What a strange time of year for us all in Learning Support. What would normally be the start of a new summer term and looking forward to enjoying lunchtimes outside with our friends we are all locked down. There is unfortunately a period of uncertainty ahead for us all, and I want to send our best wishes to all our families at this time.

All of the Learning Support team have been working away in the background, and I think we will have a very well-trained team in all sorts of new topics when our period of lock down has ended.

The Open University has been offering free courses and all members of the team have been certified for their time. A few of the courses that have completed so far are a range of mental health courses, student transition and autism courses.

(examples of the completed courses)

I want to direct our parents to using the amazing resources out there from DSPL9 – they have created some fantastic resources for parents and students to use at home. These are all free and can be access on their website. www.dspl9.org.uk

The Learning Support team are all working away behind the scenes, so please do make contact with them if you need any help with work.

This week Mrs Dillon and Miss Burton completed a very informative webinar update run by some well renowned SEND experts across the country. Over 1000 SENDCos from across the world joined the webinar to share advice and updates from the consultants. One of which was Natalie Packer the author of the book ‘How to be a perfect SENDCO’.

There were SENDCos from as far as South Korea joining the webinar and it was great to be involved at such an important time for SEN. It was lovely to know that across the world the issues for SENDCos are similar, and we are all working collectively to solve problems. As stated at the webinar, the role of the SENDCo is so important in these times of uncertainty. We are all working remotely as the anxiety levels of our students are often at the highest at times of uncertainty.

Upon taking advice we are currently attempting to start completing our important annual reviews over the phone. If your annual review was due in the summer term you will soon get a call or email regarding this process. It will be different from our usual meetings, but the team has so much experience that we will make it as smooth as possible for you.

The local DSPL9 have still been supporting parents and carers and a message was sent out to let you know that the Triage Team have continued to support parents, carers, young people, partner services and settings throughout the lockdown, making and receiving referrals, delivering food and sharing updates on information and using Facebook, we are also attending virtual meetings when possible. We are holding a Zoom coffee mornings, have started the transition support remotely and are speaking daily as a team to ensure that we have a good joined up approach without bombarding families with information, we have taken a drip-feed approach.

We are aware that transition and reintegration is going to be very difficult for many of our families due to their complex needs, we are planning toward this but cannot predict how it will look until we get further guidance. We have some exciting transition plans in place if lockdown remains.

Bushey Meads School Donation to the NHS and Watford General

As many of you may not know we have a (Physically Neurologically Impaired) PNI Unit at Bushey Meads School and as a school we have decided to donate all our PPE equipment to Watford General. We are also lucky enough to have had 241 pairs eye-protection goggles donated from the BMS Science department also going to Watford General. The students of our key workers were extremely helpful today and spent the morning organising and packaging the equipment.

One of our amazing parents is one of the many wonderful Key Workers at Watford General Mr Vishal Sookhoo. He is a Senior Manager in Infection Control at Watford General and he had kindly organised receiving our donations. Mrs Dillon and Miss Burton organised the delivery on Tuesday 21st April. Mr Sookhoo and his team were extremely grateful for the donation and said they are running low on all the supplies. The students have organised a thank you vlog to the NHS along with the donation. You will find this on the Executive Principals Blog.

Ella, Mekhi, Jess, Kelly, Mimi, Iris and Thomas

(Some of the PPE equipment ready to be organised and packaged to donate to Watford General Hospital)

(Ella and Mimi helping to organise our Science goggles)

(Mekhi, Kelly & Iris helping to organise the Science goggles in a well organised production line)

(Mrs Dillon & Miss Burton making the donation from Bushey Meads School to Mr Sookhoo and his team of Infection Control staff taken at Watford General)

Bonnie

Bonnie has had a lovely Easter at home with her extended Bushey Meads family. The Dillon Family.

We have been taking her out for our once daily family exercise to Essendon Woods where she loves exploring and getting very muddy!! Unfortunately, she does not enjoy the bath after her walk.

Bonnie has picked up a few naughty habits over Easter… she already sits and watches you eat your lunch… but now she has taken to resting her head on the plate…

Mrs Dillon and Bonnie wish you all well, and hope you have had a restful, and peaceful Easter break. Bonnie is missing all the love and attention she receives from everyone at BMS. We are looking forward to coming back soon to see our Bushey Meads Family.

As a department we have stayed in weekly contact with you all through email, please do let us know if we could do more? We like to always be available for our families and if you have any ideas on how we could improve at this time of lockdown please do not hesitate to contact me dillonr@busheymeads.org.uk