Working to support effective inclusion 

At Downright Special everything we do is based on an understanding of the specific learning profile of children with Down syndrome.  
 
Individuals with Down syndrome are likely to have have some degree of learning disability but do not simply have the generalised learning delay often assumed. The good news is that if we use the correct strategies most children can learn effectively, going on to read, write and access the rest of the school curriculum. Many of our children attend mainstream nurseries and schools. Downright Special Education includes our team of specialist teaching staff, trained in the most up-to-date evidence-based techniques for teaching children with Down syndrome, from early years through to secondary school. Our teachers are there to support parents and school staff to ensure that children are fully included in the classroom and to help everyone use the best strategies and methods of teaching so that children with Down syndrome continue to learn and thrive throughout their school years. 

Downright Special Fridays - Specialist Education Sessions 

Downright Special Education offers support to schools in part through our Downright Special Friday sessions where school-age children attend with their Teaching Assistants (TA) and participate in a structured lesson. These lessons cover core aspects of the curriculum including reading, writing, literacy, numeracy, speech and language development and take place on Friday afternoons. Younger children (birth to foundation stage) attend our weekly morning play and education sessions where nursery staff and teaching assistants are welcome to attend alongside parents and carers. Having the TAs attend allows them to see a demonstration of practically applying the specific teaching techniques which ensures the children’s learning is maximised. 

Outreach Service 

Our teaching staff offer outreach work, individual advice and training opportunities for education staff. We currently provide outreach support to around 45 nurseries, pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools in our area. Our staff can offer advice on inclusion, differentiating the curriculum and setting targets and can provide resources, write reports and attend annual reviews. We work in partnership with other services such as Speech and Language and the local Sensory and Physical Teaching services to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting each child. 

Education Resource Boxes 

Prior to a child starting nursery or school we provide a resource box to aid differentiation and inclusion. The boxes contain Numicon maths equipment, the See and Learn Specialist reading and language programme and information on Down syndrome. 

Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) 

Our teaching staff are on hand to help parents when the time comes to request an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), write reports, review draft EHCPs and attend annual reviews. With training in the legislation around EHCPs, they are on hand to help parents and schools every step of the way. 
Training 
We kick off each academic year with training courses for teachers and teaching assistants who are new to working with a child with Down syndrome. Throughout the rest of the year, we run a heavily subsidised training programme for school staff and parents on topics related to the education and inclusion of children with Down syndrome. Topics include: 
Working Memory 
Supporting Positive Behaviour 
Language for Thinking 
Language and Communication 
Co-ordination Difficulties 
Curriculum Access and Differentiation 
Colourful Semantics 
Growing, Changing and Keeping Safe 
An Introduction to Signing 
An Introduction to Numicon 
Most of our courses are delivered online via Teams, and all our courses can also be offered on an INSET training basis either in person or online. 
 
Check out our What’s On page to see what’s planned or get in touch by emailing training@downrightspecial.co.uk