Access to support from an additional key person in the setting to facilitate access to the curriculum, help the child manage their condition, or move with safety around their environment. 

Flexible support in the setting to include personal care such as dressing and toileting, as required or requested by the child. 

Consider whether assistance or supervision is needed for outside play, break and lunchtimes to ensure mobility and safety of the child. Plan activities during unstructured times which are inclusive and promote the child’s independence.

Allow additional time for the child to complete tasks.

Consider modifying activities that children with perceptual difficulties may find challenging such as work sheets with lots of information, word searches or crosswords.

Consider use of pen rather than pencil to improve fluency. If pen licences are used within school, consider suitability for child and the potential to a give pen licence for reasons other than neatness etc.

Explore alternatives to handwriting e.g. voice recorder, iPad, laptop or netbook.

Consider access arrangements for assessments and exams, and apply for and implement them, as necessary.

Give consideration to transporting of food at lunchtime e.g. providing assistance with trays and seating. Consider sitting on a standard chair at the end of bench style folding tables rather than on attached stools to improve postural support.

Allow children to leave lessons early when travelling between rooms or buildings to avoid large groups in corridors and enable extra travel time.

Consider giving additional time to change for PE lessons.

Provide a locker or peg for the child to store books, bags and coats etc. rather than needing to carry them around during the day.

Teach strategies to improve self -organisation, including use of diaries, planners, and checklists of daily equipment needed.

Provide option for the child to sit on a chair rather than on the floor at carpet time/assemblies. Can have a classmate do the same if appropriate.

Consider trialling of a move ‘n’ sit or disc ‘o’ sit to improve sitting posture and attention and concentration.  

Consider transportations of any required additional resources between lessons when appropriate.

Consider additional support required for specific activities, such as swimming and PE lessons.

Staff understanding of Occupational Therapy and or Physiotherapy referral process. Staff can request OT involvement after completing the Coordination Matters assessment process prior to referral Upload ‘Coordination Matters Activity Pack Sept 2022’, ‘Coordination Matters Checklist Sept 2022’ and ‘OT referral form’ GP or health and social care professional can make a referral to Physiotherapy Upload ‘Physiotherapy referral form-paediatric’

Links with other local schools to observe and share good practice.

Opportunities for 1:1 and small group work e.g. Aqua beads, chopsticks game, Lego, iron on beads, finger gym, threading with pasta/beads, letter join and jigsaws.

Fine and gross motor skill interventions (listed in previous column) that may be carried out in small groups and targeted towards a child’s needs.

Fine motor box including items and resources children can use independently to strengthen their fine motor skills. Kept somewhere children can access if they have a spare few minutes to practise.

Ensure the child is able to reach and use facilities e.g. hand basins, taps, coat pegs, lockers.

Provide handrails on stairs and within bathroom areas or provide access to disabled toilet. Consider grab bars or rails within the bathroom area or provide access to a disabled toilet.  

Use appropriate size and height chairs and tables to encourage a correct posture and to support fine motor function and writing.  

Should appropriate height tables and chairs not be possible for all activities consider support for the child’s feet.  

Provide additional classroom resources such as sloping board, adapted cutlery, chairs, scissors and pencil grips etc.

Ensure all staff in the setting receive relevant training e.g. manual handling. If a child needs manual handling as part of their support, it is a legal requirement for staff to be trained.

Ensure access to additional and specialist equipment, as advised by professionals such as OT and PT -

Bury Paediatric Physiotherapy Service (pat.nhs.uk).