Differences in these systems and the ways in which we process and modulate sensory information, can lead to very different experiences of the world. For some children, this experience can be under stimulating whilst for others, the information from the sensory system can be overwhelming. Our experience of our sensory system and it’s impact on our central nervous system can lead to changes in our behaviour.
School can play a central role in the identification of sensory differences and through carefully planned actions, can support children to understand and respond to their individual sensory experiences.
The Wolverhampton Outreach Team have worked closely with our Occupational Colleagues to understand the actions schools can take to best support sensory differences and to recognise the point at which a referral to health is relevant. This work is undertaken within the Graduated Response. The diagram below outlines this process.
- Universal = Marked Orange
- Targeted = Marked Green
- Specialist = Marked Purple
Training
The Outreach Team offer a range of training to support schools in identifying, planning for and responding to sensory differences, both at a whole class level and in order to meet individual needs. The full offer is available in the downloads section.
Please speak directly to a member of the Outreach Team or contact outreach@wolverhampton.gov.uk to book training for your school or visit the WVES website to see courses that are currently available.
The Cool Kids Programme
The Cool Kids programme was originally designed by Occupational Therapist Joy High and has been supported by her colleague Roz Roscoe since Joy’s retirement. Joy always envisioned that the programme would be freely available to all schools in the City and the Outreach Team are continuing to support this vision.
The Cool Kids programme is an intervention that aims to support children in developing their gross motor skills, whilst also learning to regulate and respond to their sensory systems. Often the programme supports children in putting in place the essential building blocks needed for later movement development, including the development of fine motor skills and later handwriting development and the ability to concentrate for extended periods of time. The Outreach Team regularly run Cool Kids training. This can be accessed through the WVES website.
Further Cool Kids resources are available in the Download section.
If you would like training in your own school for a group of staff, please email outreach@wolverhampton.gov.uk or speak directly to a member of the Outreach Team. The Cool Kids programme for both Primary and Secondary schools can be downloaded for free from the downloads section of this page.