Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at Bryn Offa.

At Bryn Offa CE Primary we ensure that we are an inclusive school by encouraging all pupils to achieve their potential and make the best possible progress regardless of their specific need.

Please click on the documents below to read Bryn Offa’s SEN Policy and Local Offer. They will answer many of the questions you may have about SEN provision at Bryn Offa.

Our school SENCo is Mrs Lucy Maxfield who can be contacted using the email address senco@brynoffa.shropshire.sch.uk. Whilst she is on maternity leave until Easter 2023, Miss Rachel Harvey is acting SENCo and can be contacted on the above email address.

The Shropshire Local Offer can be accessed via the link below:

https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/the-send-local-offer/

Resources and links

For information on the ‘Understanding your child’ courses run by Shropshire council, please see the leaflet below:

COVID specific:

For government advice on supporting children and young people’s mental health and well being please follow the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

For government guidance on continue education, for children with SEND, at this time please follow the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-children-with-send-continue-their-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Shropshire Council have released a page of useful links as part of their SEND Local Offer, please see the link below:

https://shropshire.gov.uk/the-send-local-offer/news/more-helpful-information-and-guidance-for-children-young-people-parentcarers-and-staff-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/

This page includes a link to a book created by Mindheart. The book is aimed at children 7 and under and is designed to children explain and draw the emotions that they may experience during the pandemic.

I’ve added the PDF version below:

Talking to children and young people about coronavirus

1. Not knowing what to say is ok – Remember this isn’t a normal situation. There are lots of unknowns right now and we will be in situations that none of us have had experience of. 
2. Be honest and factual – It’s a good idea to give children factual information. This might mean checking current UK advice and guidance so that you are aware of the current situation. Sometimes if there are gaps in a child’s understanding of something, they can fill these gaps with their imagination, which has a tendency to suggest things are worse than they are!
3. Give children the opportunity to explain their understanding – This will help you to spot if a child or young person has misunderstood something, or is thinking the worst.
4. Remember your child’s age – Adjust the amount and detail of information according to your child’s age. Too much information can be overwhelming. Try to answer the questions they ask.
5. Try to manage your own worries – If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, try not to have a conversations about Coronavirus at that time. Children will pick up on your anxiety in the moment, and it may heighten their own emotional reactions. It’s OK to feel worried, but check in with yourself first – are you in the right space to have this conversation? 
6. Give practical and specific guidance – Explain how viruses are spread, and help children to understand that they can do things to help. Learn how to wash your hands together, explain how soap is effective against viruses, sing a song while you wash your hands. 

Supporting children during school closures

1. Expect things to feel a little more stressed – Its unusual for families to spend extended time in close proximity to each other and it may be stressful at times. 
2. Try to have a routine – Routines and predictability can lower stress levels. We all like to know what is going to happen during a day and children are no different. Perhaps create a daily routine together so that there is some consistency. 
3. It’s OK if the routine wobbles – Homes just aren’t as structured as schools are and so it’s normal for the routine to slip a bit. If creating and sticking to routine is causing more stress than it’s worth, then its OK to be more free flow.
4. Don’t try to replicate school – Home is home, school is school. It would be unrealistic to try to recreate a whole school timetable at home. Most children and young people will not want to do this, and pushing this is likely to lead to tension and conflict.
5. If children are working at home, try to keep work in one place – It’s important to have a home-work boundary. Is there a specific place where children can do their work and then keep it safe? If there isn’t a specific space, then perhaps encourage children to mark that work has finished e.g. tidying up and dancing to a song!
6. Help children communicate with their friends – Use Skype groups calls or WhatsApp.
7. Limit access to constant news streams – It can be tempting to have the news on the TV, Radio or Social Media all the time but such a barrage of information can be stressful for children. Set yourself times to catch up with the news, and then you can share the key points and highlights with children.