Talking Sense Volume 47 No1 Spring 2001
How to combine mainstream school with specialist help? Eight year old Jack shows how it can be done, says Beverley Mars
Eight-year-old Jack Heywood wants to be part of everything that’s going on around him, like every other boy his age. He has a sense of fun, a charming smile (especially for pretty girls) and would rather play than work in school some days. But he’s not defined by his limited vision and moderate hearing loss, and his schools reflect this. I spoke to his mum Clare to get the whole story behind his successful combination of mainstream and specialist schools.
Jack goes four days a week to the specialist MSI provision at St John’s Foundation Special School in Bedford, and spends the remaining day at a local Luton primary. But how has he reached this balance?
Specialised learning first
I first met Jack in February 1994 when he moved to Bedfordshire, where I work as Education Co-ordinator for Deafblind Pupils for the LEA.
When he was three, in September 1995, he became one of the first children to attend the purpose-built MSI provision at St Johns. As he was registered blind with limited, fluctuating vision and a mixed moderate hearing loss he was highly dependent on this specialised learning environment to help him learn new skills.
At the same time, at home with his sisters, Jack was inquisitive about their play. He wanted to join in their shop games, and pretended to run a MacDonalds from the Fisher Price kitchen in the hall. He was not as motivated by the same games played with adults, and so it wasdecided that, like his sisters, Jack would also attend a local playgroup part-time.
Fun with the Jolly Tots
We were fortunate that Luton Social Servicesprovided initial funding for intervenerJackie Fordham to support Jack at the local Jolly Tots playgroup.
This was held in a church hall, and although the acoustics and lighting were not designed for a deafbiind child this didn’t seem to matter to Jack. He quickly learnt where his favourite activities were - the home corner, playing with cars and the art activities. He loved the slide, waiting his turn and tolerating the other children tumbling down on top of him. School physiotherapist Penny Harper wasamazed at his head control as he watched the others sliding down towards him!
Jack listened intently to the children playing alongside him and would initiate contact, using voice and body. He responded well to those children who had siblings in his sister's classes and whom he had met in the playground.
Eventually Jackie Fordhamfelt he needed a more structured setting, to develop the skills required for working in a group. Jack found the register and news sessions difficult to follow in the very open church hall. Socially, he was forming relationships with children who then moved on to a 4+ class, so it was decided it wastime for Jack to move on too.
Meeting Mrs Cooper
In September 1996, Jack made the plunge into mainstream infant school. Iam not sure what he enjoyed most about the nursery class of Warden Hill Infant School; leaving the house with his sisters on a morning for the same school or being in Mrs Cooper's class! Val Cooperwas an experienced nursery teacher. Her determination to see Jack, rather than his disabilities, made a major contribution to the success of the placement.
Tracey Bottoms,a nursery nurse from the MSI Provision, became his intervener, providing continuity between the two schools. She made sure he always had a piece of work to share with the class at the end of the sessions. Simple communication aids,a BigMac and a Barry Box, were used to give Jack his 'own voice' in small group sessions. Using a radio aid inlarger group sessions let Jack follow more closely, and his tolerance of large group work improved. Tracey's skills helped her differentiate tasks for Jack, Val Cooper made visits to the MSI Provision and in January 1998 the placement was extended to a full day.
The limits of nursery
A full day of nursery required an extra commitment from mum ClaireAs he required enteral tube feeds and the chance for a stretch and rest out of his wheelchair, she had to take Jack home at lunchtime. Everyone worked hard at making the placement successful, but in January 1999 a placement review was felt necessary.
As the age gap between Jack and the nursery children widened, he was relying on Tracey to motivate him, and maintain his interest in activities. Penny had put a risk reduction plan in place in the nursery, but accessing reception classes would be difficult due to their size and location within the school. It was time to move again.
Inclusion at primary
Bramingham Primary was ideal for that move. It is a designated inclusion school, designed to accommodate wheelchairs throughout. It has a history of integration and inclusion placements for children with complex needs, and staff are trained in manual handling. Bramingham was local to his home and community – so off Jack went.
Following a transition period during the summer term in 1999 with Tracey, in September Jack's class teacher from the MSI Provision Jenny Scorthornetook overthe intervener role. This signified a subtle change in the emphasis of the placement, now seen as a chance to extend opportunities to teach IEP objectives. Bramingham School was referred to in teaching targets.
In March 2000 Jenny wrote, ‘Jack has made commendable progress in a number of areas this year. Of particular significance is his increased maturity... he is learning to wait his turn, to tolerate listening for extended periods and to participate with peers in a variety of activities.
‘ He has also benefited from curricular links between his work at St John's and activities at Bramingham … particularly in the key areas of literacy and numeracy.’
Best of both worlds
Claire is extremely pleased with the current placement. She acknowledges the role the MSI Provision plays, teaching skills in a specialised environment and preparing Jack for the time he spends in mainstream. However, she feels that Bramingham lets Jack ‘finish off his learning and achieve real understanding’.
He gives II0% when he is at Bramingham and he is exhausted by the effort at the end of the day. The need to prepare him so well for lessons there and the physical toll it takes on him make it unlikely that he would be able to do more than a one-day placement in mainstream.
The social benefits of one day, however, are many. He attends a school alongside his community peers, and he gets invited to birthday parties. Just like his sisters, he takes Christmas cards to school and for one day aweek his mum can take him to school and pick him up. Jack and his helpers feel he’s got the balance right.
Jack’s placements: the keys to success
Each placement has built on the success of the previous one. Each success has been possible through:
- enthusiasm, commitment and a positive attitude from everyone
- appropriate funding and resourcing
- using staff with appropriate skills for each placement
- regular, multi-disciplinary input
- good communication, with everyone able to express their opinions and concerns
- regular reviews.
Beverly Mars is Education Co-ordinator for Deafblind Children for the Children with Sensory Impairment and Communication Difficulties Service run by Bedfordshire Local Education Authority.
