Inclusion
Opportunities for Parent SEN support
Dear St John’s families, 
I hope you are all keeping safe and finding a way to make the ‘new normal’ work for you and your family. We are all in the same boat as we try to find a way to balance work, home learning, parenting and the pandemic. If you would like any extra support or advice, as always we are all here to support you. Please do contact the office via email office@watfordstjohns.org and a teacher can be put in touch with you.
On the following pages, I have put together some resources which I hope will be useful for all children but specifically for children with additional needs. If you think you may require other resources, please get in touch and I will update the list.
To the children: I hope you are all well. School is very quiet without you all and we cannot wait until our family is back together again. I hope you are listening carefully to your parents as we are all learning how to deal with many changes at this time! I hope there are some resources here that you can use to help you while you are learning at home- if there is anything else you feel would be useful, ask your parents to get in touch with me. So, while you are at home during this time, remember to be kind, be patient, be forgiving, be loving, be respectful and be safe.
Miss Pyatt
Support for parents:
Most children benefit from a routine and some will be finding the different structure of the day challenging at the moment. Be kind to yourselves- remember that you have not elected to homeschool your child! Home schooling is very different from the ‘home learning’ environment you are creating at this time. It is very likely that your children may be overwhelmed by the current situation and are unable to focus in the way they would at school. And remember, they are usually 1 of 30 so they might find the 1:1 quite intense!
Coronavirus Information for Children and Families
Click the link above to access a wide range of resources, books and websites that you can use with your children. You will find resources to help explain Covid; visuals to support social distancing; resources to support your child’s understanding of either staying at home or returning to school; a beautiful book describing the return to school as part of a bubble; and another book celebrating what heroes your children are.
Again, if you have any questions or queries, please contact Miss Pyatt via the school office.
Acorn Centre Advice:
Top Tips for Surviving Lockdown
Coronavirus information for children with additional needs:
What is Coronavirus and what can I do?
What’s Going On? by Clare Shaw
Social story for staying at home: Staying at Home
Public Health England:
Coronavirus (COVID-19)- Looking after your feelings and your body
HCC Coronavirus support for parents: Tips for families – adapted for HCC
Through my Window: Through-my-Window
Advice for parents of children with Autism: Autism and the Corona virus: 20 tips
Advice for managing Anxiety: Healthy Families
Games and info for kids, Advice and support for parents: Health for Kids
A picture book for children worried about Corona: Everybody Worries
Distance Learning Story: Autism Little Learners
SEND/Additional needs support for families:
Resources include:
We also have access to the Watford, Three Rivers, Bushey and Radlett DSPL website:
DSPL 9 – Watford, Three Rivers, Bushey & Radlett » Home Page
Here is the link to support parents during this time:
Contactline:
Parents/carers and school staff can access this for professional advice on any matter regarding children and young people.
Mental Health and Well-being:
There are many online resources to help support families during this time:
Herts:
How to look after your mental health and emotional wellbeing during the Covid-19 outbreak
Herts is offering free webinars for parents/carers during this time:
South West Herts Partnership:
The team can offer support and advice to families and carers:
Information & Support for Schools & Families
Family Support Service during School Closures:
A WellBeing Pack for use at home:
Mental Health and Wellbeing Pack
Five Ways to WellBeing:
Explore the links provided to try to maintain positive mental health. Perhaps you could create a chart and see how many you and your family can tick off?
A toolkit for working with young people in Hertfordshire
Visuals for routine:
If you and your child would benefit from creating a structure/routine for the day, Widgit is currently offering free log-in to parents (this may be a limited offer):
Link to visual pack
