Sensory support in education
Specialist sensory teachers support schools to meet the needs of children and young people with sensory impairments.
As part of the SEN support process, they work with staff in schools to:
- be aware of children or young people’s sensory impairments
- understand the impact of sensory impairments on their access to the curriculum and school life
- implement appropriate strategies and approaches
Where appropriate, they may support staff to use specialist equipment, to ensure children and young people are able to access the curriculum.
Eligibility
The service supports children and young people from reception to year 11 (or year 13 in sixth form) without an education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Children and young people are eligible if they are diagnosed with a:
- hearing impairment, and have hearing aids
- visual impairment that is not corrected by glasses
- combined hearing and visual impairment
There is also sensory impairment support for children aged 0-4.
The service is not available to independent or private (fee paying) schools. These schools are able to buy support from the SEND Traded Team or other providers, to support them in meeting the needs of children and young people with sensory impairments.
Accessing the service
Children can be referred by audiology or ophthalmology teams or their school. Parents can make also referrals by contacting their local Inclusion Service area team. Referrals should be supported by appropriate clinical information.