This Article comes from the Blogs of ” Wouldn’t Change A Thing“ an Organization which works towards changing outdated perceptions of Down’s Syndrome.
As nurseries, schools and colleges start back across the country, we are sharing some of the school experiences of our WCAT children and young people. Here is Nina’s story, as told by her Mom……to WCAT
‘” Nina was born in 2000 – via IVF – we didn’t know she would have Down Syndrome but what we did know was that we would do our best for her especially as regards schooling and social activities.
In the early 2000’s I feel there was more opportunities than now and definitely more services available. I put her into a mainstream nursery one/two morning a week and increased it as she grew – so that she would go to nursery and be accepted and also copy from her peers. She was fully accepted- the staff all learnt Makaton and she had a little bestie.
At 2.5 years old I sent her to her pre school playgroup attached to her school -this was so that she would get to know the children she would be going to school with later. At 3 she was given a placement at a mainstream resourced nursery till she was 4 and a half. This meant she was given extra help as well as mixing with the other kids. She saw a speech therapist weekly, had physio and occupational therapy sessions and we met the fabulous group Shabang there too. She also made lifelong friends.
Afterwards she went to our local primary, which also happened to be a resourced provision mainstream junior and infant school. Every morning she would attend the provision for maths and English and every afternoon back into mainstream activities in her class – She still had friends from this school both mainstream and resourced friends and we are still in touch with her Senco and some of the staff. She was fully included. She actually beat a lot of her mainstream friends in the end of year 6 spelling bee competition! She was included in school productions,gymnastics competitions and trips -the year 6 trip was a week in London.
When it came to high school I didn’t want her to loose the social skills she had by placing her in full time special school but at the same time I knew she would not be able to do the maths at GCSE level nor be able to read in between the lines of a Shakespeare play for English so after visiting many schools I decided I wanted her to go to both. Dual schooling. There were no statements for dual schooling where one was mainstream and the other special needs, but I managed to get the head of SEN admin at our local authority to write me one. It wasn’t easy to do – I directed the money to her language academy high school where she would need the additional support and at special school she was in a class of 10 children so could cope well without extra support. It wasn’t easy for her but I knew she could do it.
She had 2 uniforms, 3 P.E./games kits – her special school had a one week timetable and her mainstream school was a 2 week timetable.
She had to be at the special school for all English and Maths lessons so we worked around that. So one day she’d be at Mainstream half a day and special the other half – some days all day at special because maths was in the morning and English in the afternoon and some days all day at Mainstream. It changed each year- she had to change uniforms and take the appropriate games kits but she was very efficient and knew where she was supposed to be and when – by the end of year 11 she was at special school more than mainstream but that was due to GCSE’s -at mainstream she excelled in languages – but they said although she would pass her oral exams she would struggle with the written part so they asked the council if she could take Btecs which she would pass- unfortunately they refused. She was great at German,Spanish and also took Japanese and Urdu in after school clubs. She went on the school trips to Paris, Barcelona and Berlin.
At the year 11 prom she was voted prom queen. She was the only person who ever attended this school with Down syndrome and no one else has since. She still has friends from this school including the prom king who escorted her to the prom and stays in touch. She had a lovely experience.
After school we sent her to college – She loved it – She loved being part of mainstream college with a Starbucks on site and loved the refractory and the hustle and bustle. She did well and improved her English to level 1 college level and took mainstream media level 1 which entailed her making a video and putting music over it, interviewing people and taking pictures. She also did gaming – She now has a diploma in media. She also studied employment and business skills and has qualifications in this. They got her into employment at the charity shop and before covid she was due to start at a nursery. She has had to leave college because she went down the mainstream route and couldn’t go any further – if she’d stayed doing foundation and taken life skills she could have stayed till she was 25.
It’s not how we wanted her college time to finish but it is what it is. We have now applied to a drama training company and she has recently had a zoom interview and passed. She now awaits a trial session when they reopen later in September. She will continue at the charity shop and at her day centre as well. So her future is secured.’
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