Team updates
We said "goodbye" to Rebecca Wright and James Rupasinha over the summer. Whilst we were sorry to lose two highly valued members of our team, both James and Rebecca have moved on to the next stage in their careers as psychologists. We are delighted that Rebecca has, this week, started her training as an Educational Psychologist at Sheffield University. Meanwhile, James has completed his training and has moved back to his home in London as a a fully qualified EP. Many thanks to all of our schools who have worked with James and Rebecca during the past two years. Your encouragement, support and constructive feedback has helped them both on to the next step in their career pathways.
We are pleased to extend a warm welcome this term to Heather Minshull, who is joining us as an experienced senior practitioner educational psychologist, and to Lauren Skade who is one of two newly appointed assistant psychologists. Lauren will be joined later in the term by Tricia Euston.
Heather has come to Catalyst from Wigan local authority and brings a wealth of experience and much-needed additional capacity to our Link EP programme for schools. Heather will be working mainly in the North and East of the City. Most of Heather's schools are new to Catalyst, but she will also be assisting Jo and Teresa with some of their existing schools so as to provide a more responsive service where we have become too stretched. Teresa and Jo will be discussing any changes of Link EP directly with the schools involved during the coming weeks.
"Back to school" offer on classroom and group interventions
During this first half term we are focusing on Primary interventions for the classroom setting and small groups. The following interventions are available for delivery from week commencing 22nd September. Click on the intervention title for a link to further information.
We are offering a special "back to school" price on interventions booked before Friday 19th September. Contact Jo Mitchell to discuss your requirements and to book: [email protected]
Developing Communication & Interaction Friendly Classrooms
Cost: Usual price - £250 Back to School Offer £100
Developing meta-cognitive classrooms
Cost: Usual price - £250 Back to School Offer £100
Cost: Usual price - £500 Back to School Offer £250
Inclusion Matters conference: Enhancing SEN Support
Tuesday 21st October - People's History Museum
Inclusion Matters is an annual one-day conference providing an opportunity for head teachers, SENCOs and Inclusion Managers in schools, local authority officers, parents, governors and allied professionals to come together and discuss new approaches to supporting special educational needs. Our focus for 2014 is on enhancing support for children and young people with complex learning difficulties and disabilities, most of whom are educated in mainstream schools.
The conference offers
- up-to-date information based on recent research about the difficulties that affect children's progress in school;
- information and advice from researchers and practitioners about relevant strategies and interventions;
- opportunities to find out more about effective interventions in areas most relevant to you through a selection of workshops;
- opportunities to network and share good practice.
For further information contact Fiona or Teresa by email: [email protected]
New for 2014: Psychology for Teaching and Learning Assistants
One of our schools asked us to develop a training course for their teaching assistants, and we are delighted that we will be able to offer this as a 6-session course running during this academic year. We are currently awaiting accreditation, and are hoping to offer this as a Level 2 award.
The course will cover a wide range of topics relevant to work as a teaching assistant supporting children with SEN. The cost will be £300 per course (this is equivalent to £50 per 3-hour session).
The course will start in early November and we are holding a 'question and answer' session for anyone who might be interested in finding out more on Wednesday 8th October, 3.30 at The Old Parsonage, Stenner Lane, Didsbury.
For further information contact Linda or Teresa by email: [email protected]
Dates for your diary
Friday 19th September: Last booking date for "back to school" offer on interventions
Thursday 2nd October: Information session for 'Psychology for Teaching and Learning Assistants'
Tuesday 21st October: Inclusion Matters conference, People's History Museum