Teaching children with SEN and disability

Educational Psychologists specialise in children and their learning, wellbeing and wider development. We work directly or indirectly with children and young people. We also provide advice to parents and other adults who teach and support children.

We do this through a variety of methods including observations of pupils and the use of a wide variety of assessment tools such as questionnaires, standardised assessments, discussion and interview of staff and pupils.

Every child receiving an education and health care (EHC) assessment will work with a member of the educational psychology team, and their assessment findings will contribute a major source of information for the resulting education, health and care (EHC) plan.

Traditionally, we have offered a very sought after traded model of support for children and young people without an EHC plan, that can be commissioned by schools to help them understand and reduce the barriers to education for some of their pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

We offer free, anonymous advice which can be accessed by special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) through a monthly scheduled EP ‘hotline’. Please contact your assigned school EP for details.

We do not accept referrals to the EP service from parents; these must be completed by a staff member (usually the SENCO).

Critical incidents guidance

The Educational Psychology team have produced a critical incidents guidelines document to assist head teachers and school staff to deal effectively with critical incidents in schools.

The guidelines provide advice for schools on how to respond if a sudden bereavement or traumatic critical incident occurs which affects the school community.

This ranges from initial planning, through to immediate handling and reporting of an incident, to the aftereffects and how these can be handled with sensitivity and care.

Our training offer for schools

We are able to offer training on a variety of subjects relating to child development, psychology and special educational needs. Our training offer to school is constantly though in the past we have offered session on

• Kindness and Happiness workshops for children
• Childhood Trauma and Resilience
• The Social Neuroscience of Education
• Executive Functioning
• Working Memory
• Emotion Coaching
• ADHD
• Attachment and Behaviour
• Introduction to Autism
• Anxiety in Children
• Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

Find out more about Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) in our document Herefordshire Educational Psychology Service guide for primary and secondary schools.

For our most up to date offer or bespoke training for your school/setting - contact kamran.khan2@herefordshire.gov.uk

An ELSA in every school

ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) is a nationally recognised and accredited route for training teaching assistants to provide emotional and social support to primary and secondary pupils (see ELSA Network – Emotional Literacy Support Assistants for more information).

Our course runs for five separate days over a term, and takes place face to face in Hereford.

The course covers a range of topics relating to child wellbeing, mental health and the skills and techniques required to provide emotional support. Over the last 5 years we have trained 190 ELSA’s and continue to grow this network of diligent staff through termly advice and supervision sessions. Supported by a generous subsidy from HCF (Herefordshire Community Foundation (herefordshirecf.org) we now have a mission to train at least one or more ELSA in every Herefordshire School.

If you do not currently have an ELSA in post or you wish to train another ELSA please contact: Kamran.Khan2@herefordshire.gov.uk or Caryl.Griffiths@herefordshire.gov.uk

We currently have subsidised spaces on our next course at a cost to schools of only £150 per person.

Whole School Restorative Practice (RP) Training

Duration: 3 x 90 minute school based twilight sessions (the first session can stand alone as an introduction to RP) or as 1 Day (9.15am - 3pm) of school based INSET.

Restorative Practice offers the opportunity for a transformative educational approach which can lead to greater levels of harmony and empathy in the school community. Restorative Practice is an evidence-based, proactive philosophy that places relationships at its core. We are excited to introduce our Restorative Practice for Schools Training Day, designed to empower your own school community with the tools to build stronger relationships, resolve conflicts, and enhance the overall well-being for staff, pupils and even parents.

Our full-day of training provides hands-on experience delivered by two Educational Psychologists who are passionate about this approach.

Feedback from a recent event: “It was brilliantly balanced and executed. Thank you, really worthwhile and lots of positive comments and interactions have come from it.”  Head Teacher in Kington.