SEND Action Rutland

29/02/2024

Caroline and Lottie’s story;

“Before I start my story, I need you to know I am a qualified nursery nurse as well as an exhausted mother.

Both my girls have special needs, but this is my youngest child's story.

My Lottie is extraordinary, wonderful and inquisitive, energetic and gorgeous, and she also doesn't sleep, nor always eat, or always understand, or always speak. She is 4 and she attends The Parks.

The Parks is warmth and nurture, and caring, The Parks is calm, and steady, and inclusive. The team there are peaceful and engaging, thoughtful and perceptive, supportive and enabling. Every person who works there knows my child's name. They know she needs reins - she is a runner, they know she needs to arrive in her blue Stitch T-shirt and change into her uniform, they know she needs to feel paint with her feet, pour dry rice or cereal onto her head, and get as messy as possible. They know when she has been awake for 20 hours she needs a cuddle, they know she only cries when hurt or tired, they know she loves numbers and letters, that singing calms her down and they know her as I know her. They see "her".

We tried a mainstream pre-school first, we were nudged firmly in that direction. It was lovely, the staff kind and friendly. They remain friends to us to this day, and watch our journey with interest. But mainstream was too busy, it was sudden and loud, it was far too bright, it was too fast and too unpredictable . . . . Lottie was lost in a storm, tossed like a boat with no harbour, clutching her rainbow of colouring pencils like a talisman to keep her safe. I stayed EVERY session, I was always visible and accessible to her, yet still she only managed an hour at a time. Sleep was non-existent, food was refused, she screamed every night, she broke things, smashed things. She tried to interact, but she couldn't, the quantity of other children bemused her, we saw no way to help her.

So we got our EHCP, on our second try. My non-verbal, sunny, bright girl was no longer lost.

We had found our harbour, we had found The Parks

From our first visit to The Parks we found where we belonged. Not just her, but our whole family have benefited. There is more sleep, she has tried school dinners, she uses gentle hands, she manages a whole school day and is sad to come home. They celebrate every achievement with us, they offer unwavering support and advice, they helped us through half-terms unending holiday with links, regular texts, and support packs.

The Parks has a place, and a purpose, and it is powerful.

The Parks and its staff have given my girl the right beginning on her journey, and I will forever support and fight for it to be every child's right to have an appropriate educational place in a setting that meets their needs.”

Please, pledge what you can today and help us fight this decision;

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-parks-school-action-group/

29/02/2024

This is Mandi and Darcy’s story;

“Darcy attended the Parks school from 2015 onwards.
She is diagnosed with Global delay with intention tremor.
The staff went above and beyond to make sure she was comfortable, happy and every single one of her needs met.. especially Mrs Houghton (amazing woman).
I cannot have imagined Darcy going anywhere else and I can 100% say I wouldn’t have been happy with her having to travel out of town to have her needs met.
Parents of children with SEND are anxious enough when they are not with their children, so being in a different town or city is just unthinkable, but now there is no choice.
SEND children EXIST in Rutland, let’s stop hiding from the statistics!
Save the Parks school.”

Please, help us fight the decision and pledge what you can, we only have a short amount of time left!

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-parks-school-action-group/

28/02/2024

This is Antonia and Ollie’s story;

“Ollie is just amazing! He is funny, cheeky, loving and full of beans. He loves firemen, dinosaurs and helicopters. Just like every other 7 year old.
Except he’s not. In order for Ollie to feel safe and therefore thrive, he needs skilled and experienced teachers, he needs understanding and patience in bucketloads, he needs to be kept safe and he needs people who understand him.
Ollie was lucky enough to go to the Parks School in Oakham, less than a mile away from our home. There, he got all the patience, knowledge, love and care that he needed to begin his school journey.
As a family, we were surviving, struggling to come to terms with his diagnosis and grieving for the child we thought we had “lost” (turns out there was nothing to grieve and we wouldn’t change a thing! ❤️). We had been through some scary times with Ollie and we were super protective of him. The Parks staff helped us to feel at ease and gave us all, the support we needed.
It can’t close. It just can’t.
If we, as a community, let it happen, then we are letting down our children. They may not be your children or grandchildren, but they may be your neighbour’s children or your cousin’s children or even your hairdresser’s children. The chances are, everyone knows someone this will effect. Please, help us fight this decision.”

Please, pledge what you can;

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-parks-school-action-group/

23/02/2024

This is Hetty and Poppy’s story;

“Hi everybody, this is Poppy. Poppy has Down syndrome and is 2 years old. We've recently moved to Oakham given the fantastic school that she can access at some point only to hear that it is now potentially going to be closed down.

We're yet to experience the amazing resources she could of had and have upped and moved our entire lives from an area without any schooling suitable for my child.

If we can help in any way we would be honoured to do so for the sake of our little one and everybody else's children too. Having recently tried to go to a mainstream nursery we had to pull Poppy out due to becoming unwell with just standard viruses because the nursery couldn't accommodate her vulnerability so she was using toys and cutlery that other children used but a common cold doesn't usually touch a typical child's immune system, were as we ended up in a&e.

I feel anxious at the idea of not having a provision suitable for her in the future and having it taken away without listening to the reasons why it is so important is horrific.”

Please, if you can, pledge to help us fight to save the Parks School from closure;

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-parks-school-action-group/

22/02/2024

This is Kate and Anabelle’s story:

“My Anabelle is 27 now. My beautiful Belle has severe Autism. I was very lucky that she had the chance to attend the Parks school when it was totally independent, in it’s own building, which is now a car park. Parents with special needs children need this provision in the local community. Life is challenging enough dealing with your child with diverse needs. The parks offered me, as frightened parent, support. Plus, we set up as parents a youth opportunity group, which at the time was amazing; it helped families so much and siblings. The Parks gave my daughter safety, structure, continuity and lots of encouragement.... Seriously what is happening to our town? Children with special needs need this provision to help them.... What happens if the Parks closes? Do they have to travel to another county and school that can meet need?????? What happens about transport????? Most children with special needs couldn't handle the transition anyway. It's so important; the Parks has to be saved.”

Please, pledge what you can to help us fight to save the Parks school from closure;

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-parks-school-action-group/

21/02/2024

This is Philly and Willow’s story;

“This is Willow! Willow attended the The Parks last year (2022-23) and although she doesn’t attend anymore (more due to health needs) she had a fantastic year at The Parks and an amazing start to her school life! I believe Willow was the most complex child that The parks has had for quite some time, and the school and staff took everything in their stride with great confidence and determination to learning everything that they needed to in order to care for Willow!

Willow spent her first 2 years of life in hospital due to complex health needs a list far too long for this post, but to find a nursery setting so close to home after her only being home for less then the time she was in hospital for was an absolute blessing the thought of her having to travel out of county for nursery/school when we had what felt like only just got her home was heartbreaking!

Willow is such a determined sassy little girl without The Parks Willow wouldn’t have had the early access to sign and being profoundly deaf, non verbal this was just what she needed! Without The Parks Willow wouldn’t have had the room to progress with her mobility issues.

The staff were absolutely amazing and a massive support not only for Willow but for the whole family. They really do go above and beyond and it will be absolutely devastating to lose this school!”

Please, help us fight the closure of the Parks school by pledging whatever you can;

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-parks-school-action-group/

21/02/2024

Resharing Chrissy and AJ’s story;

“While AJ was at the Parks they really helped him on a massive scale and gave him the specialist help that he needed at that time. They helped him to communicate his wants and needs and to learn in a way he was able to understand. The Parks also helped AJ with other issues he had like his fear of having his hair cut due to his sensory issues. If he didn't attend at that crucial age and point in his diagnostic process I hate to think how much more difficult his life would have been. The Parks provided AJ with the most amazing specialist support that he needed at that time and he still talks about all the staff that were there to this day and he left over 3 years ago.”

Please help save the Parks by pledging today:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-parks-school-action-group/

20/02/2024

It’s vital for Early Years professionals to complete this! Have your say on the government’s proposed plans!

The Department for Education (DfE), supported by the Early Years Alliance, is today launching a new survey on SEND provision in the early years. It aims to help the Department to better understand how well the needs of children with SEND are being met in the early years, and to gain insight into the challenges early years providers face when supporting children with SEND.

The survey, which is aimed specifically at those working in early years settings, should only take around 10-15 minutes to complete and all individual responses are anonymous. The deadline for responses is Monday 11 March 2024.

You can complete the survey here: https://bit.ly/49kMH4D