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I feel somewhat honoured to have received a book in the post from Bloomsbury publishers. As we all know when Bloomsbury publish an educational book it’s well worth a read. This particular book is authored by one of the leading names in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities(SEND), Kenny Wheeler. It is on a subject very close to my heart and concerns children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Right from the start the author encourages new and experienced SENCos to start with a vision that they would like the whole team to believe in and strive to achieve. Good advice! He talks of purposeful leadership with the intent of effecting change in order to give the team direction. The writer tells us that as the leader people will follow you if you show passion, determination and commitment to improving things.

Each chapter is based on an important aspect of getting to know all about SEND in your school. There are chapters on Graduated Approach, Data and Information, Training and Services and much more. What makes the book unique is that some topics are covered that have been neglected in other publications regarding SEND. It is suitable for a brand new SENCO and will help you understand the tasks ahead that will make your department successful for the students. Equally it is an aide memoire for more experienced leaders of SEND.

Throughout the book questions are asked in the form of prompts to help the reader to really think about their vision and what they want to achieve. These questions come in the form of reflection time where the reader is encouraged to give extensive thoughts on the topics. This is useful as there is so much to learn in the world of SEND.

For me one of the most interesting chapters concerns the SENCo as a consumer. I don’t want to spoil the plot by giving away Mr Wheeler’s views on this but this chapter is a good read. Similarly, chapter 9, the role of the TA is also an illuminating read. I have my own views on this and I was extremely interested to read in depth the thoughts of a fellow professional. The reflection time following this chapter is especially useful for helping to gather your thoughts.

I could continue extolling the virtues of this book but I will leave it there. I will simply add that if you are a new or experienced SENCo or simply looking to increase your knowledge of SEND I commend this book to you.

Thank you for reading

Yesterday (June 2nd 2024) we lost one of our great sporting heroes. Of course I’m talking about Rob Burrow CBE who played scrum-half for Leeds Rhinos. He was the tender age of 41. He lost his life to Motor Neurone Disease, a cruel and devastating disease affecting up to 5000 adults in the UK at any one time. Rob fought an incredible battle with MND right up to the end. As a nation we couldn’t be more proud of him.

Once diagnosed Rob and his family set about raising millions of pounds for the MND Association. He made many public appearances along with his long time friend Kevin Sinfield. In fact he was seen on TV just days before his death. Rob was a truly remarkable man and he raised the awareness of this cruel disease by sharing his journey with MND with the public.

At this point I should say that I’m not really a rugby fan. My interest lies in the fact that I have also been affected by MND. I have followed Rob’s story and watched his suffering with a heavy heart. It’s been heartbreaking to know that he’s going through exactly what my Dad suffered. In Rob’s case he said it came for his voice first and then his body. For my Dad it was his legs first then his voice. Either way, to watch someone you love suffer in this way is difficult to imagine. To see fit and healthy young people lose the ability to walk, to lift a cup, to scratch their nose and eventually be unable to move unaided is more than upsetting. To see fit young people have to suffer the indignity of having their intimate parts washed for them and be fed through a tube is deeply distressing. I could go on but MND is so cruel it makes for difficult reading.

So why am I writing this? My main aim is to help raise a little more awareness of MND. When my Dad was diagnosed he required lots of incredibly expensive equipment. As time went on more resources were required and more money was needed. MNDA was absolutely invaluable to us as a family. He wouldn’t have been as comfortable right up to the end without their input to purchase or loan these items. MNDA is run largely by volunteers and I myself volunteered as Secretary of our local branch to help payback some of the help we had received. Such was my gratitude to them.

My second aim in writing this is an appeal to all the teachers and HTs out there to use Rob’s death in an assembly. Please don’t let this opportunity go to waste. Centre your assembly around the themes of courage, bravery, determination, endurance, selflessness and fearlessness. These are the qualities that Rob showed right up to his death. Our young people need to know what constitutes a real role model.

Rob’s friend Kevin Sinfield said Rob was the ‘toughest and bravest man I have ever met’. I didn’t have the opportunity to meet Rob but I know these are the qualities my Dad also displayed when squaring up to MND.

I know one thing, Rob really was a true hero!

Thank you for reading.

It’s the holidays so that means there’s been a debate on edutwitter. I’ve watched some conversations regarding the use of isolation rooms and think there may be some confusion. This is a very short post to explain my thoughts on this.

For me there are two types of isolation rooms. The first is easy to explain. They are in mainstream schools and are used for children and young people who have shown such behaviours that they have disrupted the learning of their peers. The teacher has found it nigh on impossible to teach the content of the lesson plan and the eventual result might be the offender is sent to an isolation room. These rooms are never (to my knowledge) locked and the child is never actually alone. There is always at least one staff member and very often other behaviour offenders. They are sent with work to complete and are a well used strategy as young people don’t actually like being separated from their friends. I’m not getting into a discussion about the use of these rooms. Schools will use whatever strategies work for them and it isn’t my place to comment.

The second type of isolation room is a very different affair. They may be situated in some special schools and APs and may have a locked door. They are generally called quiet rooms, calming rooms or chill out rooms. Whatever name is given to the room it is still an isolation room. This type of room is designed for one child and usually has no furniture except a beanbag and nothing on the walls. The idea behind this type of room is that an adult can be with the child while they regulate themselves. In this way the child can calm down and cannot hurt themselves or others during a meltdown. Again I’m not going to sit in judgement or pass comment on these rooms. Used correctly they can work well and schools need some strategies for full on sensory meltdowns. Of course, it goes without saying that a child should never be totally isolated in a room behind a locked door.

While you may not approve of the isolation referred to in mainstream schools I hope it is obvious that there is a world of difference between the two types of rooms.

This is a short book review and I will confess straight away that I have never read a book quite like it. The author is refreshingly honest about their own lived experience and their multiple divergence. The author was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD as a child and bipolar as an adult along with borderline personality disorder.

The author grew up hating themselves and believing that they were a problem that needed fixing. They also felt they were undeserving of love and kindness because they were different. The book goes on to tell of how the author began to accept their lot in life and began to feel deserving of love through the acceptance of the term ‘neurodivergent’. The author wants the ‘neurodiversity paradigm’ to be accepted and understood rather than ‘Pathology Paradigm’. The author’s greatest wish is for people to know they are included under the neurodivergent umbrella, they are not broken or disordered and they need to be more accepting of themselves.

The book contains a section on key definitions. This is a vital section with so many new words and phrases around and its jolly useful to have a ‘go to’ chapter to hand. Chapter 3 concentrates on the Neurodiversity Movement. There is also a history on some of the most important movements leading up to it to aid with understanding how we have reached our current position. The book goes into great detail about these movements and I was amazed about how little I actually knew. I thought I had a reasonable knowledge of the evolving movements and was quite shocked to find I was wrong.

Another chapter goes on to talk about the Pathology paradigm. I found this section interesting as it gives a context to the rest of the book. Without this this part readers like myself wouldn’t understand the need for a paradigm shift. Again, throughout the chapter there are clear explanations for the terms and definitions used.

On the whole the book is extremely readable. When I first opened it I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t understand the terminology or the thoughts and concepts behind the writing. However, the author has made it interesting and easy to read. They have a good understanding of what others might struggle with and go to painstaking lengths to address those issues. An example of this is seen in the Neurodivergent umbella diagram. You will find this on page 82 so do have a look at the author’s non exhaustive list of neurodivergences.

At the start I said the author was honest. Having been through the book in some detail I can say that they really are. They talk about their own issues and how they faced them. They explain in detail that they are fighting to be seen not as someone with a disorder but as someone who is neurodivergent. If I had to pick one line from the whole book that really spoke to me it would be this one:

‘There is no such thing as normal because normal is a social construct’.

This line really sums up the book for me. The author has done a top job on this book and has explained some tricky concepts. I would recommend this book to anyone who requires a deeper understanding of neurodiversity and I would recommend it purely for interest.

The author is Sonny Jane Wise (Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers)

Since the start of this new term, there has been a discussion about the usefulness of school uniforms. This isn’t a new topic, its an annual one. Should pupils wear them or are they a thing of the past? Some say they are outdated while others say they are absolutely vital to the smooth running of a school. Where do you stand on this? I will say right from the outset that I believe in the school uniform policy seen in most secondary schools in this country.

I’ve read lots of reports about there being no evidence to support the link between enhanced academic performance and uniforms. I would agree, I haven’t read any such reports, but I haven’t looked for them. Some say that forcing the wearing of school uniforms prevents young people from thinking for themselves. I doubt that very much, they seem to manage fine at the weekend without their uniform. Others say that school uniforms can reinforce the socio economic divisions they are supposed to eliminate. I have even read that the uniform is merely a way for the staff to control young people and remind them who is in charge. We all have our own opinions on this one and as I say it is a recurring theme each year.

My own view is that school uniforms are a great leveller. I am of the opinion that they do help to reduce peer to peer bullying. Blackpool is a deprived area of the country and there is little money to splash around. We have only one uniform shop and everyone has to buy from there so all secondary pupils are wearing the same quality of clothing. No one stands out from the crowd in Blackpool if they are following the school policy.

Next up I think that uniforms are good value for money. There is always an exception to this but on the whole they are hard wearing and they last the year out for not too much money. The cost is generally less than the trendy trainers and fashionable trackies that students prefer to wear when flouting the school dress code. When you put it like that it becomes obvious that refusing to wear the uniform is simply a refusal to follow basic rules.

Another important plus for the uniform involves prep for work. Part of the school’s role is to prepare students for life in the adult world. Many people will be required to wear a uniform at work. They can’t turn up to Asda and proclaim they don’t like the green and black uniform so they’re going to wear red or blue. M and S won’t allow you to wear your favourite clothes to work, its their uniform or no job. Even office jobs generally have a dress code of some kind as do the whole of the health service and almost all fast food outlets. It’s a fact of life, uniforms are pretty much the norm in the adult world.

There are of course many more arguments for and against school dress codes, I’ve just mentioned a few. There is one thing that really does concern me about this whole issue and it’s this:

‘This guidance requires schools to publish their uniform policy on their website. The published uniform policy should be easy to understand and, where a school has a school uniform, should: clearly state whether an item is optional or required. ’12 Sept 2022

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform

My big worry is why do parents choose a school for their 11 year old when it clearly states on the website that there is a strict uniform policy in place and then allow their child to flout the rules. I can’t understand the logic behind this. If parents aren’t in favour of the uniform that’s their choice and I’m not criticising them but wouldn’t it be better to send them to a different school? What are they teaching their child by allowing this behaviour? Why set your child on an intentional collision course with the school staff before their secondary journey has begun. It seems like the wrong thing to do and a poor example to set.

A favourite part of my role in education is reviewing new books for various publishing houses. This book is published by JKPBooks and joins a myriad of others on the subject of dyslexia. When I saw the title I knew immediately that this book would need to possess something different or stand out from the crowd in some way in order to sell. That is exactly what it does. It is endorsed by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) who is the UK’s leading national dyslexia charity and provider of dyslexia information, therefore I know it has good credentials before I open the pages. The book is edited by Lynn Lovell from the BDA who has an MA in Specific Learning Difficulties with a focus on developing self-esteem for those with dyslexia.

The book is specifically aimed at trainee teachers wishing to specialise in teaching those with dyslexia and also increase their own knowledge of literacy difficulties. The book begins with a theoretical introduction to understanding dyslexia and continues by introducing effective teaching strategies. Official definitions of dyslexia are provided and guidance is given concerning possible visual and auditory processing difficulties. Causal theories and models of dyslexia are included alongside genetic research information. The book continues by showing how vital it is to understand how literacy skills develop and how those with dyslexia have difficulty with this process. When a trainee teacher understands the challenges faced by the learner it becomes easier to teach those vital skills.

Also in the book information is included on decoding words, defining spelling and the processes involved in making links between written letters and spoken sounds and how these are difficult for those with dyslexia. The final chapter in the book gives information on how to create a whole school approach to support those with dyslexia.

There are 14 chapters in the book, the first beginning with information on what dyslexia is, theories of dyslexia, and on to information on reading and spelling. Included in the following chapters are tips for group work, interventions and identifying strengths and weaknesses. Chapter 10 is dedicated to specialist teaching for older students as this comes with different challenges from teaching younger age groups. Chapter 12 includes some specialist teaching materials. I feel that this is possibly the most useful chapter as the reader is guided on how to select appropriate materials and resources for their learner. Each learner has their own preferences as to how they learn so it is important to have a good knowledge of the different approaches available. This chapter includes some original and interesting ideas for helping learners to remember certain aspects of writing. Multi-sensory and interactive activities are suggested that will be fun for the learner.

References are included throughout the book and links are added that give information on further reading and point to other sources of information on the internet. For example there are links to dyslexia friendly ICT, software and apps for help with writing, touch typing and assistive technology and software. There is also a very useful section on accessibility options on tablet of computer. This is a requirement for many learners with dyslexia.

In summary although this book is aimed at trainee teachers I think it would be a useful addition to a school CPD library. Any teacher finding themselves in the position of teaching a young person with dyslexia will find this book very useful. Parents will also find it a handy source of information as it is a straightforward read and gives extremely clear explanations to help with many aspects of dyslexia. It’s a dip in and dip out book and that’s always useful in education when time is at a premium. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this book and I’m sure it will be useful for many.

I have been in special education for over 25 years and that’s a huge part of my adult working life. Throughout those years I have watched our knowledge, attitudes and opinions about children with ADHD change dramatically. In the beginning it was all about children who ran everywhere, fidgeted, refused to stay in the room and were generally hard to teach. These children were disruptive and refused to engage unless they were medicated. Several other myths have done the rounds over the years and many of these old fashioned attitudes still prevail.

Recently I was asked to review this book by Joanne Steer and Claire Berry.

The authors have much experience in the field of ADHD. Dr Steer has worked in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services providing assessment, diagnosis and support to children with ADHD. Her co-author, Claire Berry is a cognitive behavioural therapist also working in CAMHS. They are both highly qualified to give help and advice to anyone living with ADHD in their family.

As soon as I saw the book I realised what an impact it could have. The book cover is colourful and child friendly and my version is hardback. The book may be small but it is packed with information. My first thought about this book is that it doesn’t dwell on the past, it doesn’t attempt to dispel any of the old myths and I like that. It leaps straight in with facts that the reader may not know about ADHD. I am of the impression that the book will be extremely useful if there is a young person with a new diagnosis of ADHD in the family. A child could sit with an adult and handle the book themselves and discuss it with the adult reading it with them.

The content of the book is cleverly written. It quite rightly removes any feelings that the young person may have that they are different. It does not attempt to normalise ADHD, rather the purpose of the book is simply to explain why the child acts in certain ways. It is a reassuring read. My own impression of the book is that it has many similarities with a social story. I am of this opinion as it describes a particular situation, includes information about what to expect in that situation and why.

This book will be useful for many people. It can be read by children on their own or in the presence of an adult or educator. Teenagers with a new diagnosis will find it a quick and reassuring read. Adults will find it very useful to simply pick up and quickly find an overview and information regarding ADHD in just a short space of time. The book would also be a welcome addition for a school or public library as a source of reference.

In summary, I highly recommend this book to anyone with ADHD in their family or as a person wishing to learn more about it.

I’ve written previously on the subject of attachment disorder as it’s a subject close to my heart. To give this post some context I have a 6 year old grandson who has been adopted into our family. For reasons that I won’t go into he has attachment disorder and some other challenges that he faces on a daily basis. At school he has a spikey profile, he is the best reader in his class yet struggles with basic numbers. He has an absolute obsession with football and knows all the players and clubs in the top flight and the next 3 divisions. Autism? Very likely, but for now attachment is the thing that holds him back.

Little is known about attachment disorder and I’m learning as I go. Despite many years in SEND education I haven’t come across this and I haven’t seen how much it can affect a child until recently.

Yesterday my grandson came out of school in near hysterics I’m told. He was heartbroken. It had been World Book Day and for the 26 children in his class there were 6 prizes on offer. He hadn’t won one. Now I know that many people will be thinking that this is a life lesson and he has to learn that he can’t win all the time. I agree with this in principle but the school and his teacher have been told about his attachment disorder. They have had some training and they know that for a child like this not winning means rejection. By consistently not winning a prize he believes his teacher is rejecting him and that she doesn’t like him. I’m not suggesting he must win a prize every time, not at all. That wouldn’t be fair or inclusive. I’m asking if his teacher can take the time to talk to him and explain that he hasn’t won but that she loves the effort he’s put in. Can she make him feel special for just one minute. It’s not a huge challenge for his teacher to deal with, but the consequences of him not winning or being spoken to are enormous for this little boy.

If you want to know more about attachment and rejection there is much research out there. For me, seeing this little boy in tears because he hasn’t won a prize or been forewarned tells me everything I need to know. My hope for the next time is that his teacher refers to the training she has had and gently tells him that he hasn’t won this time but she loves his work.

At times attachment theory has been hotly debated. Some even question it exists. I’ve remained silent until now, having no evidence or theories either way. However, due to a change in our family dynamics I now have personal knowledge of attachment theory.

I’ll start with a brief look at the research from John Bowlby, a psychoanalyst, one of the most influential writers on the subject. Bowlby looked at the effects of separation of babies and parents. He concluded that behaviours such as crying, screaming and clinging to parents on separation were related to survival instinct. He determined these behaviours were part of a ritual devised by babies to ensure they received adequate care from the parent or main guardian. They were in fact communicating they needed attention. Mary Ainsworth, a developmental psychologist also worked on attachment theory and wrote about how children respond to being separated from their primary carer. Other researchers have suggested further attachment styles but all have reached a similar conclusion. The most obvious thing to note about attachment is that as the primary adult gives care and attention to the infant a bond begins to form. This bond is the start of a healthy relationship between baby and caregiver.

Bowlby wrote about 4 styles of attachment ranging from disorganised attachment to secure attachment. Now clearly everyone would like a secure and healthy attachment between the primary caregiver and the child. This begins to form early on in a child’s life, usually from a few weeks old. Child recognises their carer and can be soothed by them, begins to smile for them and looks to them when they need pacifying. This is all very rewarding for caregiver and child. However, what if that isn’t the case? What if no bond is formed? What if a child is put up for fostering with a view to adoption. What if that foster carer saw it as a job and didn’t allow a loving bond to form, no point after all when the child is moving on very soon. Every child needs to form a bond with their primary caregiver, it’s a basic human right to feel loved, wanted and cared for. Without that attachment to a primary caregiver how is the child ever going to trust that their needs will be met?

Without delving too much into my private life we now have an absolutely gorgeous 5 year old boy adopted into our extended family. He arrived at 7 months old from foster care. He is gentle, loving, funny and bright. He has some health challenges, some learning needs and in particular he has an expressive language disorder. ELD is exactly as it sounds. He understands everything that is said to him and can act on your instructions for the most part but he struggles to express his needs and emotions. The main challenge he faces is that he isn’t able to be alone, or what he perceives to be alone. He has attachment disorder. This stems from his time with his foster carer who didn’t form that all important bond with him because she had more than one child to care for and she knew she wouldn’t have him for long. For a developing child seven months is a very long time.

So, how does this attachment manifest, and how am I so sure that this is attachment. As soon as he arrived at 7 months it was very obvious that he wasn’t going to sleep without someone very close to him. He cried and sobbed to the point of sickness if left alone to the point where he was making himself ill. There was nothing for it, we had to hold on to his hand or stroke his cheek to make him feel secure until he was asleep. If he awoke and found he was alone the whole process would begin again with the hysterical sobbing. Sleeping and bed time has always been problematic and it continues to be so. He wants to sleep in Mummy’s bed, not beside her but hanging on to her so there’s no escape. Of course this can’t happen and solutions have been found to get through the nights. Five years down the line he sneaks downstairs and sits or lies in the hall rather than be on his own upstairs. That’s a little sad really.

This little boy has very real problems with people that he loves. He is obviously very attached to his Mummy and doesn’t want her to leave him anywhere. So, as much as he loves to sleepover at Nanny and Grandpa’s house he’s conflicted because that means leaving Mummy. He is at times absolutely heartbroken at leaving Mummy yet super happy to be with grandparents. It makes no sense, but it’s distressing to watch. I’ll give a few examples of the struggles he faces. His toothbrush has to be touching his Mummy’s toothbrush and if he’s at grandparent’s house his toothbrush has to be in the middle of their brushes. I’ve lost count of the times all toothbrushes have ended up on the floor because he needs them to be positioned just so. It would be amusing if it wasn’t so sad. When it’s time to go home to Mummy he becomes very distressed again because he can’t bear the thought of being separated from Nanny and Grandpa, yet he desperately wants to be with Mummy.

Our little boy is in YR now and his teacher, SENCo and class TA are doing a wonderful job at making him feel secure. They’ve done all the training and are up to speed with attachment theory. What they are missing is how it affects the individual child and how to deal with it. Part of our little boy’s troubles are centred around his friendships. He has become overly attached to a boy in his class. This is a pattern that is repeated from nursery with another child. He makes a friend and then cannot bear to be parted from him. Recently this desire to be close to his friend has seen him lash out at another child who was blocking his path to his friend. He was unable to adequately ask him to move out of his path. This is not acceptable behaviour and I know that. Social stories haven’t helped with this. Sitting him down and explaining hasn’t helped, visual prompts and even role play have all failed. The two boys also go to football together outside of school. The coach put them on different teams and our little boy was bereft. Totally inconsolable. No aggression was shown that day but I’m always mindful that with his inability to express himself adequately he may resort to violence.

I could give you many examples of his attachment to his friend, in fact I could write about it for days. Another example is with his water bottle at school. His bottle has to be directly next to, if not touching his friend’s bottle. On occasions, all 25 water bottles have ended up on the floor as our little boy attempts to position them just so. If they won’t go in line, there is often an almighty tantrum and all bottles finish up floor bound. So what’s the solution? Making him put his at the end of the row has ended in real tears and a wasted day of learning but is it right to allow him to move them all to make way for his. Who knows? The psychologist is trying to figure it out as we speak. Watching him battle his demons is very distressing, I know that much. One solution is SaLT. Currently there are 3 speech therapists all working with him amongst the many professionals involved with him. The hope is that his speech will develop properly before his attachment demons land him in serious trouble.

I’m not excusing his behaviour, especially when he shows aggression. I know it’s totally unacceptable yet at the same time when you look at his background and his fears of being alone it’s perfectly understandable. I can’t thank the people enough who are working with him. I can’t thank his school enough for their understanding. I just hope that he soon learns to express himself adequately enough to explain what he wants and needs. In his case, his behaviour really is trying to say something that he’s unable to express verbally.

Thanks for reading this tiny snapshot of a little boy living with attachment disorder.

Some of you may remember that not too long I wrote my second book ‘Introducing a School Dog, Our Adventures With Doodles the Schnoodle’. The book was published by JessicaKingsley Publishing and was well received. A few months after publication JKP released my book in a new version translated into Spanish. That was an exciting day as I hadn’t considered that might happen.

The book itself includes top tips for choosing a dog, how to write a risk assessment and discusses the importance of insurance for your dog. There are some stories of the many successes Doodles has had in school and how adored he is by everyone. Since then I have had many enquiries regarding all aspects of owning and introducing a school dog.

I’m now working on a little project with @SpcialNdsJungle and it relates directly to this book. Although the book isn’t directly aimed at special schools Doodles has had an immense impact with his work with children with special educational needs. You really do need to read the book to understand how valuable his work has been. He is adored by children and staff and his presence resonated throughout the school.

So, if you’re thinking of introducing a dog for your school community in September and you’re unsure about the finer details watch this space. Help could be coming your way.

Thank you for reading.