Welcome to the NatSIP Website
This website offers access to a wealth of SI resources, most of which are now freely available. We encourage you to register on the site for full access to everything we have to offer. Registration is free, and open to anyone. A walkthrough/howto on the registration process is here.
- Written by: Sarah Holton
Updated guidance about the return to school for VI learners is now live online at https://www.rnib.org.uk/health-social-care-and-education-professionals/education-professionals/coronavirus-how-we-can-help-you
- Written by: Caireen Sutherland
RNIB 2020 FOI report is now published on the RNIB website: https://www.rnib.org.uk/health-social-care-and-education-professionals/knowledge-and-research-hub/research-reports/education-research/local-authority-vi-education-service
Historical lists of all FOIs are also available: https://www.rnib.org.uk/health-social-care-and-education-professionals/knowledge-and-research-hub/research-reports/education-research/freedom-information-reports
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
This briefing uses insight from Childline counselling sessions and NSPCC helpline contacts to highlight the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on d/Deaf, disabled and autistic children and young people:
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
"Having the event virtual made it possible for me attend. I can't usually manage to travel for events like this. More people can join in!"
- Delegate
We were pleased to welcome over 80 delegates for the annual NatSIP/HoSS event, held successfully online for the first time on Thursday 4 February 2021.
In a full day, delegates heard keynote speakers Nick Whittaker from Ofsted and André Imich the DfE, joined sessions including feedback from the NatSIP Remote Working training event on 21 January, and updates from BATOD, VIEW and NatSIP, and working groups.
Breakout working groups included:
- A specialist deaf/HI curriculum
- The specialist VI curriculum
- HI quality standards
- Three 'lessons learned' groups for HI, VI and MSI
Our thanks go to all the speakers, facilitators and delegates who came together to make this a stimulating and successful event.
Presentations and other material from the day are now available folder here inthe NatSIP Document Library.
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS has updated their resource on assessments for deaf children.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/assessments
As before, this provides some information about key principles and good practice around using specialist assessments. It also includes information on specialist assessments available to use with deaf children in the following areas:
- early communication skills
- language skills
- listening skills
- literacy skills
- mathematics
- cognitive development
- social and emotional development
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS have made a few updates/additions to our live coronavirus blogs:
1. We have developed two short videos/vlogs for parents on their rights in education. Links to these have been added to our education blog for parents
- Face masks - vlog
- Changes to education support - vlog
- Schools and other education settings – blog for parents
2. We have updated a resource on making resources accessible, and added this to our education blog for professionals
- How to make resources accessible to deaf children and young people - updated resource
- Education – blog for professionals
3. We have produced a PDF version of our deaf friendly remote teaching checklist blog for teachers. This PDF version can be handed out, as appropriate.
- Deaf friendly remote teaching checklist - PDF handout
- Deaf friendly remote teaching checklist - blog
As always, any feedback on these blogs and these updates will be very helpful. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Written by: Ian Noon
DfE published new guidance yesterday on how the “new national restrictions” will impact on education in England : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-and-childcare-settings-new-national-restrictions-from-5-november-2020
2 key changes to note:
1) Face coverings are now required in all secondary schools and colleges in communal areas and when moving around the school. Previously this was a requirement only in tier 2 or 3 areas. Face coverings must also be worn by pupils in year 7 or above when using school transport. The usual exemptions around face coverings apply. As before, face coverings in classrooms is not mandatory.
2) Children who are “clinically extremely vulnerable” will be asked to stay at home. Schools should ensure their education continues remotely. Families should also receive a letter if this applies to them. If they are not sure, they should consult with their GP. Otherwise, children are expected to attend school as usual.
Otherwise, previous guidance issued by DfE around education and coronavirus continues to apply.
NDCS have updated their coronavirus blogs to reflect this.
For families: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/schools-and-other-education-settings-coronavirus-info-for-families-of-deaf-children/
For professionals: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/education-for-deaf-children-coronavirus-info-for-professionals/
- Written by: Paul Simpson
The four countries of the UK are in different stages and degrees of lockdown and restriction and BATOD is keen to find out how this is affecting the ability of QToDs, and those in training, to carry out their role and support deaf children and young people and their families including in schools and other settings. Therefore later this month they will be asking members to let us know, through a short survey, about the issues they are currently facing. This will enable BATOD to follow up the previous survey carried out in the Summer: https://www.batod.org.uk/resource/batod-survey-summary-members-views-on-how-covid-19-and-the-lockdown-had-been-affecting-education-and-childrens-services/
In the meantime BATOD is very clear that whilst they are offering suggestions and guidance for the profession, it remains of paramount importance that all members follow the safety and safeguarding guidelines of their employer and the wider advice from the Government, Public Health England and other such bodies.
In order to support BATOD members and others they have produced, some with other organisations such as the NDCS, a number of documents which they hope will be supportive. These were recently highlighted in BATOD's latest newsletter and remain relevant. They include: https://www.batod.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Meeting-the-needs-of-deaf-children-as-schools-reopen-FINAL.pdf, a document about face coverings https://www.batod.org.uk/batod-update-in-relation-to-face-coverings-in-education-settings/ cobadged with the Assistive Listening Technology Working Group, a document about the appropriate cleaning of technical/audiological equipment in schools https://www.batod.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Cleaning-hearing-devices-and-radio-aids-supporting-health-and-safety-during-Covid-19-v5.pdf
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS have updated their education blog today to reflect the new guidance in Scotland around face coverings in classrooms. In short, face coverings must now be worn by senior secondary-aged pupils and teachers/staff in classrooms in schools in areas where the Scottish Covid Protection Level has been set at level 3 or 4. Scottish Government guidance has highlighted the need to consider the impact on deaf students and to make necessary reasonable adjustments.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/education-for-deaf-children-coronavirus-info-for-professionals/
There will be a national lockdown in England from Thursday but education settings will be expected to remain open. It’s possible that new guidance will be issued by DfE before Thursday. In the meantime though, NDCS's understanding is that education settings should operate as they are currently doing. NDCS advice on this, also covered in the above blog, remains unchanged.
Key messages that NDCS will continue to emphasise include:
- Whilst these are challenging times for everyone, it is important that all necessary reasonable adjustments are made to support deaf children. It will be important for schools to work closely with the deaf child, family and Teacher of the Deaf to identify the necessary reasonable adjustments, taking into account the individual needs of deaf children.
- Peripatetic Teachers of the Deaf can continue to visit schools to provide interventions. NDCS believes it is important that there are no ‘blanket policies’ by schools or services in terms of not allowing any external visitors or visits, as this falls foul of the legal principle that the needs of deaf children should be considered and taken into account on an individual basis.
- Where coronavirus means that children are unable to attend school (for example, because they’re isolating or because the school is closed), the school should be providing remote teaching. This is now a requirement in England under the Temporary Continuity Direction. Teachers of the Deaf will obviously have a key role to play in ensuring any remote teaching for deaf children is accessible and appropriate. NDCS have recently updated a separate https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/deaf-friendly-remote-learning-a-checklist-for-teachers/ checklist blog for teachers on this.
On home visits, NDCS advice also remains unchanged, as set out in a separate coronavirus blog on family support. The key point is that the individual needs of the family should be considered in any decisions around face-to-face support. https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/supporting-families-with-deaf-children-coronavirus-info-for-professionals/
- Written by: Ian Noon
- https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/being-deaf-friendly/information-for-professionals/creating-good-listening-conditions-for-education-settings/
- https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/being-deaf-friendly/information-for-professionals/creating-good-listening-conditions-for-education-settings/what-can-schools-do-to-improve-listening-conditions/
- https://www.ndcs.org.uk/documents-and-resources/managing-listening-conditions-checklist/
- https://www.ndcs.org.uk/documents-and-resources/creating-good-listening-conditions-for-learning-in-education-preliminary-noise-survey/
- https://www.ndcs.org.uk/documents-and-resources/creating-good-listening-conditions-pupil-survey/
- https://www.ndcs.org.uk/documents-and-resources/creating-good-listening-conditions-presentation-for-teachers-of-the-deaf/
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS has recently completed a literature review on emotional wellbeing of deaf children, which is now available on their website.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6198/emotional_wellbeing_literature_review_2020.pdf
The review is in two parts, looking at what research says on the emotional wellbeing of a) deaf children and young people and b) parents. It looks into what research says about prevalence of emotional wellbeing difficulties, the nature of such difficulties and interventions to support deaf children and young people, and families.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
We are pleased to announce the availability of a new joint NDCS/NatSIP publication: Quailty Standards: Resource provisions for deaf children and young people in mainstream schools.
The purpose of the standards document is to improve outcomes for deaf pupils by providing a framework which:
- helps schools (including academies and free schools in England) and local authorities evaluate the effectiveness of the education provision made for deaf children and young people
- informs the development of school policy and plans
- supports the development and review of service level agreements between the local authority (or the Education Authority in Northern Ireland), and the school hosting the resource provision
- promotes good practice and the effective and efficient use of resources.
The standards can be applied throughout the UK and have been written with reference to guidance, evaluation frameworks and inspection standards operating in all four countries.
A completable self-evaluation tool is also available.
Available documents:
- The pdf standards document (PDF)
- The accompanying document self-evaluation tool (Word)
The document is also available on the NDCS website in Welsh
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS has just published a position paper on face masks and coverings in education. This emphasises the need to consider the impact on deaf children, where face masks/coverings are being used, and to take all reasonable adjustments necessary. It also highlights the need to ensure that Qualified Teachers of the Deaf are involved in any discussions around this, along with the family and child.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6209/face-covering-in-education-position-paper.pdf
- Written by: Ian Noon
Success from the Start: a developmental resource for families of deaf children aged 0-3.
The Early Support Monitoring Protocol has been revised and updated by the National Deaf Children’s Society into a new online resource for parents and professionals. To find out more about Success from the Start and to download the resource visit: http://www.ndcs.org.uk/successfromthestart
Emma Fraser and Tina Wakefield will be presenting a live webinar on Friday 18th Sept for professionals who work with deaf children aged 0-3 and have never previously used the Early Support Monitoring Protocol, or been involved in the pilot for Success from the Start. More information is available at: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/our-services/services-for-professionals/online-information-sessions-for-professionals/
- Written by: Paul Simpson
BATOD has published an update about the use of face coverings in educational settings. It can be read and downloaded here:
https://www.batod.org.uk/batod-update-in-relation-to-face-coverings-in-education-settings/
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
In light of the planned wider re-opening of schools in the autumn, NDCS, working with the RNIB, BATOD and NatSIP have produced some guidance around the implications for children and young people:
Deaf children
Produced jointly by NDCS, BATOD and NatSIP, you can find this guidance at:
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6009/meeting-the-needs-of-deaf-children-as-schools-reopen-final.pdf
The guidance sets out some possible issues and questions for schools to consider, that we hope will be helpful in any risks assessments that are being carried out. The aim is to ensure that any specialist needs of deaf children continue to be met.
The document is also available in Welsh here: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6020/meeting-the-needs-of-deaf-children-as-schools-reopen-ndcs-guidance-final-welsh.pdf
NDCS has also produced a blog checklist for parents to support them in any discussions with schools on how their child’s needs will be met as schools re-open.
http://www.ndcs.org.uk/returntoschool
The joint NDCS, BATOD and NatSIP guidance for deaf students returning to college was published on 12th August and is available in English and Welsh here:
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6053/return-to-college-guidance-english-finaldocx.pdf
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/6054/return-to-college-guidance-welsh-final.pdf
Children with vision impairment
Produced jointly by RNIB, NatSIP and VIEW, you can find this guidance in the NatSIP Document Library: :
The guidance sets out some possible issues and questions for schools to consider, that we hope will be helpful in any risks assessments that are being carried out. The aim is to ensure that any specialist needs of children with vision impairment continue to be met.
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