Schools and SEN
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Adoption and schools
Adopted children are much more likely than other children to have experienced abuse and neglect, and the impact of this difficult start in life does not disappear when children join loving permanent families.
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Choosing a residential special school
When your child is going to a residential school, the educational establishment is only half of the equation. You need to pay great attention also to the home they will be living in while at school.
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Choosing a school for special needs
How do you choose a school for a child with special educational needs? What should you look for in mainstream schools, and how do you get funding for independent specialist schools for children with complex needs?
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Classroom help for children with SEN
Children with SEN may need additional help in the classroom. So what help are you entitled to, how can you make sure you get it and is there anything else you can do?
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Dyslexia: how your school can help
Most specialists will not test children for dyslexia before the age of 7, so it is likely that your child will already be at a mainstream school when they receive the diagnosis.
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Dyspraxia: Top tips for the school day
Schools and parents can help dyspraxic children to identify and incorporate positive (rather than negative/avoidance) strategies to maximise engagement and self-esteem, whilst minimising fatigue.
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Mainstream schools for special needs
Many parents of children with special needs want their child to remain in the mainstream system. So how can you make sure it’s the best school for them and that it delivers on any extra provision required?
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Nurseries for special needs
The first day at nursery is a milestone for any child, but even more so for those with SEN whose parents are often more anxious and wobbly than the child.
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Residential trips for your SEN child
School trips can be valuable extracurricular experiences. But the sudden change in routine and unfamiliar surroundings can be daunting for children with SEN.
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Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)
A SENCo, or Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, is the school teacher who is responsible for assessing, planning and monitoring the progress of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
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Special schools
What matters to your child with special needs or learning difficulties is finding the school that best suits them as an individual and will give them the best chances in life.
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Starting a new school: When your child has SEN
Starting a new school is a big deal for all children, but for children with special needs – and their parents - it can be more frightening than exciting.
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Surviving the summer holidays with your SEN child
No school, different routines and round-the-clock care. Parents of children with special needs are faced with their biggest challenge of the year when it comes to the six long weeks of summer.
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Teaching Assistants
Most primary or junior schools have teaching assistants (TAs) who work alongside teachers to help with the whole class. Some TAs support individual children with special educational needs.
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The special, special schools
All special schools do things differently in order to reach pupils who are less engaged by standard teaching. But some are pioneering. Here’s our pick of the best of them
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When is it best to go specialist for SpLD?
If your child has specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia or dyspraxia it can be a dilemma whether to place your child in mainstream or specialist education. How do you decide which is the best type of school for your child?