Below you will find information to help you in your role, as well as find out more about what we have on offer in Barnet.   

 

Primary SENCO Challenge Group

The Primary SENCO Challenge Group meet half termly and explore particular topics of interest or discuss latest developments in relation to special educational needs.

More recently, we have been working on developing steps to success linked to the Pre-Key Stage Standards.  These will be piloted by the group next term. There has been recent exemplary material published by the Teacher’s Standards Agency.  

If you are interested in being a pilot school, please contact Joann Moore: [email protected]   

For further information about the Pre-Key Stage Standards, click on the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-key-stage-1-standards 

 

Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants  

Research indicates that quality feedback on learning and the development of metacognition skills can boost pupil attainment.  

Our Inclusion Advisory Teacher, Joann Moore, is a licenced trainer for MITA and leads a project in Barnet.  

Based on the acclaimed book, The Teaching Assistant's Guide to Effective Interaction, the project introduces staff to the scaffolding framework and provides practical strategies and reflective activities to use within your setting. As part of the project, you will work with 5 other schools and engage in training, action planning and peer-evaluation. Through this project you will have full support from Joann and the other participating schools.  

If you wish to join the project for next year, please email [email protected] requesting an expression of interest form.  

You can find out further information about Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants at the following link: maximisingtas.co.uk

 

 

Helpful Resources                                                                          

Primary SENCOs are always developing resources and as a result of the Moderation sessions that are taking place, we have developed an Initial Concern sheet template. 

To download a copy click here: Initial concern form  

 

Where can I direct families for support?

This is a list of local organisations that support families with a range of different needs. For further information refer to the Barnet Local Offer. 

  • BARNET MENCAP and Family Support Service  

Barnet Mencap provides advice, information and support for parent/carers of children with learning disabilities and special educational needs. They do this through telephone and one-to-one support on a range of issues including education, health, housing, benefits and other matters. There are parenting programmes and workshops throughout the year. Open Door provides drop-in sessions at Barnfield Children's Centres for under 5’s. 

 

  • St James’ playgroup 

St James’ Playgroup are a parent and baby/toddler group especially for babies and toddlers with additional needs. They meet every Tuesday afternoon in term time, from 1.30pm to 3pm, at St James’ Church in New Barnet. Their aim is to provide a safe space for parents to meet and make friendships with other parents facing similar challenges, whilst their babies and children have a wonderful time playing. Everyone is welcome whatever their faith.  

 

  • Barnet Carers Centre 

The Centre offers advice, information, emotional and practical support for all informal carers who live or work in the London Borough of Barnet. They help those who may be affected by a child, sibling or a parent with a disability. They have a support network for parents who have a child with a disability and provide on-going support through their youth clubs, one-to-one school sessions and mentoring. 

 

  • Barnet Short breaks  

Short Breaks offer activities for disabled children and young people with an Education and Health Care Plan to make sure they have the same opportunities as other children to have fun, spend time away from home with their friends, and develop skills and independence. Short Breaks also gives carers a chance to take a break from their caring responsibilities. These breaks can include day, evening, overnight and weekend activities and can take place in the child's own home, in a community or residential setting.  

There is one Short Break that is available without with an Education and Health Care Plan and that is: Teeny Tiny Fun Play GroupThis group is run in term time on a Wednesday from 10-1pm at Buckets and Spades respite centre in Finchley. This group provides respite for families who have a child with complex needs, from 18 months old – 5 Years, and is a group for parents/carers to leave their child in a supportive, caring and stimulating environment.

 

  • Sparkles Group 

Sparkles is a pre-school group that supports children with multi-sensory impairment, or those who have a single sensory impairment and have other additional disabilities. It offers families opportunities to access specialist support from professionals with knowledge and experience of children with multi- sensory impairment. The group is run by SENSE at The Hadley Family Centre, 12 Hyde Close, Barnet, London, EN5 5TJ

www.barnetlocaloffer.org.uk/organisations/27178-sparkles-pre-school-playgroup 

 

  • Challenge Group 

This is a parent and toddler group for families who have a child with additional needs. They meet on a Friday morning from 10-11.30am at St James’s Church, St James’ Lane, Muswell Hill, London N10 3DB. They are a Christion organisation that welcomes every one of any faith (or none). Parents whose children are at school are also welcome. 

 

  • Barnet Children Centres  

Every Children’s Centre is intended to make life better for parents and children under five-years-old. Children’s Centres offer the following services: 

  • Family support and information including workshops and drop-in groups. 

  • Health services and advice including support before and after the birth of a baby. 

  • Access to specialist services, for example, speech and language therapy, midwifery support etc. 

  • Home visiting to isolated families. 

  • Activities for children, mothers, fathers and carers. 

  • Learning opportunities for parents and advice on employment.

  • Information and advice including benefit information. 

  • Children with additional needs support groups. 

  • Resources for Autism 

This is a charity that provides practical services for children and adults with a diagnosis of autism and for those who love and care for them. They offer a range of services and activities. Examples of what they offer include: therapies, support, play schemes, play and youth clubs and home support. 

 

  • Barnet SENDIASS  

Barnet Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS). SENDIASS provides parents and carers of children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs (SEN) or a disability with free, confidential and impartial information, advice and support. 

 

  • Noah’s Ark  

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is a community-based hospice service providing support for babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and their families in North and Central London and Hertsmere. They offer a range of services including family fun days, medically trained carers for respite, play therapists and much more.

 

  • C Potential  

C potential is a charity providing a range of activities and therapies including conductive education, occupational therapy and music therapy for children with a range of special needs​

 

  • Family information Service 

This service offers advice and support to families living in Barnet with a child under the age of 20 years. 

www.barnet.gov.uk/children-and-families/support-parents-and-carers/family-information-service 

 

  • Home-start 

This charity provides support to families with a child under 5 years of age in their own home. Once a family has been assessed, a volunteer is matched with the family and can offer up to 3 hours a week support. 

 

  • Norwood  

Norwood provides services for children/young people with learning disabilities and special educational needs and support for children and families facing individual challenges in London and the South East. In Barnet, they offer a number of services which include family support; a toy library; recreational schemes for people with disabilities; drop-in services for families; parenting programmes and workshops as well as Health and Wellbeing schemes. 

 

  • Aspire Training Centre 

The Aspire Leisure Centre is based in North West London within the grounds of the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital in Stanmore. The Centre was the first fully accessible leisure Centre in Europe for both disabled and non-disabled people. At the Centre, families can access a heated swimming pool with their child with additional needs. The Centre also offers swimming lessons for children with additional needs. 

 

  • Camp Simcha  

Camp Simcha is a Jewish charity that helps all Jewish children and their families when the child has one of the following: 

  • life threatening illness, e.g. cancer, heart problems, muscular dystrophy, 

  • A life changing condition e.g. serious muscle and skeletal problems, neurofibromatosis and Type 1 Diabetes 

  • A baby born premature and sick babies.  

They offer a range of support services for the child, siblings and wider family. 

  • North London Deaf Children’s Society 

This is a charity that aims to support families of deaf children by sharing experiences and knowledge, offering emotional and social support and by organising events and activities for the children. The children have different degrees of hearing impairment, from partially to profoundly deaf and use all methods of communication. 

nldcs.org 

 

  • Parent/carers forum  

This is a voluntary group of enthusiastic, committed parents and family carers in the London Borough of Barnet working with the local authority to ensure that the voices of their children, young people and their families are heard. They inform their members about workshops, training and events for families with children with additional needs. 

  • Barnet Well-being Service  

The Barnet Wellbeing Service aims to improve people’s emotional health by looking at their individual needs. They work in partnership with a number of organisations which provide services tailored to individual’s needs within the borough of Barnet. They look at physical, emotional and social needs as a whole to identify and connect each person with the services that would improve their wellbeing. 

 

This is not an exhaustive list, therefore, if you hear or know about a good service do let us know.