inclusion Team

Inclusion

Who are we?

Lesley Evans – School Development Adviser /
Adviser for Inclusion

Cheryl Jones – Teacher Adviser for Inclusion

Helen Sheterline – Adviser for Speech and Language (.5)

Chris Goss – Senco at Bishop Vaughan Comprehensive School who is engaged on a needs basis to help the team with Secondary School requirements

Neil Edwards - Retired SENCO who is used by the team on a consultative basis. Spring/Summer '09 to carry out an audit of Secondary Schools with regard to requirements for training and any other specific work requested.

What do we do?

This is just a snapshot, we will keep you informed of developments!

We support schools through visits and training.
We provide training for Teacher Assistants as well as mainstream teachers and SENCOs.
We are involved in Development work, having devised and disseminated information to schools e.g. self-evaluation, provision mapping etc.
We are currently developing a Developmental Coordination Disorder CD ROM for Secondary schools.
We provide the courses and lecture on the SEN Graduate diploma Courses run at Swansea Metroplitan University.

Inclusion Update

Cheryl Jones, formally Senco in Trallwn Primary Schoolfor 12 years, has become a permanent member of the Inclusion Team!

Sencos on sabbatical!

The Inclusion Team uses GTCW sabbaticals as a means of using the expertise we have in Swansea Schools.

Mandy Jenkins from Cwmbwrla Primary and Lucy Green from Ynystawe Primary have been researching good practice between teachers and Teaching Assistants specifically in the field of Special Educational Needs. Mandy and Lucy are giving a presentation on their findings in the SENCO meetings in Summer 2009.

Alison Churchill from Waun Wen primary and Hayley Lervy from Dan-y-Graig Primary are supporting Debbie Avington in helping schools achieve the ‘Dyslexia Friendly School’ Award.

Here is an account from last year’s sabbatical

Would you like a Summer Sabbatical?

This is my experience!
Cheryl Jones - Senco Trallwn Primary School

Last June for 6 weeks I was fortunate to have a sabbatical funded by the GTCW. There was an opportunity to join the Advisory service and see the ‘Big Picture’ of Special Educational Needs in Swansea.

Background to the Sabbatical

Following a very successful inspection in SEN, it was felt by the Headteacher and School Development Advisor that it would be beneficial for me to use this sabbatical to disseminate my knowledge of SEN to other Special Educational Needs Coordinators in the county. It would also enable me to develop my leadership and management skills.

A vital role in the provision for SEN is working with External Agencies and this Sabbatical would provide me with opportunities to be part of multi agency working. The results of increased liaison and cross agency working will inevitably benefit our pupils.

Description of activities undertaken

To gain greater knowledge of effective inclusion, I visited many schools throughout the area, to see the way in which schools included all pupils. I visited Special Schools, schools with Special Teaching Facilities and mainstream schools.

Special Schools – I visited Maytree Autistic unit and Crug Glas Special School. I was overwhelmed by the care and support given to children by the teachers and support staff in order to help the children access education. I had a greater understanding of the needs of the children and how they are included working with Mainstream schools.

Working groups – I had the opportunity to be part of Working Groups looking at the development of a Secondary pack of materials for Developmental Co-ordination Disorder and looking at a self–evaluation document which was given to Special Educational Needs Coordinators, to evaluate their school provision for SEN.

School visits – over the time I spent with the Advisory service I visited 18 schools. These varied from Welsh Medium schools, Primary and Secondary and Special schools. The visits included a discussion with the Head teachers and Sencos, finding out their needs as a school and updating them with training opportunities in the county run by the Inclusion Service. Following discussions, I went into schools to support them with matters relating to SEN and provide help if required with formulating policies.

Training courses – I attended and participated in training courses. This helped me to improve my presentation skills and gave me the ability to lead sessions. I also made follow up visits, observing support staff in their schools and marking assignments.

Over the period of the sabbatical I felt that my confidence grew as I was able to contribute to discussions related to SEN and felt that my comments were increasingly valid. Taking part in working groups enabled me to speak confidently and voice opinions. Having seen the complete spectrum of provision for pupils with SEN, my awareness and knowledge has increased. This sabbatical has also shown me the wide range of courses available and the high standard achieved as well as the enthusiasm and professionalism of the support staff.

One of my aims of this sabbatical was to see the effective inclusion of all pupils. I wanted to see examples of inclusive practice so that I could improve the inclusive practices in my school. Over the sabbatical I met with the Advisory staff, increased my knowledge of inclusion, visited schools and most importantly saw inclusion at work!
This sabbatical has enabled me to learn so much and given me the tools to disseminate that information to others.

Thank you to all the staff concerned, in particular to Sharon Hope Teacher Advisor for Inclusion.

Success of the Accredited Graduate Diploma courses!

This year (2008/9) in conjunction with Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea LEA has run Graduate Diploma courses, namely Dyslexia, Speech and Language, Behaviour and ‘Implementing and Managing the Code of Practice’. All have been successful with delegates attending from other counties in Wales.

All the Diploma courses are 3 modules leading to a Certificate in Professional Development in Education (CPDE). Contact Cheryl Jones for more details.