New Website

This blog has been superseded by http://redbridgeserc.org/. Loads of SEN Resources and information on different Conditions - Take a look.

Happy Christmas

All the staff at SERC, Newbridge and AIM would like to wish you all a very Happy Christams and New Year.

The website is coming along and hopefully early in the New Year we will be launching the site in stages.

Just one message before the Xmas break Newbridge School ( Gresham Drive, Goodmayes) has some spaces on the formal Makaton Course delivered by a qualified trainer.

The sessions will be Jan 11th, Jan 18 th, Jan 25th, Feb 1st, and Feb 8 th starting at 3.30 pm.

The cost for the Course will be in the region of £150

If anybody is interested can you contact Peter Bouldstridge directly on

Peter.Bouldstridge@redbridge.gov.uk

Happy Christmas

Top tip for SENCO/LSA's part 1

Have a box labeled FIGJAM - a common Aussie expression
This stands for ' Flip ! I'm good, just ask me!'

Place in here all your cards, thank you notes, write down funny comments students say to you or simply a photocopy of an amazing piece of work a student has done - when it all gets too much - take five minutes and have a look!

Thanks to Phil on SENCO forum a while ago.

A great fun link for all ages ...even good for stressed SEN staff!

www.drawastickman.com

Everybody needs some fun in life especially on a Friday afternoon
Take a look at this link - great fun for all ages and a good way of developing mouse skills without realising it!

Positive role models and advice for all pupils in a wheelchair

http://www.go-kids-go.org.uk/inspiring.php
Links to inspirational children and also famous sports people and celebrities.

Epilepsy resource for teachers and link to teenage chat room

http://www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk/epilepsy-a-guide-for-teachers/info_146.html
You can download a free guide to Epilepsy designed for teachers.

http://www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk/teenagers-and-young-people/info_144.html
A guide for teenagers- free to download

http://www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk/young-children/info_143.html
Some lovely free resources to download and use with young children.

http://www.youthhealthtalk.org/Young_people_with_epilepsy/
Young people can share their experiences.

http://www.thetearoom.org.uk/
Social networking for pupils aged 13 - 19 yrs who have epilepsy.

Website for deaf children to reduce isolation

http://www.ndcsbuzz.org.uk/
A website to help reduce social isolation felt by deaf children. The site is accessible to deaf children between the ages of 8 - 18 yrs.
It includes details of events across the UK, stories about deaf role models and information and advice on subjects such as bullying and sexual health.

Advice for specific interventions for Dyslexia / Literacy difficulties

http://www.interventionsforliteracy.org.uk/information-for-schools/
A website that was launched this year designed to give schools and parents information and guidance on interventions for children with dyslexia and literacy difficulties.

Great site offering advice relating to pupils with Down's Syndrome.

http://www.upsanddowns.net/#!__prof-resource

Upsanddowns.net is a great site with very specific advice relating to pupils with Downs Syndrome.
Click on 'download' and this will take you to categorised information divided into the following areas - Transition, Early Years, Primary and Secondary.

Great new Dyslexia resource - highly recommended

http://www.beatingdyslexia.com/index.html
This is a good new site that has been made by 3 students all of whom have dyslexia. This is a simple site and it has some really good information about how to support
* reading
* writing
* spelling
* memory
* learning

A good one stop resource to help people develop awareness and knowledge, and also to help staff/parents become informed about strategies and interventions.

What a great treasure chest of FREE resources

http://www.primarytreasurechest.com/
This is a great site, clearly organised in all areas that you could be looking for resources in. Unlike other sites there is no need to register or complicated download instructions.
Take 5 mins to look at this site if you are supporting pupils in primary, special or at low levels at Secondary School.

http://www.primarytreasurechest.com/gross-motor-activities/child.html
I really like these free visually clear gross motor activity cards.

http://www.primarytreasurechest.com/mathematics-ks2/numbers.html
I see lots of pupils who would find these booklets useful.

http://www.primarytreasurechest.com/literacy/writing.html
Some lovely clear 'Look, cover, check' sheets

Fun free animated counting games - switch access

http://www.helpkidzlearn.com/stories.html
Click here to find free animated switch songs- children can access these through a switch or space bar. Nice bright clear animtated songs/stories.
*   5 Little Monkeys
*   5 Sharks swimming
*   5 Firefighters

No need to buy expensive software for Early Years / Early Skills

http://www.helpkidzlearn.com/early.html
Here is a great link for early years pupils, pupils working at P Levels or Level 1.
Clearly organised and easy to access - a great link to give to parents for extensive fun activities to access at home as well as school.

Great collection of free switch/early years games

http://www.helpkidzlearn.com/games.html
This link takes you to a fantastic collection of free games that an be operated by switches or space bar. Organised clearly and it will save you hours of time searching the web.
Recommended for young children and others working at P Levels / Level 1.
I love Splat the clown!

New symbol supported Newspaper - free til 26th Oct

http://www.news-2-you.co.uk/

There has been an exciting launch of a new symbol supported Newspaper. If you follow this link it will allow you to download it free for a trial. An age appropriate way to access news for Students that have significant literacy needs or for younger students.Free until 26th Oct 2011.

Hello again

Apologies for the lack of posts this term, but we have been developing an exciting new website where all our links will be organised and easy for you to find.

It is a very exciting time for us and we hope to launch the website very soon.

I have decided to keep blogging this term so we can stay in touch and as soon the website is finished we will let you know here.

If you have any specific requests for specific information please let us know.

Family fund - financial help for parents of children with SEN

http://www.familyfund.org.uk/
The Family Fund gives grants to low - income families of children with severe disabilities. Any family whose income is less than £28,000 will be eligible to apply for a grant.
They give grants for things that make life easier and more enjoyable for the disabled child, young person and their family, such as washing machines, driving lessons, computers and holidays.

Have a great holiday!

Just a quick message from all the staff at SERC, Newbridge, and AIM
We are saying a sad goodbye to Nicky who leaves us after several years to take up a full time post in Essex- we would like to wish her every success with her new job and hopefully less travelling time!
We would also like to say 'goodbye' to the SENCOs who are leaving to retire or to take up posts elsewhere - you can still follow our blog but if you are retiring we would hope that your Internet time is spent elsewhere ...holidays, allotments etc!

Have a great holiday and see you all next year
Clair

on behalf of SERC, Newbridge and AIM

A motivating way to introduce tally charts - use Smarties!!

http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/mathcatch/data_manage/data_a/smarties/pictograph.html#
A nice visually clear way of introducing tally charts in a fun way !

Free 'look, cover, write' online game

http://www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html
Need a new way to practice spellings? take a look at this free game