Good News for Dyspraxia Friendly Classroom Guidelines
I am writing in my capacity as Chair of the Education Committee of the Dyspraxia Foundation to let you know of the good progress we have made in promoting our Dyspraxia Friendly Classroom Guidelines to schools in England and Wales.
The guidelines were developed in response to an urgent need identified by our members and professionals working with children with dyspraxia - a developmental co-ordination disorder - which is believed to affect at least one child in every classroom in the country.
Earlier this year I wrote to Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), to tell him about the new guidelines and to ask for his assistance in promoting them to schools. The Minister referred the matter to Andrew Adonis, the Under Secretary of State for Schools and Learners, whose principal policy areas include primary education including phonics and Special Education Needs.
In response to my letter I was invited to by the DCSF to attend a meeting of the No To Failure steering group - a government supported initiative designed to raise awareness of good practice in schools for teachers of children with dyslexia. The group recognises the co-morbidity of other specific learning difficulties, such as dyspraxia with dyslexia, and asked me to attend their meeting for information to this end.
During the meeting I suggested that the DCSF might include our guidelines on the TeacherNet website � the education site for teachers and school managers � and I am delighted to tell you that our guidelines are now available to all teachers via the website at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/ or follow the link at the end of this item.
As you may know, Jim Rose is carrying out a review of school provision for dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties, and the DCSF have sent Jim a copy of our Dyspraxia Friendly Classroom Guidelines. Jim and his team are visiting schools and collecting anecdotal evidence of good and poor practice and he invites families and schools to send him examples via his website which is www.dcsf.gov.uk/jimroseanddyslexia/ . or follow the link at the end of this item.
I urge you to send Jim your examples of what has worked well for your child and what makes for poor provision. This is a very good public relations (PR) opportunity for the Dyspraxia Foundation to be heard and it is vital that our trustees, executives, coordinators and members contact Jim, especially if their child also has dyslexia. Don�t forget to mention the Dyspraxia Foundation by name so that we get as much coverage as possible. If you can, please also copy your examples to Jane at Head Office [email protected] and marked for my attention.
If you have not yet seen the Dyspraxia Friendly Classroom Guidelines you can view or download them at
www.dyspraxiafoundation.co.uk/services/ed_classroom_guidelines.php
or follow the link at the end of this item.
Lastly, some important legal changes regarding Special Educational Needs Tribunals are happening. The DCSF publish a regular Special Needs and Disabilities Update and you can read all about the latest news and initiatives at
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/12755/SENupdate24.pdf
or follow the link at the end of this item.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Yours sincerely
Wendy Barbara Fidler
Chair, Education Committee, Dyspraxia Foundation
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