Schools and Early Years Resources
School and Early Years Resources
These pages provide information and resources for Schools and Early Years settings.
Please use the resources to help children and young people take part in, achieve and enjoy the activities they need and want to do when in an education setting.
Online Video Resources
Introduction to Sensory Processing - Education Setting Video
This video is suitable for all staff who work in an education environment, the video aims to give an understanding of what sensory processing is and how this relates to the classroom environment, alongside strategies and resources to help those working in schools feel confident to support children with sensory processing differences.
Children's Occupational Therapy Sensory Resources
We have a range of sensory processing handouts that professionals and parents may find useful on our Children's Occupational Therapy Sensory Resources page
Cool Kids Programme - for developing motor skills in Early Years Settings and Key Stages 1 & 2
This video presentation is a training session intended for Early Years settings and Primary Schools and in the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin areas. It aims to give staff working with children and overview of the Cool Kids programme, and implementing this in your setting.
What is Cool Kids?
The Cool Kids programme was designed and developed by Joy High, an Occupational Therapist working with Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust and Wolverhampton Local Education Authority. They kindly shared the program freely as a teacher friendly resource.
Cool Kids is a developmental program of activities initially developed for use with children in key stages one and two, though it may be adapted for older children. The programme is designed to be delivered in small groups supported by school staff with an understanding of the programme.
The program is based on and follows the typical pattern of child development for movement skills, through working through the foundation’s skills underpinning both gross and fine motor skills. Completion of activities helps to fill in any gaps a child may have in their motor skills development. An example is, children who do not crawl or only crawl for a short time may have missed opportunity to develop bilateral skills, strength and stability at the shoulder, hip and hand muscles
Who is it for?
Cool Kids is developed for use with children in key stages one and two, though it may be adapted for older children. It was not designed for use with children or young people with a physical disability, for example those with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy or a Dystrophy condition. It works on normal development and so cannot ‘fix’ or ‘mend’ damaged neurological pathways caused by an acquired brain injury or other neurological damage.
If you have any queries or concerns around the suitability of this programme for a child you work with, please contact the child’s Occupational Therapist for advice.
Cool Kids Programme Manuals
There are two Cool Kids Program Manuals, one for Early Years & Reception aged children and the second for Primary School aged children.
GEMEX Activities
Five minutes worth of Occupational Therapy Exercises will help modulate a child's nervous system. These GEMEX activities can be a 5 minute burst of Occupational Therapy and can be repeated as many times as necessary in the day and should be used by a group rather than one individual.
This training may also be delivered face-to-face through traded services to primary schools and nurseries in the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin areas, please see section titled Traded Services for further details.
Acknowledgement: With thanks to Wolverhampton Children’s Occupational Therapy who designed this programme - they have given Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Children's Occupational Therapy Service permission to share the programme.
Cool Characters Programme
What is Cool Characters?
It enables children to develop fine motor skills in general, and supports the skills needed for fluent writing by improving body awareness, group letters for learning formation, all while enjoying a variety of sensory media.
It is recommended that sessions take place daily in order to reinforce new patterns. If this is not feasible, principles can be applied throughout the school day, such as hand presses and air writing groups of letters. Like the Cool Kids programme, this should be fun for adults and children alike. It is when we are having fun that the neurotransmitters for learning are released by the brain - a scientific reason to enjoy ourselves!
Who is it for?
The Cool Characters Programme is designed for children in key stage two who require further direct input to develop their writing, particularly if they were not ready to write at the age that letter formation is initially taught. The programme for use with individuals and small groups of children, although principles could be applied as whole class activities.
Acknowledgement: With thanks to Wolverhampton Children’s Occupational Therapy who designed this programme - they have given Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Children's Occupational Therapy Service permission to share the programme.
Traded Services
These training packages are available to education settings in the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin areas through our Traded Services option:
- Cool Kids Programme: delivered face-to-face within the education setting (for maximum of 15 attendees), duration 3 hours. For education settings working with children in Early Years (nursery and reception), Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.
- Handwriting: delivered face-to-face within the education setting (for maximum of 10 attendees), duration 2 hours. For education settings working with Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.
- Sensory Workshops: delivered face-to-face within the education setting (for maximum of 10 attendees), duration 2-3 hours. For education settings working with Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.
- Occupational Therapy Resource Pack: delivered face-to-face within the education setting (for maximum of 15 attendees). For education settings working with Key Stages 1 and 2.
- Organisation: delivered face-to-face within the education setting (for maximum of 15 attendees). For education settings working with Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.
For further information on the Traded Services courses available please view our Traded Services brochure.
Please email our Traded Services Course Administrator to book a course shropcom.tradedservices@nhs.net or call 01743 450837.