Education Professionals

Education Resources for Pupils with Down's Syndrome

Written by the UK Down Syndrome Education Consortium and published by the Down's Syndrome Association, 2011

Since 2002 the DSA has published four Education Support Packs to help educators meet the needs of children and young people with Down's syndrome in schools and colleges. The original Education Support Pack, which won The Times Education Supplement/NASEN Books for Learning and Teaching award 2003, has been separated into specific packs, one for primary schools and one for secondary schools. The 2011 Primary and Secondary Education Support Packs are updated with new information and accompanied by a CD containing PDFs of all four Education Support Packs as well as new assessment materials and resources.  All designed for accessibility and dissemination

Each of the support packs in the series describes how to meet the educational needs of children and young people with Down's syndrome at different stages in their education. The support packs contain units of topic related information and resources designed for practical use in mainstream and special schools and colleges. The written information is printed in pt 12 font size on pages of robust card, to support frequent removal from the A4 ring folder and photocopying. The units are separated by card dividers so that information can be found quickly and easily.

What is in the Education Support Packs Series?

Primary Education Support Pack

The Primary Education Support Pack provides information to help primary schools meet the educational needs of children with Down's syndrome. Although the support pack has been written for mainstream primary schools (the majority of children with Down's syndrome attend their local school), the information within the pack can help staff supporting children in specialised primary schools equally well.

The support pack contains 10 units with information about the specific learning profile associated with having Down's syndrome, legislation and guidance, effective strategies for inclusion, developing language skills, accessing the curriculum, teaching reading, developing writing skills, learning mathematics and numeracy skills, promoting positive behaviour and social skills, successful transitions and using computers as an aid to learning.

The pack uses diagrams to illustrate models for successful inclusion, and colour pictures and photographs to demonstrate teaching methods and resources. Highlights include 'ICT essentials',  examples of curriculum planning, using print and pictures to support remembering and language learning, ways to help children learn about number, maths language and skills for everyday living, and a unit about supporting transitions from pre-school to infant school, from infant to junior school and from primary to secondary school. The unit for promoting positive behaviour and social skills contains guidance in easy steps to help school staff and parents devise behaviour support plans. Each step is illustrated and the unit ends with case histories that put the principles into practice.

Secondary Education Support Pack

The Secondary Education Support Pack builds on the structure of the Primary Support Pack with the addition of many more illustrations and practical examples to represent the varied needs of young people across the curriculum in a mainstream secondary school environment. All mainstream secondary schools should be able to meet the needs of the majority of young people with Down's syndrome. The Support Pack will help to enable schools to match the expectations of increasing numbers of young people with Down's syndrome to continue their education in their community school and the expectations of parents for schools to have the capacity to do this.

The units describe the learning profile associated with having Down's syndrome, legislation and guidance, strategies for inclusion, developing language skills, accessing the curriculum, teaching reading, developing writing skills, acquiring mathematics and numeracy skills, promoting positive behaviour and social skills, transition to secondary  school, 14+ transition and onto Further Education, alternative accreditation at Key Stage 4 and computers as an aid to learning, with a unit dedicated to encouraging meaningful relationships and sex and relationships education. The 14+ transition planning unit includes a guide to Person Centred Planning and explains how to prepare for student centred transition reviews.

The Secondary Education Support Pack is a comprehensive and accessible resource for secondary schools educating students with Down's syndrome.  The information will also help staff supporting students with Down's syndrome at special schools.

Accessible for all school staff and parents – practical, interesting, well illustrated

The authors have successfully combined good practice for educating children and young people with learning difficulties and speech and language delays with information more specific to meeting the needs of individuals with Down's syndrome, such as how to use print, pictures and other visual supports for learning, making accommodations to support remembering of spoken information, and how to use social learning strengths. They have created an easy to use guide that is accessible to all members of school staff and parents.

The support packs can be used over many years, allowing teachers to access relevant material at each stage of development, as children's needs change. Teachers can find answers to common questions that arise when teaching a pupil with Down's syndrome and education professionals in advisory roles can use the resources to support their recommendations. Schools can use the materials to help them prepare their own training for staff.

Available to purchase in a ring folder or as a free download, the Support Packs are within the reach of every school.

They offer an effective way for schools to develop their inclusive practice, support the professional development of their staff and work with parents to educate children and young people with Down's syndrome.  They are likely to help many other children and young people in primary and secondary education.

New Education Support CD for Schools

Each of the Support Packs comes with a CD containing the content of all four support packs, DSA information sheets on all topics, DSA booklets for Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Further Education, P scales and assessment materials and numerous examples of differentiated materials across the curriculum.  The resources include an interactive visual timetable for home and school use, a visual timetable for working life (FE and work), 'Speaking and Listening' software and examples of 'curriculum maps' for most curriculum areas. The CD can be bought separately from the Support Packs.

2003 Education Support Packs for Special Schools and Further Education

Although recent education developments and computer hardware and software are not included in the 2003 Education Support Packs, much of the information remains relevant and can be applied by staff supporting students with complex needs in special schools and staff working in post 16 education settings.

As well as being available in ring folders, the Support Packs are available as free downloads or on a CD, as part of the Education Support CD for schools.

Education Support Pack for Special Schools

The Education Support Pack for Special Schools contains 10 units written for educators working in special schools and outreach services. It provides information about the learning profile associated with Down's syndrome and guidance about how to promote language development, teach literacy
and numeracy skills and support social development and behaviour. The highlights include informative descriptions of special school partnerships and case studies written by 18 contributing authors from special schools and outreach services, and information for staff supporting children with dual diagnosis of Down's syndrome and autistic spectrum disorders.

Education Support Pack for Further Education

The Education Support Pack for Further Education contains 9 units written for staff working in a Further Education post-16 setting supporting young people with Down's syndrome, including  FE colleges, sixth form colleges, Higher Education and Specialist College Provision. The information is also relevant for the training element of vocational courses. The units include understanding the learning profile, with recommendations for using learning strengths and developing literacy and numeracy skills, effective strategies for inclusion in classes and within the wider community, how to encourage meaningful relationships, assessment information and exit guidance towards employment and living away from home. The highlights include unit 5: 'The Students Voice', with sections on Person Centred Planning and student advocacy.

The updated Primary and Secondary Education Support Packs have been written by Sandy Alton, Consultancy Advisory Teacher Oxfordshire LA
and Teacher Advisor DSA; Jane Beadman, Independent Educational Psychologist; Bob Black, Education Information Officer DSA; Cecilie MacKinnon, Training Officer DSA; and Christina Singh, Independent Educational Consultant; with additional contributions from education professionals and students who have Down's syndrome.