Fire door checklist
Fire doors are designed to prevent the spread of smoke, flames and toxic gases throughout a building in the event of a fire. Therefore, when a fire door is held open, or is faulty, fire can quickly pass through the building, blocking escape routes and endangering lives. A quick fire door checklist: Check the door’s hinges. Are they CE stamped and do they fit correctly? Check the correct fire signage is displayed. Check your door holder/closer device. Check it works, and check that it does not need updating. Check your locks and hatches are CE marked and not damaged. Check that the seals and vision panels are free from damage. Legally, a building’s fire doors must be self-closing to ensure the door closes to act as a barrier that stops the fire from spreading. It is recognised that it is sometimes necessary to hold fire doors open for practical reasons e.g. easing access, increasing ventilation. Wedging open fire doors with a wooden wedge will put the people in the building at risk. The door will not automatically close if it’s held open this way. If you want to hold the fire door open, it must have a device installed to release the door, so that it will close upon activation of the fire alarm system. Fire door retainers such as the Agrippa magnetic fire door holder are fitted hygienically to the top of the door and use a magnet to hold open heavy fire doors that will release in the event of a fire. This is not a comprehensive list and further advice should be sought directly from your fire door supplier to ensure your fire door is fully safe and compliant. We also advise you to view the Fire Safety: Approved Document B. Which covers building regulation in England covering fire safety matters within and around buildings. Agrippa magnetic fire door holder Hygienically installed at the top of the door Releases the door on the sound of the fire alarm Wire-free so no disturbance to building infrastructure Fitted in just ten minutes 2 x C cell batteries Conforms to BS EN1155 and recognised by UK Fire and Rescue Services CE marked under the Construction Products Regulation EMC approved Agrippa fire door closer Easy, wire free installation and programming 2 x C cell batteries Free-swing mode makes doors feel light and easy to move Adjustable closing speed Conforms with BS EN1155 and EN1154 and recognised by UK Fire and Rescue Services CE marked under the Construction Products Regulation EMC approved The Agrippa fire door closer is fitted in place of a traditional door closer to hold the fire door open in any position, whilst ensuring the door will close in the event of a fire. Fire safety is a vital consideration for any business, large or small, which protects your employees and your building assets.
Shine a Light Awards celebrates schools’ communication development work
Comedian Adam Hess hosted the 2018 Shine a Light Awards, a national awards scheme that celebrates innovative work and excellent practice in supporting children and young people’s communication development. Adam struggled with dyslexia and an immense fear of public speaking when he was younger. At the awards, which took place at Pearson’s headquarters in London, 17 individuals and teams across 10 award categories were recognised, as well as children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). The Shine a Light Awards are sponsored and organised by Pearson in partnership with The Communication Trust, a coalition of over 50 organisations dedicated to supporting children and young people’s speech, language and communication. Adam said: “The dedication of teams and individuals to improve the communication skills of children and young people is humbling. As a child, I struggled greatly with dyslexia and an immense fear of public speaking, if it wasn’t for the support I received when I was younger I wouldn’t be in the position I am today. It has been a complete honour to host these awards and I would like to congratulate all the winners and commended finalists. They should be very proud of what they have achieved.†Sharon Hague, Senior Vice President, Schools, Pearson, said: “Our warmest congratulations to the winners, highly-commended, and commended finalists of the 2018 Shine a Light Awards. Through our innovative clinical assessments, Pearson is committed to supporting those working to help people overcome challenges in speech and language. “For six years we have run these awards as we believe it is so important to recognise and celebrate the incredible, but often unsung, work being done across the country to change the lives of children and young people by helping them to develop their communication skills.†Octavia Holland, Director of The Communication Trust, said: “Congratulations to everyone who triumphed at the 2018 Shine a Light Awards. These awards highlight the very best practice that is taking place in settings across the country. The winners and highly-commended finalists have shown what can be achieved when expertise, enthusiasm and dedication are given to children and young people who struggle to communicate. We would like to say a huge thank you to Pearson for their long-standing support.†The awards panel included 19 key representatives from across the education and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) sectors, as well as previous Shine a Light Award winners. Representatives included Jonathan Douglas, Director at National Literacy Trust; Kamini Gadhok MBC, Chief Executive at RCSLT; Bob Reitemeier CBE, CEO of I CAN; Lesley Munro, Education and Speech and Language Therapy Manager at Pearson Clinical; John Parrott, Chair of Communication Consortium at NAPLIC and Victoria Roe, Secretary and Deputy Chair, SMIRA. The Shine a Light Awards have grown in popularity since their launch during the National Year of Communication in 2011 (known as the Hello campaign). To date, the awards have celebrated the work of over 140 teams and a wide range of individuals, including young people with severe and complex SLCN. In the UK, over one million children and young people have some form of long-term and persistent speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) that can impact them early, severely and for life. The awards highlight the incredible contributions of teams, settings and individuals across England who support children and young people to achieve their full potential despite the challenges they face. The Awards are designed to promote and celebrate good practice in speech, language and communication for individuals, groups and settings that work with children and young people, particularly those with SLCN. The awards form part of the legacy of the National Year of Communication (Hello campaign) and have become a key event in the speech, language and communication and healthcare calendar. Pearson is the world’s learning company, with expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Pearson have sponsored the Shine a Light Awards since their launch in 2011, as part of the Hello campaign (National Year of Communication). The Communication Trust is a coalition of over 50 leading voluntary sector organisations, which raises awareness, influences policy, promotes best practice among the children’s workforce and commissions work from its members. The Trust’s mission is to ensure that every child and young person is supported to communicate to the very best of their ability. For further information about the Shine a Light winners and highly-commended finalists, visit www.shinealightawards.co.uk and follow the hashtag on Twitter #awards_SAL The full list of winners and highly commended finalists is as follows: Award: The Katie Rough Memorial Award Winner: Libby Hill, Uttoxeter Highly Commended: Rachel Peck, Cambridgeshire Child/Young Person of the Year Award: Winner: Jonathan Bryan, Wiltshire Highly Commended: Siena Castellon, London Communication Champion of the Year Award Winner: Pip St John, Lancashire Youth Justice of the Year Award Winner: Manchester Youth Justice, Manchester Early Years Setting of the Year Award Winner: Children’s House Nursery School, London Highly Commended: Juice Nursery Ltd, Altrincham Primary School of the Year Award Winner: Pendle Primary Academy, Lancashire Highly Commended: Longmoor Community Primary, Merseyside Commended: Bridgewater Primary School, Newcastle upon Tyne Secondary School/College of the Year Award Winner: Isaac Newton Academy, London Commended: London South East Colleges, London SEN School/Group of the Year Award Winner: Pontville School, Lancashire Highly Commended: The William Henry Smith School, West Yorkshire SLCN Innovation of the Year Award Winner: Stoke Speaks Out Pearson Outstanding Achievement Award Winner: Stoke Speaks Out The judges involved in the 2018 Shine a Light Awards were: · Bob Reitemeier, CEO of I CAN · Diz Minnitt, Speech and Language Lead, Association of YOT Managers (AYM) · Hilary Berry, Chair of Cheshire West and Chester Primary Heads’ Association · Janet Cooper, Early Language and Communication Strategy Lead at Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Shine a Light Award winner · John Parrott, Chair of Communication Consortium at NAPLIC · Jonathan Douglas, Director of National
‘The right’ classroom lighting boosts learning by 20%
The correct type of lighting can significantly improve children’s learning, especially if it is natural light, research shows. Full spectrum lighting, including sunlight and artificial lighting that replicated natural light, is known to improve behaviour, reduce anxiety and boost health. In turn, these improvements translate to a marked improvement in learning. According to a study by the California Energy Commission, classrooms that receive a high level of daylight offer students a 20% better learning rate in maths and 26% in reading, compared with classrooms that received little natural light. Bruce Cantrill, Head of Marketing and Business Development for power and lighting specialists CMD, said: “The days of ‘one size fits all’ fluorescent lighting in schools are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Innovations in dynamic lighting technology now mean that natural daylight can easily be replicated to create a much more positive learning environment for both pupils and staff.†Dynamic lighting — lighting that can be adjusted remotely to suit particular lessons and activities — can further support and enhance classroom learning, suggests a recent study published in the journal Optics Express. In contrast, poor lighting reduces how effectively the brain can collect information. Research by Dr. Ellen Mannel Grangaard of the University of Nevada suggests that overhead cool white fluorescent lighting can be detrimental to learning for a number of reasons, including aggravating hyperactivity and promoting off-task behaviour such as fidgeting, daydreaming and talking in lessons. The glare — or veiling reflection — created when fluorescent lighting reflects off paper and white boards also physically hinders student’s ability to read properly and can result in disengagement with the lesson. Mr Cantrill adds: “Another great benefit of dynamic lighting in schools is that teachers are able to remotely optimise their environment by controlling the brightness and lighting temperature in their classroom on a light-by-light basis. This can be adjusted throughout the day to suit both the nature of the lesson and the amount of natural daylight available.†www.cmd-ltd.com/products/audacy-wireless-lighting-controls-by-cmd/
How should heads cope with rising mental health issues within teaching?
Robyn Johnstone, Chief Executive Officer of Education Placement Group specialists in teacher recruitment, recently partnered with Education Support Partnership (ESP). ESP is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of teachers, and its free and confidential 24-hour helpline receives over 7,500 calls a year from education staff who have reached breaking point. Here she answers some questions about the rising mental health issues within teaching… What issues are teachers facing in terms of their mental health? Teachers are currently facing high levels of stress, resulting in behavioural, psychological and physical symptoms. Behavioural impacts cause teachers to be more prone to procrastination and mood swings, which may affect their teaching ability. Psychologically, increased work pressure can lead to anxiety and panic attacks, leading to cases of depression. There are also physical impacts of raised blood pressure, tension and regular headaches affecting their performance. How are schools affected when teachers leave the profession due to mental health issues? Mental health issues result in teachers suffering from long term sickness, meaning that temporary members of staff are required to cover these absences. This creates stability issues for pupils as children do not have regular and familiar teaching staff, impacting both their performance and behaviour. Schools may also face challenges relating to the recruitment of new member of staffs, particularly for STEM subjects. How does the Education Placement Group’s (EPG) new partnership with Education Support Partnership (ESP) work? Our partnership aims to raise the issue of mental health and how it impacts the retention of staff in schools. We want to ensure all teachers have access to a support network, whether that is professional or social, in order to help them remain within the profession. It will also help school leaders to understand how their school can support teachers suffering from these issues. ESP and EPG will be working together on a number of events to raise awareness and provide wellbeing advice and support for teachers. We will also be working collaboratively on a Teacher Community which proactively provides trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers with a peer community, professional coaching and guidance with ‘real time’ wellbeing advice. What can heads do to reduce the number of teachers leaving the profession? Head teachers need to recognise that a supportive school culture should be at the forefront of their agenda. A strong and positive culture where teachers are often rewarded and recognised will help with both recruitment and retention of staff. School leaders need to be supported by the senior management team to address the issue as a team. Head teachers also need to provide sufficient guidance and advice about health and wellbeing for their staff, through well communicated formal policies. Teachers are less likely to seek support from their employer when experiencing mental health issues related to work. A school culture which positively addresses mental health, rather than seeing it as a sign of weakness, will be better equipped to address issues early, before staff inevitably leave. What should policy makers be doing to ensure that teachers feel valued in their roles? Policy makers need to understand the current level of mental health issues teachers are experiencing and thus how policy changes can contribute to exacerbating these issues. Unsustainable workload and work-life balance are the two top causes of poor mental health, yet many policy changes, particularly if they are made rapidly, often increase the workload and only make the situation worse. This is particularly prevalent as a major stress for senior leaders in schools, who report that the rapid pace of organisational change is one of the major reasons for leaving the profession. For further information on mental health support see educationsupportpartnership.org.uk and for the Education Placement Group, please call 0114 2572700 or email info@educationplacementgroup.com.
Kids show Vorderman they have the maths factor!
Britain’s most famous maths whizz and committed educationalist, Carol Vorderman, has praised children across England and Wales for their exceptional progress in maths at The Maths Factor graduation ceremony held at Pearson’s headquarters in London (10th March 2018). The children, who graduated from The Maths Factor programme by completing 45,000 correct answers to sums, all fell in the top 3% of children in the programme. Maths Factor is an online maths tutoring site that was created by Carol Vorderman eight years ago to build maths confidence in children aged between six and 11, and today forms part of the maths portfolio for leading learning company, Pearson. Now in its fourth year, the graduation ceremony rewarded 25 children in total. 11 of these became Graduates, nine became Progress Champions and five were awarded the Gold Cup for completing a tutorial and sums every day for a year as part of the Maths Factor 30 Day Challenge. Carol Vorderman, who arrived at the ceremony in a The Math’s Factor taxi, said: “Congratulations to all the children honoured at The Maths Factor graduation ceremony – they have all shown what can be achieved with numbers, arithmetic, mathematics and a whole lot of dedication and drive! Numeracy is a fundamental life skill that helps children thrive, learn and improve life chances. “At The Maths Factor we specialise in taking maths strugglers and turning them very quickly into happy maths winners. It gives us such a thrill to know that we have helped to change a child’s life in this way. The Maths Factor is the culmination of years of work to ensure that children and their parents can learn maths in the simplest way possible. Children have fun, learn at their pace and develop a lifelong love of numbers. I am delighted that the programme, with support from the team at Pearson, is growing and unlocking more and more children’s confidence in maths!†Spencer Williams, Head of Direct to Learner at Pearson, said: “We would like to congratulate each and every child that has been honoured at The Maths Factor graduation ceremony for the exceptional progress they have made, and also their families for their fantastic support! In today’s world, we believe that no job is more important than helping people to learn – and numeracy skills are crucial for success. We are proud to be working closely with Carol to grow The Maths Factor to benefit more children and parents – it forms an important part of our already established maths portfolio.†The Maths Factor site for primary-aged children features short tutorials from Carol and includes interactive games, revision clubs, times tables catch-up, an algebra club and the 30 Day Challenge. A version for primary schools is also available through Pearson’s widely acclaimed platform, Active Learn Primary, for teachers to access thousands of brilliant videos, plus interactive homework from Carol Vorderman. To date, children using the programme have advanced by up to 25 months in their maths. In a survey conducted in March 2017, 93% of parents saw an improvement in their child’s maths confidence and 85% of parents saw an improvement in their child’s maths ability within six months. All 25 children recognised at the ceremony either completed or took part in The Maths Factor programme between 1st September 2016 and 31st November 2017. For more information about The Maths Factor please click here
DigiLab 3D45 Review: Dremel’s 3D printer is school friendly!
With 3D printing making a splash in industry, schools are beginning to invest in the technology to help prepare students for future careers. But with the cost relatively high and the technology still emerging, is it worth handing over much-needed funding? Here, we review the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 model to explore whether 3D printing is a realistic avenue for schools to explore. Armed with a scraper and two sticks of purple glue, our tech-minded colleague Frank McLaughlin set up the DigiLab, which was generously loaned to us by Dremel (part of the Bosch group). Dremel launched their DigiLab 3D45 at the BETT show recently because it has been designed specifically for schools. Frank had a good knowledge of how 3D printing works – although he had never used a 3D printer before – and informed me that a spool of plastic thread (or filament) was responsible for printing the 3D objects. So we loaded the spool into the side of the machine and threaded the filament into the correct parts. Dremel informed us that an environmentally friendly, plant-based plastic, PLA, can be used with the DigiLab. Creating awe and wonder in DT On reading the easy-to-follow, relatively short set of instructions, we set about choosing a design to build. The touch-screen menu allowed us to easily navigate to a frog model, which the printer informed us would take 1hr 30mins. We took the purple glue stick and lubricated the glass platform to avoid the object from being welded onto the plate. Over the next couple of hours, with the lights dimmed and the printer illuminated like some kind of plastic-melting UFO, staff from around the office bobbed in to express their awe and wonder. Thanks to its fully enclosed see-through chamber, we could see every stage of creation as the hair-thin strands of melted plastic build up the shapes, layer by layer. With cries of “It’s like magic!†and “What else can we make?†it’s clear to see the excitement levels in schools will be piqued with a 3D printer. The possibilities are endless and the only limits are the students’ imagination. The end completion time was extended throughout printing, so the first job ran over our working day. Frog ended up remaining headless, however we were able to see the honeycomb effect within the body of the objects printed – which saves on filament and is fantastically strong. There’s also an integrated camera so students and teachers can monitor and control multiple printers remotely. Frank monitored the printing of the first object – while printing the machine should not be left unattended, something to consider when longer jobs are being built in school hours – and then began creating his own designs including a QA Education logo and a Euromedia heart keyring. As well as a few designs included with the printer to get you started, nets are available on the web if students want a quick start. Designing your own net can be done in a variety of software packages such as Autodesk’s Print Studio. Cross-curricular potential After using the printer and discussing the possibility of creating various objects, we realised that a 3D printer can be fully cross-curricular as well as improving DT and computing skills. Studying business? Make an object to sell at enterprise. Art student? Design your own decorative object. Future engineer? Solve a problem by building a solution. Dremel are keen to impress how important it is that pupils have a good knowledge of 3D design and build. John Kavanagh, Dremel’s global president, said, “3D printers have become an essential teaching tool as the world’s economies gear to the needs of the next industrial revolution. The Dremel DigiLab suite provides the tools and range to inspire children and give them the skills they’ll need for the workplace of the future. The DigiLab 3D45 is the first 3D printer designed to perfectly suit the school environment. It combines simplicity of use and reliability with the capacity to produce advanced designs at a price that schools can afford.†Michael Miller, technology and computer science teacher at Otsego Public Schools in the USA and a Dremel 3D Ambassador, said, “The integration of 3D printing into the classroom, from design and technology to history, inspires students. The Dremel Digilab 3D printing product suite is perfect for introducing children to the basics of 3D design and printing, and enabling them to develop their skills from starting school to heading to university. 3D printing is a great way to close the disconnect between the skills we teach in the classroom and the world of work.†QA Education checks out software, preparation and the scope for students with the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 Here, Frank gives his technical review and suggests how the 3D printer can be operated in DT lessons: • Set-up speed: To set the DigiLab takes hardly any time at all. It is built for easy usage, all of it is pretty much self-explanatory. • Ease of use: The printer is almost plug in and print. It’s so easy to use, you just add the filament, hook the filament to the extruder, calibrate the glass platform (which is literally pressing a button) and you are good to go. • Time: The DigiLab takes around five minutes to heat up before it can begin sculpting. The clock is not always dependable with sculptures sometimes taking up to an extra hour longer than expected. Despite the guesstimates the DigiLab’s speed, for what it prints, is impressive. • Display: The DigiLab utilises a clear and user-friendly interactive touch screen to display how long the sculptures will take to create. It also shows the temperature of the glass platform as well as the temperature of the nozzle. • Noise: The machine is quite loud, as can be expected of a 3D printer, so may need to be sited away from pupils’ desks. • Software: Works best with recommended files .g3drem and these can be created with relative ease with the Autodesk Print Studio. Just
Preparing your organisation for the GDPR
As the enforcement date of 25th May 2018 approaches, your organisation should be promoting a strong culture of protecting data ahead of the General Data Protection Regulation being implemented. As the deadline for this gets ever closer; everyone that deals with personal data will be responsible for ensuring they comply with the GDPR. However, do you know where to start? Background – how does the new General Data Protection Regulation apply to schools? GDPR encompasses any personal data that is stored and processed using computers, as well as any data that is stored on paper in any manual filing system. Whether it is on a standalone computer, a network server, in the cloud or as hand written notes. For example, in an educational setting that means all, and any, personal data held on students, parents, staff and governors. Organisations must be able to evidence how they are actually doing this in practice – not just produce a series of policies or protocols that are compliant. Below, we detail the 3 key steps to get ahead before 25th May. 1)Produce a data map In the example of a school, the setting needs to identify all categories of data that are held about students and staff, the purpose for which it is held and how it is being processed. By doing this the organisation will become familiar with the personal data ecosystem within the school. This information can then be used to run an audit. To help do this the ICO has an audit tool that RAG rates* your current practice and gives a clear indication of where your strengths and areas for improvement are. The result can then be printed off. As you progress you can go back and conduct the audit as many times as you want to measure progress; this provides a useful framework for planning as well as good evidence of action taken. *RAG rating: Red: not implemented or planned Amber: partially implemented or planned Green: successfully implemented 2) Promote good practice Your organisation should already be promoting a strong culture of protecting data. In preparing for the GDPR you should: appoint a data protection officer train staff carry out an information audit update and review policies and procedures tell people why the data is being collected. 3) Ask questions In addition to a clear description of the data, the following questions should be asked of those people that are responsible for collating personal data. What information is being collected? Who is collecting it? How is it collected? Why is it being collected? How will it be used? Who will it be shared with? How long will you keep it for? How will it be kept secure? What process is it needed for? (e.g. admissions, recruitment) How is security maintained? Who has access to the information? Who manages the data? Who are the data subjects? What is the source of the data? What software is used? (if any) Where does the data go inside the organisation? How is the data stored? Does the data leave the organisation? Does data flow outside of borders? (that is national borders to areas not covered by GDPR). Test your GDPR strength against these 3 potential data issues: To identify how prepared you and your organisation are for the GDPR’s enforcement date of 25th May 2018, we have put together 3 questions relating to potential data problems for you to resolve. Answer these below: Issue 1: Governors Confidential papers are being distributed to governors using personal email addresses. They may contain sensitive personal information about staff. When a governor’s term of office finishes you have no control over the deletion or destruction of confidential documents kept digitally. How would you resolve this? Issue 2: Cashless pay system The establishment where you work has introduced a new cashless catering system, which involves both collecting new data for a new purpose and using existing data for a new purpose. What should be conducted? Issue 3: Holding data externally Staff are holding student data on personal USB drives and using them to take student data offsite to work at home. This means that staff may have several USBs with student data on them, and some may have transferred the data to home equipment. For more information on how to prepare your organisation for the GDPR click here
Teaching assistants, school governors and volunteers – who needs a DBS check?
DBS checks are a key part of safe recruitment. It’s clear that teachers need a DBS check – but what about people in other roles? Keeping children and young people safe is one of the most important responsibilities schools have. In particular, schools must have robust recruitment procedures in place to help them identify, reject or deter anyone who isn’t suitable to work with children. Teaching assistants Although their role doesn’t involve as much responsibility as a teacher’s, teaching assistants should still have a DBS check. Anyone who engages in a regulated activity must have an enhanced DBS check with a check of the children’s barred list. In summary, a person will be engaged in a regulated activity if they do one or more of the following: Are responsible, on a regular basis in a school or college, for teaching, training instructing, caring for or supervising children. Carry out paid, or unsupervised unpaid, work regularly in a school or college where the work provides an opportunity for contact with children. Engage in intimate or personal care or overnight activity, even if this happens only once. A full description of the scope of regulated activity is available here. As a teaching assistant’s role falls within this scope, they should have an enhanced DBS with a barred list check. School governors Governors in maintained schools are required to hold an enhanced DBS certificate. The governing body is responsible for applying for a DBS check for any governor who doesn’t already have one. As governance doesn’t involve regulated activity, governors aren’t eligible for a check of the barred list – unless they also engage in regulated activity in addition to their governance duties. Governors of other schools and colleges should also have an enhanced DBS check. Volunteers Volunteers who teach or look after children regularly, or provide personal care in a school or college (even if it’s only once) will be working in regulated activity, and so should have an enhanced DBS check with a check of the barred list. Volunteers who don’t engage in regulated activity but do have the opportunity to come into regular contact with children – for example, supervised volunteers – should have an enhanced DBS check without a barred list check. If a volunteer is undertaking activity that would be regulated activity if it was unsupervised, then they must be supervised by a person in regulated activity at all times. DBS checks in schools DBS checks should be part of schools and colleges’ wider commitment to creating a culture of safety and promoting children’s welfare For more information on a DBS check, see the government’s Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance or click visit www.ucheck.co.uk
Identifying Dyslexia in Students
Clare Othman, Operations Director, Supply Desk, specialists in matching school staffing needs with the best available SEN staff – permanent, long-term and supply – gives her top tips on how to identify dyslexia in students Teachers who are able to identify dyslexia in affected students provide a wonderful benefit to those students. Identification helps enable children to access life-changing support. Dyslexic students learn very differently from other students, and really must be taught differently in order to help them maximise their potential. Why is it important to identify dyslexia? Children with dyslexia who are not identified during the early years of their schooling may develop coping strategies that disguise their dyslexia. While these coping strategies may be positive or negative, they can prevent accurate identification, and this leads to secondary effects. Low self esteem, frustration, loss of motivation for learning, as well as social and emotional issues, can all stem from unidentified dyslexia. On the flip side, dyslexic children who are identified early are more able to access effective instruction, learning support and other tools to help them with their learning difference. Dyslexia identification in children How do you tell if a student is dyslexic? The condition may affect boys or girls, from all backgrounds. One of the more frustrating issues for teachers attempting to identify dyslexia is that, often, dyslexic traits seem to be normal variations in childhood development milestones. Dyslexic traits start becoming more apparent around aged 3, and observant teachers will notice clusters of issues that stand out. Some signs are more obvious than others. Dyslexic children can have a wide range of difficulties, and don’t necessarily experience them all. Dyslexia is often suspected by teachers (or parents) of children who are struggling with speaking, writing, reading, or numeracy. Often the child does not progress as quickly as classmates, or may not seem to progress at all, yet they may also have areas of strong ability. Checklists There are numerous lists of symptoms available which describe specific dyslexic traits to look for at different ages. The British Dyslexia Association provides useful lists of indications for pre-school, primary and secondary students, from which teachers can look for a cluster of difficulties. While a checklist itself cannot provide enough information for a diagnostic assessment, it can certainly be used as a guide to whether further testing would be beneficial. It is important to point out that people who do not have dyslexia can still tick many of the boxes on the checklist. Therefore, checklists must be used with caution, and not in isolation. Diagnostic Assessment Diagnostic assessments should always be conducted by qualified, certified personnel, such as chartered psychologists or specialist teachers/assessors with an Assessment Practicing Certificate. Your local Association, or your school’s SEN Co-ordinator, may be able to recommend suitable practitioners. Identification is crucial Identifying dyslexia is a crucial step in the lives of affected students. Identification can be a catalyst to get the help and support they need. It is so often a ‘hidden disability’, but it is also the most common learning difficulty. Importantly, many schools don’t recognise dyslexia as a disability, simply a learning difficulty. This is because when, taught in an appropriate way, dyslexic students are able to achieve outstanding success in this modern world. Teachers and support staff play an important role in the early identification of dyslexia amongst students and can make a real difference in the lives of many. For further information on Supply Desk please visit http://www.supplydesk.co.uk/