Jacqui Waller (Occupational Therapist, OT) has been working with the SENDCo at Westbourne Primary School and they have worked together to put a ‘Resource Hub’ together for the teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) to access.

Westbourne Primary School supplied a variety of resources, as recommended by the OT (these were placed in activity kits to help work on different skills). These kits had the required items / resources with examples of activities that can be made with the resources and what these skills work on. A range of kits have been made, including fine motor kits (supporting handwriting, scissors skills etc.), sensory kits, self-care kits (buttoning, laces, dressing and knife and fork skills) and gross motor kits.

This resource has worked so well to ensure that the OT has become embedded into the school and has been an effective way to guide TA’s and teachers to continue the OT activities and to practice working on specific skills, as guided and led by the OT. It has provided a variety of activity ideas, which are easily accessible to practice skills and encourage development in a specific area.

Cognus Therapies hope that by providing advice and strategies at a universal level, this will equip the school and adults working with these children to develop the skills and resilience they need to reach their potential and therefore the OT can concentrate on working on a more specialised and targeted service, provided for children who are presenting with complex difficulties.