Cognition and Learning Team

Support for schools

Our multi-disciplinary Cognition and Learning, Movement Sensory Motor Team consists of highly experienced Advisory Inclusion Teachers, an Occupational Therapist, a specialist Educational Psychologist, an Assistant Psychologist, Senior Support Workers and a Senior Specialist Educational Psychologist with strategic lead for cognition and learning. 

We can offer support across a number of areas including:

• Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD)
• General Learning Difficulties (GLD)
• Maths Difficulties
• Down syndrome
• Foundation Stage Concerns
• Sensory Preferences
• Makaton
• Assistive Technology and IT
• Physical Difficulties
• Fine Motor
• Gross Motor
• Handwriting Difficulties

Schools can refer directly to our team for assessment and support for interventions for individual pupils. The degree of involvement ranges from a single consultation to more detailed individual assessment and discussion with staff and parents relating to outcomes and interventions.

Training is also available from introductory to more advanced levels across a range of topics including literacy, maths, Makaton, early years, movement difficulties, sensory, general and specific learning difficulties, memory, Down syndrome, and using assistive technology to overcome barriers to learning.

Training and capacity building events are held centrally and incur a cost. Bespoke training and consultations; workshops and  SEND Surgeries are also available to schools and settings and other teams within the Local Authority and also incur a cost.

Educational Psychologists (EPs) and specialist teaching staff in this area also contribute to strategic developments within the council for example policies and commissioning arrangements.

Costs

• Individual pupil assessment - £415. Individual assessments typically include an initial meeting with staff and parents/carers to identify concerns, assessment of the pupil, a feedback session, and suggestions for appropriate strategies, outcomes and a written report.
• Consultation - £205. Individual consultation typically includes: up to one hour working with the child/young person doing a small number of informal tasks/observations for one area of focus e.g. spelling or reading or writing or number sense etc.; up to one hour consultation or solution focused meeting with school staff and/or parents/carers together; a brief written report with outcomes and suggestions for strategies and approaches.

Bespoke support can be purchased from the team at a cost of £195 per half day of time. Schools can choose how they would like this time to be used, for example:

• 'SEND Surgeries' or drop in sessions for staff to consult about individual and groups of pupils.
• Workshops for staff development on a range of topics, such as: improving the progress and achievement of pupils with learning difficulties; support to plan, run and evaluate a specific intervention programme; fine motor difficulties and handwriting; supporting children with SEND in the Early Years.
• In school training costs for up to 20 members of staff:
  • Twilight - £290
  • Half day - £580
  • Full day - £865

Training can also be organised for Communities of Learning (COLs) on request. Increasingly more individualised packages are being offered in combination with other services to clusters of schools or Communities of Learning.

Contact SEND and Inclusion Service (cognition and learning) for more information.

Request for involvement forms can be downloaded from the Templates, referral forms and reports page on the Local Offer.