What specialist facilities/equipment are available to support children with SEND?
What Specialist facilities and equipment are available to support children with SEND?
We are committed to carrying out our duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 and we endeavour to ensure we have the best possible facilities and equipment to support all children.
The building is fully wheelchair accessible and there are disabled changing and toilet facilities. There is a disabled bay in the staff car park which parents are able to use following agreement with Mrs Minter, the Headteacher, and there are also two disabled spaces on Ralph Road, just outside the carpark entrance. Adjustments have made in each set of children’s toilets which have included lower toilet and sink facilities as well as easy to turn on taps.
Streetsbrook is fortunate in having its own Inclusion Room where intervention groups are held. We also have a well-equipped Sensory/Mental Health & Well-Being Room. ‘Quiet’ areas are created in classrooms to support the needs of particular children who need a low stimulatory learning environment. The on-site swimming pool is used by all children on a weekly basis and, where appropriate, additional sessions are organised.
A range of equipment and resources are purchased throughout the year to support specific needs and these are usually recommended as part of advice received form the external professionals we work with. In recent years, resources have ranged from emotion cards to support a child’s developing understanding of emotions, to specialist chairs and tricycles for children with Cerebral Palsy, and individual iPads to support children with their communication and vision.
The duty to make reasonable adjustments requires us to take positive steps to ensure that children with additional needs can fully participate in the education provided by the school, and that they can enjoy the other benefits, facilities and services that Streetsbrook provides for all children.
The duty to make reasonable adjustments is an anticipatory one and therefore we need to think in advance about what children with additional needs may require and what adjustments might need to be made. This involves close liaison with parents and carers during transition so that adjustments and resources can be discussed and organised ahead of the child's entry to the school. Regular reviews with parents and carers also mean that any reasonable adjustments that are made can be evaluated and modified where necessary.