work as if they were in the school club or working in their 1:1 session. 
​If your child is enrolled within this year’s Accelerated Reader intervention they will be able to access Book Finder - to choose a suitable book within their range and then log into Accelerated Reader to take their quiz.

Click this link for more Accelerated Reader information on the Reading at Elthorne page
If your child is in the Elthorne Park High School Additional Resource Provision (ARP) an individual Speech and Language programme has been uploaded to your young person’s Show My Homework page.

These are links to websites that offer a range of support
https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/category/games/
https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/calming-children-self-calming-strategies/
https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/specialeducationalneeds-sen/specialeducationalneeds-s en-communication-and-interaction/specialeducationalneeds-sen-speech-language-therapy
https://www.parenttoolkit.com/academics/advice/english-language-arts/helping-your-child-bui ld-a-strong-vocabulary https://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/resources/resources/resources-for-parents/

Ealing Local Offer has also created a resource pack on Ealing Families Directory with resources for parents/carers, children and young people. Resources vary from activities, wellbeing tips, and talking to children about coronavirus.
https://www.egfl.org.uk/sites/default/files/Services_for_children/SEND/Resource%20pack%20for%20parents%20carers_v2.pdf
Ealing Letter on Returning to School
Schools have been asked to remain open where possible for children with ERSAs in progress, EHCPs, vulnerable students and children of keyworkers. The government is aiming to maintain essential services and offer a safe space to more vulnerable children whilst balancing risk to the wider community.

If your child has an EHCP a member of school staff will be in regular contact with you to discuss how your child is at home and how the school can support. Young people with EHC plans are able to access childcare at school, but should only be doing so if:
a) risk assessment suggests they would be safer in school, or
b) they are the children of key workers, and it is not possible for them to be kept at home.

A risk assessment for a child or young person will need to balance a number of different risks, including:
  • the potential health risks to the individual from coronavirus (COVID-19), bearing in mind any underlying health conditions eg if your child had asthma
  • the risk to the individual if some or all the elements of their EHC plan cannot be delivered for the time being. If the risk of failing to deliver this in the normal and usual setting is not met through taking opportunities to meet needs temporarily in a different way e.g. in the home or online.
  • the ability of the individual’s parents,carers or home to ensure their health and care needs can be met safely week-round or for multiple weeks, bearing in mind the family’s access to respite
  • the potential impact to the individual’s wellbeing of changes to routine or the way in which provision is delivered
  • any out-of-school or college risk or vulnerability. For example, a child or young person becoming involved in dangerous behaviour,situations or requiring support from a social worker. This applies to those whose needs are best met in educational settings, particularly in order to stop a care placement breakdown
Risk assessments should consider which children and young people with EHC plans may benefit more from remaining at school or college than at home.

Many young people with EHC plans can safely be supported at home. This could be for various reasons, including because:
  • they do not need irreplaceable care or health provision
  • the services they most need can be moved from their educational setting into their home
  • their parents can meet their needs full-time
  • they are able to follow hygiene and social distancing practices at home
  • due to their health vulnerabilities, they are safer in the more stringent social distancing environment of their home

The DFE continues to publish guidance to support schools and parents. We will regularly update this page to support you. 
 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-children-with-send-continue-their-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Support from the Ealing Parent Carer Forum and our Steering Group Partners for parents during the Coronavirus period:
https://www.ealingfamiliesdirectory.org.uk/kb5/ealing/directory/advice.page?id=mIuuHsb3dlc&localofferchannelnew=0
Letter from Minister Vicky Ford MP