16th January 2023
Hello and welcome to the brand-new Lyndhurst SEND newsletter!
Here we will be addressing all things related to SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) – news, snippets, advice, strategies, stories and information about SEND.
In our first issue you can find out about a bit more about the Zones of Regulation, get involved with the next stage of the Lyndhurst Sensory Space and try out some Makaton with your child. The SEND newsletter will be produced every term and distributed to all of our families at Lyndhurst. If you have any concerns about your child, please speak firstly to their class teacher. If you want to contact the SENDCO directly, please email Ms Ali Jones at ajones@lyndhurst.southwark.sch.uk
SEND Sensory Space
We are delighted with the success of our recently opened Sensory Space, based in the former Year 6 library, which combines a range of stimuli and a sensory circuit designed to help children develop and engage their senses. This has proved to be particularly beneficial to our children with sensory impairment difficulties. Excitingly, we are now going to move into the next phase of the Sensory Space development and would love to form a ‘working party’ so parents can contribute ideas and expertise. If you would like to get involved, please contact Ali Jones, SENCO on ajones@lyndhurst.southwark.sch.uk. To find out more about Sensory Impairment and how our senses work together, go to: The importance of Sensory Integration
https://youtu.be/1_Iuj8dr9oY
Ready to learn Makaton?
A valuable life-skill, Makaton can help support your child to communicate and get meaning across. It can be used as a main method of communication or as a way to support speech. The Makaton signs also have a lot of commonality with British Sign Language.
There are plenty of courses available to learn Makaton but here are some simple sentences you can learn on a YouTube video, so why not try them over the half-term or Easter holiday? https://tinyurl.com/4v9kjbht We also enjoyed the Gruffalo Kids Yoga – perhaps try a family session for a story, Makaton and yoga all in one! https://tinyurl.com/bdddmrzb.
To learn more about Makaton, go to What is Makaton? - About Makaton
Zones of Regulation
Your child may have talked about using ‘Zones’ at school to help with regulation/describe how they are feeling throughout the day. These are the ‘Zones of Regulation’ that are being used in classrooms to help to support your child to think about how they are feeling in their body. The Zones are categorised by colour:
- Red Zone is used to describe feelings such as anger or rage
- Yellow Zone is used to describe frustration, anxiety, excitement or just feeling ‘silly
- Green Zone is used to describe feeling happy, focused, content and ready to learn
- Blue Zone is used to describe feeling sad, tired, sick or bored.
It might be useful to come up with your own ideas with your child of what helps when they are in different ‘zones’ and how they can move between the zones to a place of regulation. For more information go to: https://zonesofregulation.com
Autism-friendly cinema screenings
Odeon cinema is just one of the chains offering specially adapted and autism friendly screenings for children with autism, sensory difficulties or learning impairments. These screenings take place one Sunday a month and more information can be found at www.odeon.co.uk/autism-friendly. The Picturehouse chain of cinemas also host autism-friendly screenings and the closest one to Lyndhurst is on Lordship Lane in East Dulwich. Find out more at www.picturehouses.com
Key dates:
SEND coffee mornings at Lyndhurst Primary School Library – 9.05am-10am
-Wednesday 8 February 2023
Discussion topic: How Teaching Assistants support learning
Hosted by: Ali Jones (SENCO), Irene Wedgwood (Assistant SENCO) and Lydia Baldwin (HLTA)
-Wednesday 29th March 2023
Discussion topic: Supporting your child’s friendships
Hosted by: Ali Jones (SENCO) and Jola Nowakowska (Deputy Head; pastoral)
-Wednesday 24th May 2023
Discussion topic: Supporting transitions into new year group /school
Hosted by: Ali Jones (SENCO) and Jola Nowakowska (Deputy Head: pastoral)
-Wednesday 12th July 2023
Discussion topic: Roundup of the year
Hosted by: Ali Jones (SENCO) and Jola Nowakowska (Deputy Head; pastoral)
Useful contacts
AHD SUPPORT: Support | ADHD UK
AUTISM SUPPORT:Southwark Autism Support Team (AST) - contact Mr B for advice on 078 0286 0871 or blagoje.vucinic@southwark.gov.uk
Southwark Information and Advice Service (SIAS) 0207 525 3104 or
LITERACY AND DYSLEXIA SUPPORT: https://www.bellhouse.co.uk/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zf2f9j6/articles/z3c6tfr
PARENTING SUPPORT: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/childcare-and-parenting/children-s
SOUTHWARK SEND SUPPORT: Home | Southwark Local Offer
ADOPTION SUPPORT: Home Page - We are Family Adoption
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT; Parenting Smart, Place2Be’s site for parents and carers, is full of expert tips and advice for helping to support children: www.parentingsmart.co.uk
