We are a team of experienced teachers who specialise in supporting primary and secondary age children and young people who are diagnosed with autism, or who present with social communication difficulties. We consider the child or young person’s needs and provide supportive and enabling strategies for the individual, their school and their parents/carers.
How do we work?
We are a traded service, bought in by schools. We work closely with schools to provide support for individuals, groups and school staff, and we also deliver staff training on a bespoke basis.
Schools request work at termly planning meetings. Parents must give their consent and their views are requested before work begins.
When we meet pupils, we talk to them about the things they are good at, the areas they find tricky and how they would like things to improve.
Information from parents, pupil and school is used alongside our own professional judgement to determine priorities and next steps. Recommendations for supportive strategies and interventions which will have a positive impact on pupil progress are provided to school. Progress can be reviewed by us or by school.
How can we help you?
The Complex Communication Team can offer a range of services including:
- Observation in class (advice, strategies, resources)
- One to one interventions with CYP (including ‘Pupil Voice’)
- Group interventions
- Meetings with parents (both individual and groups)
- Caseload surgeries
- Peer awareness sessions
- Assemblies around Autism Awareness
- Learning walks/Environmental audits
- Informal assessments of individual children
- Attendance at My Support Plan meetings and Annual Reviews
- Formal reports
- Training packages
Specific one to one interventions that we offer include:
- Emotional regulation
- Managing anxiety
- Self-awareness
- Diagnosis awareness
- Friendship skills
- Self-esteem/self-confidence
- Inappropriate sexualised behaviour
- Intensive interaction
- Understanding puberty
Specific group interventions that we offer include:
- Social skills
- Transition groups
- Lego Therapy
- Relaxation groups
- Yoga for children
- Others at the request of the school
How to contact us
Support can be accessed through your child’s school.
Team Teach
Team Teach training is offered to all Coventry schools and settings.
Tutors who deliver the training work in Coventry SEND support services, special schools, and social care, bringing a range of expertise and experience.
What is Team Teach?
Team Teach is an approach to support whole school /setting behaviour management.
The training provides strategies to understand and manage challenging behaviour through building supportive relationships with pupils and deescalating potential conflict.
It also trains staff to safely hold a pupil, when it is absolutely necessary, for their safety and the safety of others.
Where schools/settings/parents identify children who may need Team Teach support, a Risk Assessment and Positive Intervention Plan can be developed in co-production.
Staff from Coventry SEND Service are available to advise and support.
Team Teach is an accredited training through the Institute of Conflict Management.
Team Teach objectives are:
- To develop shared values which promote the attitude, skills and knowledge needed to implement Team Teach in schools and settings.
- To have a whole school understanding of the underlying reasons for behaviours.
- To develop skills in behaviour management including verbal and non-verbal communication, diversion and de-escalation.
- To deliver positive handling that is safe, effective, humane and risk assessed.
- To develop skills in positive listening and de-briefing.
How can we help you?
Bespoke training is delivered in schools and settings and tailored to the needs of the specific environment. Dates are set aside for this throughout the year.
‘Catch-up’ training sessions are also held each term for staff new to a school/setting to ensure consistency of approach and skills across the school.
The training is valid for up to 3 years and schools must refresh within this time to maintain accreditation. Re-accreditation is a half day session.
Advice and support is available following training, on request.
How to contact us
For general enquiries and bookings please contact Team Teach
Telephone: 024 7678 8400
TeamTeach@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:TeamTeach@coventry.gov.uk]
For follow-up and support please contact Emma Whitmarsh-Knight - Team Teach Specialist Teacher
Telephone: 024 7678 8400
Emma.whitmarsh-knight@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:Emma.whitmarsh-knight@coventry.gov.uk]