I work with children, young people and families Sensory, Physical and Medical Strategies Physical and Medical Needs Post-16

Physical and Medical Needs Post-16

Universal (Quality First Teaching for all)

Some student’s difficulties fluctuate and they may need short term support to access learning tasks particularly practical tasks but it should not be assumed that they have special educational needs.

There is a wide range of physical and medical disabilities. The majority of students are able to access the curriculum and learn effectively without additional educational provision.

Strategies

All students will require access to the following intervention and support approaches:

Curriculum differentiated appropriately to take account of individual needs.
Staff set personalised learning targets for all students.
Appropriate learning environment established- settings promote accessibility to the curriculum and the entire premises, for every student where feasible

Targeted (Some Students)

The students physical/medical needs cannot be met by universal, whole setting approaches over a sustained period of time.

Physical difficulties or impairment may arise from:

physical, neurological or metabolic causes such as Cerebral palsy, Achondroplasia, or Spina bifida.
severe trauma, perhaps as a result of an accident, amputation or serious illness. degenerative conditions.
Moderate or severe gross motor &/or fine motor dysfunction e.g. dyspraxia moderate or severe difficulties with fine &/or gross motor movements without specific attributable causes.

Physical difficulties may contribute to:

difficulty in accessing the physical environment, facilities and equipment safely
difficulty in accessing learning tasks and assessments
difficulty in accessing practical tasks activities ,e.g. in Science or food technology
difficulty in recording ideas and thoughts legibly or to time
difficulty in achieving independent self- care skills
emotional stress and physical fatigue difficulty with communication

These students will require:

A graduated approach which draws on increasingly detailed interventions and support approaches and where appropriate specialist expertise in successive cycles of assessment, planning, intervention and review; ensuring interventions match needs.

Strategies

Some students may require the following additional intervention and support approaches.

There should be appropriate modifications to the whole learning environment whether at a class or organisational level.
These modifications may include: Grouping strategies which are used flexibly within the learning setting to promote independent learning. Learning setting management which responds to the student’s physical and medical needs (e.g. modifications to routines and organisation).
Learning setting management which takes account of social relationships. Appropriate support to ensure equal access to the curriculum and out-of-hours learning opportunities.
Appropriate support agencies (e.g. OT, ATS) may be involved in providing advice on strategies or staff development and training, aimed at introducing more effective strategies.
The nature and extent of additional help required will be determined by the student’s needs.
Planned strategies to combat fatigue (e.g. rest breaks).
Access to use of personalised ICT for alternative means of recording Appropriate physical exercise following appropriate medical guidance.
An appropriate programme of support to develop self-help skills such as toileting and dressing.
Measures which allow the student to negotiate the learning environment safely and as independently as possible. Structured support to develop social relationships (e.g. buddying)
An appropriate level of adult support to meet personal care
Appropriate use of alternative equipment to meet physical and medical needs (e.g. writing slopes, specialist scissors)
Adult support in some areas of the curriculum and for some activities (e.g. cutting activities, practical activities such as cooking, swimming, breaks and lunchtimes).
Support to attend educational trips, work experience, social activities and community engagement
Support to enable recommendations made by therapy or health care professionals
Alternative leisure and sports programmes to be in place where appropriate
Support to enable recommendations on risk assessments, e.g. Personal Emergency Evacuation plan, Individual Health Care plan, manual handling plan,

Interventions should be well-founded evidence based interventions.

Specialist (a few students)

A few student’s needs cannot be met by universal or targeted interventions and support approaches alone.

These students have the most severe and complex physical needs.

The majority of these students have been identified at an early age often prior to full-time education.

These students will require personalised approach which draws on very detailed interventions and support approaches and specialist expertise in successive cycles of assessment, planning, intervention and review; ensuring interventions match needs. These students may require an EHC Plan

Strategies

In addition to the intervention and support approaches put in place at the targeted level these students may require a highly modified learning environment to meet their needs.

The student may require a high level of adult support to:

Manage very severe and complex needs to achieve equal access (where feasible) to the curriculum.
Aid safe curriculum access and response.
Meet primary care needs including feeding/continence management.
Provide manual handling (this may involve two people) and safe transfers between pieces of individual equipment.
Ensure safe access and participation in all learning and social activities.
Enable advice from Health professionals to be implemented (e.g. individual physiotherapy/mobility/OT programmes).
Support the use of specialised equipment and/or a structured personalised curriculum.
Enable development of medical protocols and manage highly specialised individual health care (e.g. oxygen management).
Manage complex and critical health care needs on a daily basis.
Support/perform hand control/physical tasks in response to significant/profound fine motor skill/gross motor/mobility difficulties.
Access to use of personalised ICT for alternative means of recording or to aid communication.
Enable the student to participate safely with peers in response to challenges in the learning environment.
Ensure safe access to all learning opportunities and extracurricular, sports, social or community activities.
External support services advice on curriculum access and/or individual programmes.
Appropriate use of alternative equipment to meet physical and medical needs (e.g. standing frame, individual seating system,)
Support to enable recommendations made by therapy or health care professionals.
A specialist teacher (e.g. from the ATS), the SEND Lead, or specialist support provides small group or individual tuition.
Support to enable recommendations on risk assessments, e.g. Personal Emergency Evacuation plan, Individual Health Care plan, manual handling plan.

Download the PDF version of the Graduated Approach

Physical and Medical Needs Post-16

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