Barry Carpenter Education

International Educational Consultant

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  • Beating the Virus: A free downloadable story

    A new resource on Coronavirus – For children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. 

    We hope you are keeping well in these difficult times.
    Our big news is that we are in the process of creating a special resource about Coronavirus. The current pictures are in black and white. We are making them available now for free for anyone who is in urgent need.

    In the story, we meet Kali again (some of you might recognise her from ‘Belonging’) when she starts to feel poorly with a cough and a temperature. Our short wordless story will help people to understand what to do if you have Coronavirus (COVID-19) to keep yourself and those you care about safe. The story also shows how you can safely help others who may be self-isolating.

    Supplementary text at the end of the story gives information on where people can seek help if they are unwell and signposts to other useful resources.
    This is an evolving resource which we will be updating regularly as our artist, Lucy Bergonzi, refines and colours the pictures.

    You can download your copy, here:

    beating-the-virus by books beyond words

  • Free Online Learning Course!

    ‘An introduction to multi-sensory learning’

    Developed by Hirstwood Training , this is invaluable for any Teacher or Teaching Assistant wishing to deepen their understanding of how sensory learning works for children with SEND.

    It is beautifully designed with video and auditory commentary; the text offers useful insights and summaries, all in ‘bite size’ chunks.

    www.hirstwood.com –  launched this month by Richard and Lois Hirstwood, whose commitment and boundless energy has driven innovation in the field of SEND for over 25 years.

    Check out the full suite of Sensory Online Learning modules. 

     

  • Born Too Early

    Born too early; a Father’s journey with his prematurely born son.

    Ross McGill of Teacher Toolkit has a really high profile in the world of Education. The Guardian dubbed him “Britain’s most influential teaching expert”

    But he is also the father of a little boy born at 28 weeks  gestation. His blogs give some valuable insights.
    https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/?s=Barry+Carpenter

    It is always worth reminding ourselves that there are between 2 – 4 children born prematurely in every Primary classroom ; (many more in Special Schools).Is that your classroom

    And please remember it is not just about the child; we need to acknowledge the ‘premature arrival of parenthood’, and all of the pain, anguish and anxiety they experience.

    To you the parent may be unduly concerned and overbearing about their, but in reality the trauma of those birth experiences have never left them. They are a ‘confident champion’ for their child,

    Barry Carpenter,
    March 2020.

  • 100 Top Tips for parenting and supporting children and young persons with ADHD

    This is a new and valuable booklet resource for Fintan O ‘Regan.
    For more information go to www.fintanoregan.com
    Click image to download file.
    Supporting Children & Young Persons with ADHD

  • “Super Girls“ – Girls and Autism (Article)

    This article published in the “Sunday Times” (2/02/20), has a focus on the abilities of girls with Autism, and the talents they can offer to Society. Through case study examples taken from Limpsfied Grange School, Surrey, and some insightful quotes from the Headteacher, Sarah Wild, the journey made by these girls is illuminated.

  • The Autism Spectrum: Dual Diagnoses and PDA

    A rare opportunity to listen to the world famous, Dr Wenn Lawson.
    The Autism Spectrum: Dual Diagnoses and PDA
    Monday 30th March 2020. Chadsgrove School, West Midlands

  • The Engagement Model

    The DfE has now released the final guidance on The Engagement Model.
    The guidance describes the formative and summative assessment of children as “not engaged in subject specific learning”. It will be statutory assessment in schools for those children and young people.

    The guidance is an output of the Rochford Review , who have piloted the Model. It builds on the research led for the ‘DfE’, by Professor Barry Carpenter as part of the Complex Learning Disabilities and Difficulties project.

    This project identified, through a systematic review of the international literature around learning in children with SEND, that ‘engagement was the single best predicator of successful learning in children with special needs/disabilities’ (Carpenter et al, 2015.)

    From this solid evidence based, a pedagogy evolved through systematic research across UK schools, and a series of International trials , which created the Engagement Framework for Learning, ( www,engagement4learning.com) This includes the ‘Engagement Profile’ which aids baseline assessment, and gives insight into the learning pathways of the child with Complex Needs. The Engagement Profile is a classroom based planning tool which links to formative assessment . Both are compatible, and indeed inform , the summative assessment opportunities of the new Engagement Model.

    Professor Robin McWilliam , Professor, Special Education and Multiple Abilities at the University of Alabama, USA , and a prolific writer on the subject of  Engagement  said of this new DfE publication ,”You are to be congratulated! In the U.S., we have “alternative assessment” for what, in the U.K., is known as pupils with complex needs. But states differ on what they use and none of them that I know of are focused on engagement. So, well done!

    Professor McWilliam and Professor Carpenter, will present further on Engagement for Learning to an International Conference in Turkey in April, 2020 . The UK, which leads the World in so many aspects of special and inclusive education, has a major contribution to make in the area of assessment for children with Special Needs through this ground-breaking work from the Rochford Review.

    Engagement Cover Image

  • Launch of the Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting Autistic People

    The Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting Autistic People is now officially launched.

    This is a combined launch with the updated Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting People with a Learning Disability.

    The link to the download page for both frameworks is here: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/learningdisabilityandautismframeworks

  • Supporting Children Born Prematurely

    It is important as more children born prematurely enter our school system, (and that is some 50,000 per annum) that their story can be shared with their peers.

    The Champion Centre in New Zealand has been a pioneer in developing evidence based interventions to enhance and enrich the development of children born prematurely.

    Now their Founder Dr Patricia Champion , MBE , has collaborated in developing this beautiful and poignant story for all children, ‘Earlybird’.
    As she says:

    “As a children’s story about premature birth, it is unique internationally. Parents of premature babies frequently told me that they did not have a good,  or a special story to share with their growing children about their early birth. So, we decided to create a beautiful picture book that would help parents  support children born as ‘earlybirds’ to make sense of their early experience,”
    Champion Centre Founder and book co-editor, Dr. Patricia Champion, MBE.

    Earlybird is available for purchase:

    earlybird-download-image

  • Transition from child to adult health services

    A qualitative study of the views and experiences of families of young adults with intellectual disabilities. A new article on this perpetually tricky issue.

    Click article image to download and view

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    JCN 2019 – Transitions ID and families pdf