Sensory Team - Print version

The Sensory Team are specialist (hearing and vision) teachers and support staff providing highly specialist support for children with hearing or vision difficulties.

We provide a comprehensive programme of support to children with hearing and/or visual impairments and their schools, parents/carers and supporting professionals.

This includes:

• hearing and vision assessments and advice on meeting children's need
• pre-school support for children with sensory impairment, their parents/carers and professionals involved with the family
• specialist teaching support and advice concerning children with hearing and/or visual impairment attending mainstream/special schools
• teaching within special resource bases in mainstream schools for pupils with hearing impairment, who use sign language
• resources and adaptations for children with severe vision impairments. This includes advice/training on the use of electronic aids and Braille
• educational and mobility assessments
• specialist ICT and Braille training/advice
• monitoring children's progress and supporting specialist examination and assessment arrangements
• equipment and technical repair service difficulties, their schools and families.

How do we do it?

Support includes:

• peripatetic support - in-class support, withdrawal support, advisory work as required
• pre-school support for children and their families
• intensive language support for children with hearing impairment, plus toddler groups and carer workshops for children with visual impairment
• resource base provision for children with a hearing impairment who need sign language in their education
• provision for visually impaired students with high specialist adaptation needs
• British Sign Language tuition for families, teachers, assistants and children in schools and homes.

Where do we do it?

We provide our services wherever children are and wherever their teachers, carers, support staff require it.

This includes:

• homes
• playgroups, nurseries and family centres
• mainstream and special schools
• At our service base
• in resource bases attached to mainstream schools
• at various training centres.

Team for children and young people with a hearing impairment

Pre-school Group - Sensory Tots

Language Support Group

Intensive language support for pre-school children with a significant hearing loss.

Howes Primary Hearing Resource Base

Resource base attached onto a primary school for children with a significant hearing loss who require intensive language development and sign language support. Aged 4-11.

Stoke Park Secondary Hearing Resource Base

Resource base attached onto a secondary school for children with a significant hearing loss who require intensive language development and sign language support. Aged 12- 18.

Peripatetic support for children and young people with a hearing loss aged 0-18 in the home and attending pre-school settings, schools and special schools

Visiting Teachers of Children with a Hearing Impairment provide advice, guidance and support from birth onwards working closely with hospital hearing centres. They work in homes, early years settings, schools and colleges on request. Many children are referred in their early pre-school years – in some cases, shortly after birth following newborn hearing screening- and may continue to receive a service for the whole of their statutory education, although the nature and intensity of the support may vary during that time. The team can provide in-class support to settings, intervention work and specialist advice and training.

British Sign Language tuition

BSL tutor provides BSL tuition for families, teachers, assistants and children and young people in schools and homes.

Team for children and young people with a visual impairment

Pre-school groups -Vizzi Tots and Sensory Tots

Toddler group for pre-school aged children with a significant visual impairment

Peripatetic support for children and young people with a visual impairment aged 0-18 in the home and attending pre-school, mainstream school and special schools

Visiting Teachers of Children with a Visual Impairment provide advice, guidance and support from birth onwards working closely with hospital eye clinics. They work in homes, early years' settings, schools and colleges on request. Many children are referred in their early pre-school years and may continue to receive a service for the whole of their statutory education. The team can provide settings with in-class support, focussed intervention work, for example Braille and visual enhancement, and specialist advice and training for staff.

Adapted materials production

Team of specialist staff making specially adapted resources for children and young people with a visual impairment such as large print, Braille and tactile resources.

Habilitation Specialist

Habilitation Specialist providing independence training and life skills.

Typing skills

Touch typing skills provided by a touch typing tutor.