So you’ve chosen a school (or to home educate). The pre-school years are over. What can you expect from the next stage of your child’s life? This section covers the ages of 4 to 11- the primary years.
Many of the challenges your pre-school child faces will continue into the school-age years. At 4 or 5, some children with Down’s syndrome can still be unsteady on their feet, their speech may not yet be emerging, and they may still be getting to grips with toileting. If you are throwing in starting school it can feel like a lot to deal with.
The vast majority of children who have Down’s syndrome will need more help than is normally available from the school’s existing resources. If they don’t have one already, they will therefore require an Education, Health and Care Plan specifying the help they must have. Children who have Down’s syndrome often have a pattern of specific learning strengths and challenges. This is known as the ‘learning profile’. We offer training about the learning profile and about how to educate children in early ears and primary settings on our Support for Schools page.
The school has a duty to adapt the curriculum as necessary for children who have additional needs. This could mean using more hands-on visual teaching or providing adapted work within the same topic.
Your child’s support in school will be overseen by the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo).
Day-to-day help will generally be provided by a teaching assistant (TA), also sometimes called learning support assistant (LSA). Your child’s class teacher is responsible for planning learning and in teaching all children within their class. Children who have Down’s syndrome will require speech and language therapy to help with their communication skills.
It is not uncommon to have teething problems when children start school. The teachers and teaching assistants are all getting to know your child and your child is adapting to a new environment and people. It is vital that parents and teachers work together and regular meetings can help. If you ever feel like you want some help or advice then get in touch.
The Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group offer Support for Schools including school resource packs that progress with the child through their educational journey. We also have dedicated training days and offer school talks on Down’s syndrome. For more details please email info@swindondownsgroup.org.uk
Primary Parent Contact
Michelle James is our Primary Age Parent Contact and here to help support parents and carers. When it’s going well, it’s great, but who do you turn to when things are not going quite so well? Michelle is here to talk, offer advice and share information. Michelle will also connect you to our dedicated What’sApp group for parents in this age range.
