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EEF Supporting Vocabulary in the Early Years

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EEF Supporting Vocabulary in the Early Years

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The EEF is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement.

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EEF Classroom Strategies for Vocabulary and Language

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EEF Classroom Strategies for Vocabulary and Language

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Building Children's Vocabulary at Home and School Top Tips

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Building Children's Vocabulary at Home and School Top Tips

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Buliding childrens vocabulary at home and school 2023-24

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Teaching Mark-Making and Letter Formation

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Teaching Mark-Making and Letter Formation

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The EEF is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement.

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Why Transcription Matters- Newcastle Research School

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Why Transcription Matters- Newcastle Research School

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Why transcription matters_ _ Newcastle Research School

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National Handwriting Association Promoting Good Practice Toolkit

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National Handwriting Association Promoting Good Practice Toolkit

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Access and Assistance for All: Empowering Students Through Assistive Technology (article taken from nasen Connect Spring 2025 Edition)

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This term’s nasen Connect shines a spotlight on a powerful student-led campaign transforming accessibility in further education. Access and Assistance for All, run by Thomas Pocklington Trust in partnership with University College London.

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nasen Accessibility Tools in Microsoft 365

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nasen Accessibility Tools in Microsoft 365

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This webinar is designed for teachers, SENCO’s, senior leaders and IT professionals giving you a basic awareness of what is available to support children and young people with SEND using Microsoft 365.

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EEF Using Digital Technology to Improve Learning

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EEF Using Digital Technology to Improve Learning

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this eef guidance report is designed to support senior leaders and teachers to make better informed decisions based on the best available evidence we currently have. it includes a number of practical examples of technology being used in ways which support improved teaching (e.g.

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by increasing the accuracy of teacher assessment) or improve pupil learning (e.g.

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by increasing the quality and quantity of pupil practice).  to develop this report’s four recommendations for using digital technology to improve pupils’ learning we not only reviewed the best available international research

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but also consulted with teachers and other experts.

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Using Digital Technology to Improve Learning

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Four recommendations on using digital technology to improve children's learning

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Examples of Assistive Technology in the Classroom

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Examples of Assistive Technology in the Classroom

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Examples of Assistive Technology in the Classroom

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Students with learning differences, like those with Autism spectrum disorder or visual impairments, require a little extra help in the classroom.

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iPad apps to support reading and writing

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iPad apps to support reading and writing

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Find all the information you need to understand and apply the principles of inclusive education in your school, setting all students up for success.

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Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools

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Create a positive learning environment for pupils with SEN.

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EEF blog: ‘Five-a-day’ to improve SEND outcomes

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The EEF’s SEND Specialist Gary Aubin explores how teachers can support pupils with SEND in their daily practice.

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Newcastle EPS Collaborative document including tips and support on inclusive practice

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Newcastle EPS Collaborative document including tips and support on inclusive practice

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Newcastle EPS In School Enhanced Inclusion Programme

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Newcastle EPS In School Enhanced Inclusion Programme

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SEND descriptors of need | Children and Families Newcastle

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Descriptors of Need are guides that help everyone use the same language when talking about the support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) need. They help schools and settings understand what kind of support is right for each young person.

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Early Years Descriptors of Need | Children and Families Newcastle

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Your voice | Children and Families Newcastle

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Newcastle Youth | Children and Families Newcastle

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Information and advice for young people | Children and Families Newcastle

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Young People with SEND - Children North East

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Children North East offers a range of services and support for Young People with SEND. Learn more about them here.

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Wellbeing Resources | Children and Families Newcastle

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Education and SEND | Children and Families Newcastle

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What is an SEN Support Plan? | Children and Families Newcastle

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Find activities that are for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families.

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Getting ready for the next steps | Children and Families Newcastle

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Parent Carer Guide to SEND in Newcastle | Children and Families Newcastle

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How can I request an EHCP? | Children and Families Newcastle

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This Panel considers requests from mainstream schools and settings for:

Involvement of specialist staff who can provide specialist advice and guidance to support inclusion in mainstream schools and settings.

Applications for Individual Pupil Support Funding/EY Inclusion Fund

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SEND Outreach Service - School Support Team

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We provide a high quality, professional service for efficient identification and assessment of pupils’ special educational needs and advice on how support can be provided to meet those needs.

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Toregister on the Professional SEND Portal, please follow this link:
https://www.newcastlelea.org/ProfessionalPortal_LIVE/
If you are a parent/carer and want to log onto the SEND Portal, please click this link:
https://www.newcastlelea.org/CitizenPortal_LIVE
Guidance on how to register is included in the first of the FAQs below.

The EHC request form for professionals, for parents/carers and the professional advice forms can be found at the bottom of the page.

The SEND Portal a module of Capita One, the council's education case management system. It is used by Newcastle Council's SEND Support, Assessment and Review (SAR) team to gather key information around EHC assessments, plans and we will soon be using it for reviews. It is a secure website where sensitive information can be shared safely and, when fully implemented, will enable parents/carers/young people and professionals from education, health, and care to:

securely submit EHC referrals and professional advices

check the status and track the progress of an EHC assessment

enable the EHC plan to be viewed on-line

view copies of annual reviews.

Please watch our video for a step by step guide for parents/carers about how to sign up and submit a request for EHCP assessment through the SEND Portal.

Benefits of the SEND Portal

The portal will allow parents and young people to share their views directly via the SEND portal and give them full visibility of all the information being provided by schools and professionals during the process. The portal's flexibility gives parents and young people more control over how and when they submit information in support of their request and provides regular updates to tell them how things are progressing.

SEND caseworkers and business support staff will be able to manage a more efficient and effective EHCP process, whilst demonstrating increased visibility and transparency of decision-making. By being able to automatically collate information from various contributors, the amount of scanning and re-typing required is reduced, allowing teams to spend more time providing support to children and families. The system of automatic reminders will help to speed up the EHC assessment process.

External SEND professionals will have access to a more complete picture, giving them a better understanding of the context of the child to provide the most appropriate person-centred advice. With automatic reminders of statutory timescales, and a clear history of all the information they've shared with the SEND team in one place, professionals are able to organise their workflow more efficiently so they can work on the most urgent cases first.

Schools will have a better understanding of the needs of children with SEND in their school, enabling them to support children more effectively as a result. As with other external professionals, they also benefit from the automatic reminders of approaching statutory deadlines, allowing them to organise their workflows more efficiently to ensure the most urgent cases are focused on first.

Implementation of the SEND Portal

The portal is now open to EHC needs assessment requests from professionals we are no longer able to accept requests in any other format. If you are a parents/carer and wish to submit and EHC request by the portal please contact: Ann.Banks@Newcastle.Gov.UK if you need any help.

Forms on the SEND Portal

Versions of the forms that are used on the portal are shown at the end of this page. We have recently added a physical health screening questionnaire to the EHC request form. This is to help speed up getting health advices to support the EHC planning process.

Question 1: I'm a professional how do I register on the SEND Portal and how do I make EHC requests?

Guide to registering on the SEND Portal - for Professionals Guide for professionals: How to make a request for an EHC needs assessment on the SEND Portal .

Question 2: Where do I find the link to the SEND Portal?

It is in the guidance documents in question 1.

Or you get to it here: https://www.newcastlelea.org/ProfessionalPortal_LIVE

Question 3: Can I continue to email or post my EHC requests ?

For the time being but we will only accept request via the portal from 1 April 2023.

Question 4: How do I upload my request and supporting information to the portal?

On the screen with the listed children (see below) please select Add Person. You then add the child and then you can upload the request.

You do not need to resubmit requests already made via the portal. But from April 1 we will only accept requests made via the portal.

Yes it does.

Yes it is just for EHCs. There is a separate referral route for ASAP which you can find here: SEN Advice and Support Allocation Panel - Newcastle City Council (achieveservice.com) .

Question 8: I want to add additional information to support my request for assessment. Can I attach documents to the portal? Can you upload more than one file in each section?

If you want to add more information or evidence to an already submitted request then just click edit on the request from. State the reason why you are editing and resubmitting the form, on section 2, if it's a requested document or section 3 where you can attach documents there.

If further information is requested by the SEND Support Assessment and Review (SAR) Team or Caseworker or you want to add further information in the assessment stage then use the form titled Educational Information and Document Sharing Facility in the Assessment Tab. Take a look at the screen shots below:

Question 9: The system logged me out unexpectedly and my work was not saved.

The system has been designed to log you out after 10 minutes, we will be upgrading the system which will incorporate a pop-up message after 9 minutes to ask if you wish to continue to be logged in. Before that upgrade it's best to press the "save and continue" button and then press the "back" button or section heading which allows your work to be saved as some sections asks for a lot of textual answers.

For security we would always recommend you press save and continue on the section you are working on before logging out.

Messages will go to the email you registered with. We advise that you set up a generic emails account for your school with a couple of users so that emails can be followed up when people are not in work.

Question 11: If the SENCO role is shared within a school and each person has registered using their own details, can a child's information be shared with access available from each adult?

A school/setting can have many users registered using their own email address and login details. The Caseworker or Business Support at the Local Authority can then select on each child's involvement who is to have 'Portal Sharing'. We advise that you set up a generic email account for your school with a couple of users so that emails can be followed up when people are not in work.

Question 12: Will I be able to access the two schools I work at from the one portal?

Yes, once registered you will be able to see all children you work with as the Caseworker or Business Support at the Local Authority can then select on each child's involvement who has portal access. For example, a health worker will have many children on their portal view and all children will be at different schools.

Question 13: Will historical EHCPs be put on this list? Are we to use this to complete annual reviews from now on?

Eventually when we use the portal for the annual review process. But at the moment we are just trying to get people used to putting requests in.

Question 14: The portal limits you to 10mb which is too small for files that have photos and 30 , 000 characters is too small for some of the information.

You can enlarge the memo fields on the online portal forms by dragging down. As below.

The Apostrophe error will be fixed in the next upgrade of the system. Until then to stop the apostrophe error any copied text could be copied into Notepad then copied into the portal fields to stop the apostrophe error.

Unfortunately, 10MB is the maximum size.

The Request for an Assessment form has been designed to capture comprehensive information to get the process started. Therefore, if you have graphics or tables then these should be named accordingly and upload in the last section of the form. There are no plans to allow graphics or tables into a memo field.

All the pupil and parent contribution forms on the local offer page are within the 10mb size.

Question 15: The portal doesn't seem to like text separated into paragraphs with a space between each paragraph.

One of our SENCOs has reported this - and she found that it works if she pastes each paragraph in separately.

We have tried from our end and it seems to work. But we have logged a question with Capita.

Please let ann.banks@newcastle.gov.uk if you come across a similar issue.

This is usually to do with firewall or site being blocked - please contact your IT.

Question 17: I have the 404 Error Code.

If you get the "Error 404" this signals the website you were trying to reach couldn't be found on the server. This occurs if your ICT team have worked on or updated your server or firewalls etc. To rectify this please delete your saved favourite Portal Link and use this link https://www.newcastlelea.org/ProfessionalPortal_LIVE/ or open a new browser and copy and paste the link. Once you have access you can save this link into your favourites.

Question 18: When will parents/carers be able to use the portal?

We will be going live with the Citizen Portal in the near future and Parents/ carers and Children can have their own user account and see, share and contribute to their Plan. This is the same system as citizens use to request SEND transport or a school placement.

Please email:

Portal technical queries: Steven.Embleton@Newcastle.gov.uk

Any other queries: Ann.Banks@Newcastle.gov.uk

Question 20: Can I add supplementary information to the request form once I have submitted it?

The new request form is designed to capture all the information needed for the EHC assessment and therefore it will not be necessary to seek further advice from schools and settings. If you feel you have further information please upload it to the portal. If it is at initial stages, you can Edit and resubmit your form and there is a text box for you to say, what is it you have changed and why. The system will keep your first submitted form as version 1 and resubmitted forms will then become version 2 and so on.

Question 21: How many SEND Support plans would you like to see?

You can mention on the form when a SEN Support Plan was first put in place. As the SEND Code of Practice states (Page 100), it should be reviewed regularly. Normally 3 terms of SEN monitoring and review should be provided.

As recommended by the DfE, an EHCP should be working towards long term targets, ideally at key stage. This does not mean that school cannot put in place their own short-term targets to share and discuss with parents, but these should be on an IEP or equivalent. This will then help to identify a small step approach and will be useful to see how the child/young person is progressing towards the ultimate goal.

Question 23: How many outcomes should be provided for the 4 broad areas of need?

There should be one outcome for each identified need within the four areas, so if you have identified two issues relating to cognition and learning (C&L), there should be two corresponding C&L outcomes to address those needs.

Question 24: If you are requesting an assessment for primary age pupils, do you need to provide an outcome for each Preparing for Adulthood outcome?

The PfA areas must be completed for children in Y9 and above but can be used for any child if appropriate. In Newcastle we want to promote the PfA from the earliest age. This could be developing self-care skills, road safety, healthy eating etc

Question 25: Who do I contact if I need help?

For help in how to complete the EHC request - please contact your SEND Caseworker.

EHC request / professional advice and parent and child contribution forms

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SEND Portal | Newcastle Support Directory

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To register on the Professional SEND Portal, please follow this link: https://www.newcastlelea.org/ProfessionalPortal_LIVE/ If you are a parent/carer and want to log onto the SEND Portal, please click this link:

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SEND Outreach Service- Cognition and Learning Team

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SEND Outreach Service- Cognition and Learning Team

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SEND Outreach Service - Cognition and Learning Team

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The Cognition and Learning Service is a team of specialist, highly experienced teachers that hold specialist qualifications. We can support students with Specific Learning Difficulties and wider generalised needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD).

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What is SEND? | Children and Families Newcastle

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SEND Outreach Service | Children and Families Newcastle

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Newcastle Parent Carer Forum (PCF) are a group of volunteer parents and carers who work in partnership with Newcastle Local Authority, Health, Education and Social Care providers to make sure that the services they deliver meet the needs of children, young people and their families.

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Newcastle Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service

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Newcastle Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service

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Newcastle SEND IASS provides information, advice and support at any stage of a child or young person's education.

This is a free, impartial and confidential service.

We provide information, advice and support to

parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities

children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities up to the age of 25 years

We specialise in education matters but can support with social care and health issues that impact on the child or young person's ability to access education.

One of our workers will have an initial conversation with anyone who calls the service and support in meetings will come either from one of the team or from one of the volunteers who work with us. We will attend meetings virtually unless there is a specific need for us to attend in person.

Typically, parents can have their concerns listened to, Special Educational Needs policies and procedures explained to them and be offered practical support to help them in their discussions with schools, the Local Authority and other statutory agencies.

To find out more

You can read our Service Review or look at some of our case studies.

We can signpost you to other helpful local organisations like PALS, Healthwatch Newcastle , Newcastle Parent Carer Forum , Pass it on Parents Newcastle Facebook page and Welfare Rights Newcastle ; to national organisations such as Contact , the National Autistic Society and the independent provider of special educational advice, IPSEA.

Newcastle Local Offer has information for families with a child or young person with special educational needs or disabilities.

SENDIASS minimum standards

The national minimum standards for SENDIASS were published in September 2018 and detail the requirements that each service has to meet. The standards were drawn up by a group of IASS managers, parents, LA reps and the chair of the IASP board, in consultation with the DfE. They are based on the law, the (which they now replace). The consultation process received feedback from IAS Services, LA staff, third sector organisations, health services and parents. You can read the minimum standards here:
Minimum standards Minimum standards (easy read)
How to get in touch

You can contact us on 0191 211 6255 from 9am - 5pm

Children and young people can text Emma on 07966 281 162

Or you can email SENDIASSadmin@newcastle.gov.uk

We will usually get back to you that day or the following working day.

Take a look at our service leaflets
Leaflet for parents and carers Leaflet for children and young people Leaflet for professionals

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This is a free, impartial and confidential service. We provide information, advice and support to parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities up to the age of 25 years We specialise in education matters but can support with social care and health issues that impact on the child or young person's ability to access education.

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School age descriptors of need | Children and Families Newcastle

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Post 16 descriptors of need | Children and Families Newcastle

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The world of SEND can be confusing but help is at hand! There are a number of services and people in Newcastle that can help you to understand the different SEND processes and support you through them.

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'improving mathematics in the early years and key stage 1' reviews the best available evidence to offer five recommendations for developing the maths skills of 3-7-year olds.  recommendations include integrating maths into different activities throughout the day – for example

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at registration and snack time – to familiarise children with maths language and make the most of the school day.  it also highlights that story and picture books can be a powerful tool for engaging children with basic maths concepts

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while board games (such as snakes and ladders) are particularly beneficial to developing understanding of numbers.  based on the best available international research – and drawing on the expertise of teachers and academics – this report is packed with examples and case studies to support practitioners.

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Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1

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Five recommendations to support practitioners in developing the maths skills of 3-7 year-olds

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Early Years materials designed to support Reception teachers (those working with 4-5 year olds)

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Materials to help teachers develop a mastery approach in their classrooms and schools

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Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3

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Eight recommendations to improve outcomes in maths for 7-14 year olds

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Help for early years providers : Exploring words

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Stories are an important part of life. Loving printed books and developing an enjoyment of looking at or hearing stories is an integral part of early years practice. Research shows that the amount of input young children receive from the adults around them makes a significant difference to how children learn to read and write in reception classes. This section outlines the knowledge and skills that children need to develop:

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this report is part of a series of four guidance reports that the eef has produced on the theme of language and literacy. it focuses on pupils between the ages of 5 and 7 in key stage 1. however

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it may also be applicable to older pupils who have fallen behind their peers

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or younger pupils who are making rapid progress. separate reports cover recommendations for effective approaches for improving literacy in key stage 2 (ages 7-11 years)

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supporting language and literacy development in the early years (ages 3-5 years)

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and improving literacy in secondary schools.  this second edition presents the same recommendations as the first

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explanations and resources to provide direct paths of action from the evidence-based guidance to classroom practice. the recommendations represent 'lever points' where there is useful evidence about language and literacy teaching that schools can use to make a significant difference to pupils' learning.

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Eight recommendations to support the literacy of 5-7 year-olds

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SEND Inclusive Activities | Newcastle Support Directory

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Ideas about things to do for you and your family

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Encouraging reading when your child is finding it difficult

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Encouraging reading when your child is finding it difficult

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Reading SOS: Encouraging reading when its hard

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Android Apps to support reading and writing difficulties

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Android Apps to support reading and writing difficulties

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A summary of the best available evidence on key areas for learning and development.

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The EEF is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement.

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 Using Cognitive Science Approaches in the Classroom

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 Using Cognitive Science Approaches in the Classroom

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Brooks's What Works For Literacy Difficulties 6th Edition

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Brooks's What Works For Literacy Difficulties 6th Edition

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What Works for Literacy Difficulties - The School Psychology Service

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In order to judge whether an initiative has really made a difference, it is not enough just to ask the participants - they will almost always say it has. This 'feel-good' factor is valid on its own terms, but doesn't always correlate with measured progress, and certainly doesn't convince policy-makers and funders.

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Metacognition and Self Regulated Learning

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Metacognition and Self Regulated Learning

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This animation aims to cut through the complexity that surrounds metacognition by providing a clear example of what it looks like in practice. It could be used to start colleague conversations, build staff knowledge when designing and delivering Effective Professional Development on metacognition.

https://youtu.be/sAik_RQY_Dg

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evidence suggests the use of ‘metacognitive strategies’ – which get pupils to think about their own learning - can be worth the equivalent of an additional +7 months’ progress when used well. however

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while the potential impact of these approaches is very high

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less is known about how to apply them effectively in the classroom.  this guidance report reviews the best available research to offer teachers and senior leaders practical advice on how to develop their pupils’ metacognitive skills and knowledge. the report has recommendations in seven areas and ‘myth busts’ common misconceptions teachers have about metacognition.  for example

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some teachers think they need to teach metacognitive approaches in ‘learning to learn’ or ‘thinking skills’ sessions. but the report warns that metacognitive strategies should be taught in conjunction with specific subject content as pupils find it hard to transfer these generic tips to specific tasks.

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Apply metacognitive strategies in the classroom.

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With a library of activities and resources for every stage of the learning journey, curated by the team at Oxford University Press, we are here with inspiration to help your little ones learn, grow and flourish at home, in the classroom and beyond.

Just click on the sections in the menu to explore by subject, or use the options below to uncover content by age group.

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Oxford Owl for Home: help your child learn at home - Oxford Owl

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Oxford Owl is packed with expert advice, tips and activities to help parents support their child's education. Help your child with reading, phonics and maths.

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Cognition and learning needs may encompass most of the curriculum, such as for pupils with MLD or SLD. However, cognition and learning needs may only impact on specific areas such as reading, writing, spelling and mental calculations. Cognition and learning needs generally account for difficulties in curriculum-related areas such as:

reading, writing and spelling

numerosity

comprehension

processing difficulties such as sequencing, inference, coherence and elaboration

working memory

short term verbal memory

other types of executive function difficulties

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Cognition and learning needs may encompass most of the curriculum, such as for pupils with MLD or SLD. However, cognition and learning needs may only impact on specific areas such as reading, writing, spelling and mental calculations.

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Council for Disabled Children information on preparing for adulthood for children and young people.

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Council for Disabled Children information on preparing for adulthood for children and young people.

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Free online Games and Resources by Doorway

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Free online Games and Resources by Doorway

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Doorway Online is a collection of free and highly accessible educational games that learners will find easy to use independently. Each activity has a range of accessibility and difficulty options. Originally developed with funding from Scottish Borders Council, it is now managed by the Doorway Accessible Software Trust, a Scottish charity.

Filed Under: Tagged With: News accessible, activities, educational, free, games, interactive, interactive whiteboard, iwb, learning, literacy, maths, numeracy, school, spelling, typing

We are proud to announce Text Type, the final version of our touch typing activity. Please read these notes carefully.

We have made numerous changes to Text Type to make it more accessible:

Enhanced speech feedback echoing all keypresses and on-screen text. This makes Text Type accessible to leaners with extremely low vision, with some support.

We have increased the size of the target text to make TextType more accessible to visually impaired learners.

As far as possible, Text Type can be navigated by keypresses. These are the standard keys to navigate web browsers. TAB, Enter, the Up and Down Arrow Keys.

Doorway Single Handed Typing has been added to Text Type. This allows learners with use of a single hand to practise typing using exercises developed for their particular need. Select Left or Right from the title screen.

Teipio Testun Text Type is now a totally bilingual activity The Welsh Governement has paid for this development including the above improvements. Text Type/Teipio Testun is also available on their education website, The Hwb.

Browsers - Text Type has been tested on Microsoft Edge and Chrome. It should work in Firefox, but this is not guaranteed.
An important notice about the Speech Output
In previous versions of Text Type, the target letter (female voice) and any mistyped letter (male voice) were spoken by recorded human voices. Text Type now uses text to speech voices. The first time you use Text Type, you will need to choose the voices.

These voices are specific to the browser:

In Microsoft Edge, Sonia Online and George might be a good choice

In Chrome, the choice is between the Microsoft voices and the Google voices, female and male.

In Firefox, you can use a favourite pair of SAPI voices such as Cerevoice Heather and Stuart which are particularly clear in differentiating the names of the letters. You will have to use Firefox, which still supports SAPI voices. Firefox is not officially supported, but we have found no issues with Text Type and Firefox.

Documentation. We have produced a guide to Text Type/Teipio Testun in English, for learners in both languages.

To download this documentation, use the link below:

Two previous versions
For the moment we are keeping two previous versions on the site, TT3 phase 2 and TT3 phase 3. These are no longer supported and may not be kept here much longer.

Scheduled maintenance will be happening to the Doorway website on 16-02-2022 between 9 am and 3pm. During this time the site may not be available for around 10 to 15 minutes.

We are sorry if this causes you any inconvenience.

Doorway Online is designed to run on the following supported web browsers:

Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox (should be compatible).

If you are experiencing problems accessing our site or activities please check you are using one of the above browsers and that your browser is up-to-date.

If you are still experiencing problems please fill in an error report and we will get back to you.

Note: Internet Explorer is no longer supported by our site as it will soon be retired by Microsoft.

Important Update: There is even more up-to-date version of Text Type. Read more about this update here.

We have completed Text Type 3, the touch typing tutor for visually impaired learners that should suit anyone learning to touch type.
The new features are aimed at learners with very low vision:

Text to Speech is available for almost all on-screen text

TAB, Space and Enter can be used to access most functions

Newly recorded female and male voices are used to prompt the next keypress and warn of an incorrect keypress

Single-Handed Typing is now included in Text Type 3

We invite you to take a look at Text Type 3.

Text Type 3 phase 2, has been available on the site for over a year and will be available for three more months. It can be found here.

With the decline of Adobe Flash, soon some of our activities may not continue to function. The following activities have been renewed and will continue to work: Text Type, Speller 2, Letter & Number Formation, Cashing In and the First Phonics suite.

Fortunately, the downloadable version of our remaining activities should continue to run on Windows computers. All of our activities can be downloaded for free below!

The file is zipped and will need to be extracted before use ( how to extract/unzip a file). For installation on a school network, a request will need to be made to the network administrator.

Filed Under: Tagged With: News doorway activity pack, download, windows

Doorway Activities were originally developed in Adobe Flash. This was a good way to develop such activities up to eight or ten tears or so ago. However, Apple decided not to support Flash and later tablets entered the scene. There was a solution in Puffin Browser. Our older activities still work on PCs and Android devices with Puffin Browser installed. This is no longer available on the Apple Store.

We have been able to re-code these activities to work with almost all computers and devices;

Text Type 3

Speller 2

Letter & Number Formation

Cashing In

First Phonics suite, incorporating First Sounds; First Words; First Blends; First Digraphs; More Digraphs; First Blends

First Phonics. The suite of activities now working with most devices.

These have been developed in the modern format of html5 and JavaScript and there are no restrictions to their working on browsers on PCs and Macs. They also work on tablets although on iPads they do not enter full-screen mode as they do on Android tablets. For the remaining activities, we hope to convert more.

In the meantime, if you want to access the Flash-based activities on this site; - Do not use Chrome Browser. Firefox is more friendly to Flash-based activities. If you are using a PC you can buy the Doorway Activity USB pen-drive and install the activities directly to your PC, Pendrive or Network, or even run them directly from the USB stick. It's available now at £ 10, below cost price from [email protected]. There is no copyright restriction any more.

The Doorway Activity Pack, now on USB pen-drive. All the Flash-based activities from the website should work on all Windows PCs. This includes networked PCs, but installation may require a network administrator.

We expect that you'll be able to download these activities directly from this site before too long. Watch this space .................

We are working on the final phase of Text Type 3, the touch typing tutor that can take learners from the home keys to mastery of the whole keyboard and typing sentences. This activity is designed to be as accessible as possible to visually impaired learners as possible. The final version should be accessible even to blind learners, after some initial guidance.

Learning to touch type.
There are some things that you need to know before supporting a learner on the road to touch typing

Touch Typing is just that. There should be no keeking at the keyboard. Do not look at the keyboard or your hands, all the information you need is on the screen in Doorway Touch Type.

Touch typing is a motor learning experience. This means not looking at your hands. The best way to ensure this is to cover the learner's hands with a light cloth. If you truly learn to touch type this skill will last a lifetime like riding a bike. Even learners with mild VI can be tempted to peep.

Motor learning is a very powerful tool and such skills will remin with you thoughout life. However you need to be careful. An incorrect motor habit is very hard to correct. So get it right from the start.

You need to get into a comfortable position in which the hands fall naturally onto the keyboard. The surface on which the keyboard stands must not be too high. The wrists may rest on pads if you are typing for a long time.

A Touch Typing programme is a series of lessons starting with the home keys (A S D F J K L ; ) and leading to full mastery of the keyboard. Moving on to the next exercise without sufficient mastery of the current exercise, will only lead to disappointment later on. A score of 90% or one error in every ten keypresses should be the minimum achievement before moving on. 94% or better is our recommended level of accuracy before moving on.

Learners benefit from regular practice. Little and often is best.

Accuracy should come before speed. Start slowly. If you can type at a regular pace, almost to a beat, it will help you achieve a high speed.

Doorway Text Type is a series of exercises that, followed properly, can lead to a high rate of accuracy in typing and a good rate in terms of words per minute. In handwritten exams with a lot of writing involved. Writing at a rate of 20 words per minute is an arduous task. For a typist that is a low rate of entry. A rate of 40 words per minute is entirely realistic for a sixteen-year-old typist coming up to exams.

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Doorway Online does not collect any information about users.

Text Type 3 stores the results from a user's last session on the computer it is accessed from, but we cannot see that data.

We use Google Analytics to give us usage figures for our activities. This is anonymised data that allows us to see which countries users are accessing our site from, which activities they access and allows us to check for bandwidth issues. It is not possible for us to identify a school or an individual user. We also get anonymised data from Google ads. These adverts are usually blocked in schools.

If you communicate with us by emailing [email protected], our mail server may store your email address. However, we will not use this address to communicate with you except regarding the issue you contacted us about. Your email address will be shared with no other organisation.
Email addresses will be deleted from our mail server when we no longer require them and in any case, two years after our last contact with you. You may send an email to that address asking for your emails and email address to be deleted.

A teacher in East Lothian has made up some very useful record sheets for students to keep track of their progress through the Speller levels. He has been generous in making them available to all.

They are in a compressed zip file which you may have to open using WinZip.

Thanks again to Darren Donnelly, PT Support For Learning, Musselburgh Grammar School for compiling these word lists.

The off-line version of Doorway activities for Windows PCs or laptops which had poor or no internet access has been the Doorway Activity Pack CD. This installs the activities onto your hard disc, server or pen-drive. Typically these were licensed by a school or LEA. We are no longer charging for this, beyond the costs of materials and copying.

We will be making the Doorway Activities freely downloadable. We must thank those authorities that licensed the Doorway Activity Pack CD when we started up. Those licence fees kept us going when finances were terribly tight. Now, it makes sense to make them freely available.
Coming Soon

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Doorway Online is a collection of free and highly accessible educational games that learners will find easy to use independently. Each activity has a range of accessibility and difficulty options. Originally developed with funding from Scottish Borders Council, it is now managed by the Doorway Accessible Software Trust, a Scottish charity.

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Free resources, games and advice by the BBC

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Free resources, games and advice by the BBC

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Use BBC Bitesize to help with your homework, revision and learning from KS1 to GCSE. Find free videos, step-by-step guides, activities and quizzes.

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Supporting your child to read by Reading Rockets

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Supporting your child to read by Reading Rockets

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What is reading? And what are the core skills that young children need to become successful readers? Learning to read is complex, but this overview can help explain key terms and demystify the process.

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Our games are...

Designed with leading academic experts.

Trusted by teachers and parents.

Mindful, enjoyable screen time.

At home and school

Our games are designed to complement programmes used in schools.

Find out how

Who we are...

We're part of The Usborne Foundation - a charity set up by Peter Usborne CBE of Usborne Publishing to support early years learning.
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Teach Your Monster: Free Phonics, Reading and Mathematics Games

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Help children learn with our free, award-winning reading, mathematics and phonics games.

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The ​'reading comprehension house' illustrates that word reading and language comprehension are underpinned by a number of other building blocks of reading.

https://youtu.be/CEPD4txSUpE

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evidence-based recommendations that are relevant to all pupils

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and particularly to those struggling with their literacy. to develop the recommendations

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we reviewed the best available international research and consulted experts to arrive at key principles for effective literacy teaching.  this second edition of the guidance report presents the same recommendations as the first but also offers additional examples

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and resources to support educators to put the recommendations into practice. the report is one of a series of four guidance reports that the eef has produced on the theme of language and literacy. it focuses on pedagogy and approaches to support the literacy development of pupils between the ages of seven and eleven in key stage 2. however

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teachers may also find it useful for older pupils who have fallen behind their peers

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or younger pupils who are making rapid progress.

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Seven recommendations to improve literacy teaching for 7-11 year-olds

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EEF Promoting Positive Partnership with Parents

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EEF Promoting Positive Partnership with Parents

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EEF Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools

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EEF Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools

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this guidance report aims to help secondary schools improve literacy in all subject areas. it provides seven recommendations related to reading

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vocabulary development and supporting struggling students. throughout the report

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recommendations emphasise the importance of disciplinary literacy.  disciplinary literacy is an approach to improving literacy across the curriculum. it recognises that literacy skills are both general and subject specific

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emphasising the value of supporting teachers in every subject to teach students how to read

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write and communicate effectively in their subjects.  this guidance challenges the notion that literacy in secondary school is solely the preserve of english teachers

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or literacy coordinators. the emphasis on disciplinary literacy makes clear that every teacher communicates their subject through academic language

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speaking and listening are at the heart of knowing and doing science

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and every other subject in secondary school.

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Seven recommendations related to reading, writing, talk, vocabulary development and supporting struggling students

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The Bell Foundation Strategies and Great Ideas

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The Bell Foundation Strategies and Great Ideas

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The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL.

Many of the teaching resources on this website refer to various tried and tested approaches and strategies which are recommended for EAL learners.

In this section of the website the rationale behind these methodologies and why they are called 'Great Ideas' are explained.

The majority of these approaches can be used with everyone in the class, but they are particularly important for EAL learners because they provide a rich context, additional support, opportunities for collaborative learning and exploratory talk, and all the important features of good practice in meeting the educational needs of EAL learners.

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EAL Strategies and Great Ideas - The Bell Foundation

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EAL Strategies and Great Ideas The Great Ideas pages are a collection of different strategies that any teacher could use in their classrooms to support learners who use EAL. Many of the teaching resources on this website refer to various tried and tested approaches and strategies which are recommended for EAL learners.

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You searched for Literacy - The Bell Foundation

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We have updated our resources library so you can now explore not only our teaching and learning resources but also our evidence and policy work.

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Resource to support schools plan and implement evidence based intervention

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Resource to support schools plan and implement evidence based intervention

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Reading Rockets Phonological and Phonemic Awareness 

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Reading Rockets Phonological and Phonemic Awareness 

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Explore reading basics as well as the key role of background knowledge and motivation in becoming a lifelong reader and learner. Watch our PBS Launching Young Readers series and try our self-paced Reading 101 course to deepen your understanding.

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Stories, activities and advice on parenting children with special educational needs 

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Stories, activities and advice on parenting children with special educational needs 

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SEND tips and advice - BBC Parents' Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

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Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

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EEF Making best use of Teaching Assistants

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EEF Making best use of Teaching Assistants

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while the number of teachers in mainstream schools in england has remained relatively steady over the last decade or so

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the number of full-time equivalent tas has more than trebled since 2000: from 79

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700. teaching assistants comprise over a quarter of the workforce in mainstream schools in england: 35% of the primary workforce

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and 14% of the secondary school workforce. the number of full-time equivalent tas has more than trebled since 2000: from 79

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there are currently more tas in english nursery and primary schools than teachers: 273

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900.1 about 7% of tas in state-funded schools have higher-level teaching assistant (hlta) status. a key reason for increasing the number of tas was to help deal with problems with teacher workloads. in 2003

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the government introduced the national agreement to help raise pupil standards and tackle excessive teacher workload

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in large part via new and expanded support roles and responsibilities for tas and other support staff. the growth in the numbers of tas has also been driven by the push for greater inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (send) into mainstream schools

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with tas often providing the key means by which inclusion is facilitated. given that sen pupils and low-attaining pupils are more likely to claim free school meals (fsm)1. tas also work more closely with pupils from low-income backgrounds. indeed

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expenditure on tas is one of the most common uses of the pupil premium in primary schools

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a government initiative that assigns funding to schools in proportion to the number of pupils on fsm. a combination of these factors means that schools now spend approximately £4.4 billion each year on tas

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corresponding to 13% of the education budget. this presents an excellent opportunity for improvements in practice

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with such a large and already committed resource in place. the recommendations in this guidance recognise the fact that schools are operating within already tight budgets; however

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noticeable improvements in pupil outcomes can be made through the thoughtful use of existing resources

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Guidance to help primary and secondary schools make the best use of TAs

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nasen Information on Cognition and Learning

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nasen Information on Cognition and Learning

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Cognition and learning needs may encompass most of the curriculum, such as for pupils with MLD or SLD. However, cognition and learning needs may only impact on specific areas such as reading, writing, spelling and mental calculations. Cognition and learning needs generally account for difficulties in curriculum-related areas such as:

reading, writing and spelling

numerosity

comprehension

processing difficulties such as sequencing, inference, coherence and elaboration

working memory

short term verbal memory

other types of executive function difficulties

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Cognition and learning needs may encompass most of the curriculum, such as for pupils with MLD or SLD. However, cognition and learning needs may only impact on specific areas such as reading, writing, spelling and mental calculations.

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This website places cookies on your computer to improve your experience. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more details, see our privacy policy. I agree

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The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

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Newcastle DON Cognition and Learning: School Years

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Newcastle DON Cognition and Learning: School Years

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Please note, there will be a charge to private and independent schools wishing to access services through SEN ASAP.

The SEN ASAP also considers applications made for Individual Pupil Support Funding.

Please see the SEN ASAP Terms of Reference and the guidance and information forms in the documents section of this page. The link to requesting support from SEND ASAP is below.

You can click here for a link to the online form where you can request support from SEND ASAP.

Take a look at our Biteable video below to find out more about the Graduated Response.
The Graduated Response November 2023 - Includes the Social, Emotional and Mental Health Service Service
Please see this document for more information:
The Graduated Response Explained

SEND ASAP RELAUNCH June 2022 Presentations

Introduction to SEND ASAP, Deanne Taylor, Head of SEND The Green Paper and the Graduated Response, Cath Hitchen, DfE SEND Adviser School Effectiveness Team, Sue Alexander, SEND Adviser SEND ASAP, Angela Gemmell, Manager, SEND Outreach Service SEND ASAP, Introduction to the teams supporting school age CYP SEND ASAP Educational Psychology Service SEND ASAP Sir Charles Parsons SEND Outreach Service, Specific Learning Disabilities Team SEND Outreach Service, Support Workers SEND Support Workers Record of Action Trinity SEMH support for primary schools Hadrian School Outreach support

Case Studies

SEND ASAP Early Years Case Study SEND ASAP Archibald First School Case Study SEND ASAP Cheviot Primary Case Study SEND ASAP Secondary Communication and Interaction Case Study SEND Outreach Service Communication and Interaction Case Study SEND Outreach Service SEMH Case Study

Guidance for transitions

Gosforth Junior High Academy Transition Booklet September 2022 Key Stage 1 Transition Booklet SEND Outreach Service- Communication and Interaction Team Transition Support Top tips for transition from first to middle and primary/middle to high school for Autistic pupils

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Newcastle SEND Advice and Support Allocation Panel (SEND ASAP)

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Newcastle Graduated Response to meeting special educational needs includes the SEN Advice and Support Allocation Panel (ASAP). The intention of services available through SEN ASAP is to provide free specialist advice and guidance to support mainstream inclusion.The Services available:

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Parent information and support for phonics

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Parent information and support for phonics

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There has been a huge shift in the past few years in how we teach reading in UK schools. This is having a big impact and helping many children learn to read and spell. Phonics is recommended as the first strategy that children should be taught in helping them learn to read. It runs alongside other teaching methods such as Guided Reading and Shared Reading to help children develop all the other vital reading skills and hopefully give them a real love of reading.

So, what exactly is phonics?

Words are made up from small units of sound called phonemes. Phonics teaches children to be able to listen carefully and identify the phonemes that make up each word. This helps children to learn to read words and to spell words

In phonics lessons children are taught three main things:

GPCs

They are taught GPCs. This stands for grapheme phoneme correspondences. This simply means that they are taught all the phonemes in the English language and ways of writing them down. These sounds are taught in a particular order. The first sounds to be taught are s, a, t, p.

Blending

Children are taught to be able to blend. This is when children say the sounds that make up a word and are able to merge the sounds together until they can hear what the word is. This skill is vital in learning to read.

Segmenting

Children are also taught to segment. This is the opposite of blending. Children are able to say a word and then break it up into the phonemes that make it up. This skill is vital in being able to spell words.

What makes phonics tricky?

In some languages learning phonics is easy because each phoneme has just one grapheme to represent it. The English language is a bit more complicated than this. This is largely because England has been invaded so many times throughout its history. Each set of invaders brought new words and new sounds with them. As a result, English only has around 44 phonemes but there are around 120 graphemes or ways of writing down those 44 phonemes. Obviously we only have 26 letters in the alphabet so some graphemes are made up from more than one letter.

ch th oo ay (these are all digraphs - graphemes with two letters)

There are other graphemes that are trigraphs (made up of 3 letters) and even a few made from 4 letters.

Another slightly sticky problem is that some graphemes can represent more than one phoneme. For example ch makes very different sounds in these three words: chip, school, chef.

So why bother learning phonics?

In the past people argued that because the English language is so tricky, there was no point teaching children phonics. Now, most people agree that these tricky bits mean that it is even more important that we teach phonics and children learn it clearly and systematically. A written language is basically a kind of a code. Teaching phonics is just teaching children to crack that code. Children learn the simple bits first and then easily progress to get the hang of the trickier bits.

How is phonics taught?

Some people worry that phonics is taught to children when they are too young. However, those people might be surprised if they stepped into a phonics lesson. Phonics sessions are entirely made up from games, songs and actions and these sessions only last for 15-20 minutes per day. In my experience, (when phonics is taught well) children generally enjoy phonics so much that they beg their teachers to play phonics games with them at other times of the day.

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If you’re affected by sight loss, we’re here for you

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Acquiring the skill of handwriting is a highly complex process. It involves many years of whole-body development, structured teaching and practising of each step. Such complexity requires an informed curriculum to guide educators and provide support so that children achieving legible, fluent and fast writing at the end of the primary school.

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2. Are you sitting comfortably?

When your child is writing, make sure they are sitting comfortably with their feet touching the floor (or a footrest). Writing is easier when you have a stable body.

3. Match the school

Be sure to find out what handwriting style your child is learning at school. Consistency is key, so it is important not to correct something that you think is an error but that is actually part of the style your child is learning.

4. Write in the sand

Give your child opportunities to do some non-permanent writing. This takes the pressure off early writers - if their handwriting isn't perfect, they can just wash or brush it away and start again.

Write in the sand at the beach. Write in the mud at the park. Fill a clear sandwich bag that closes with some washing-up liquid and glitter; get your child to write (gently) on this. Ask your child to write letters or words on your back with their finger - can you guess what it is?

5. Get crafty

Continue to encourage your child to draw, colour, paint, and do crafting activities at home using a range of different materials. These activities all provide opportunities to develop control, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.

Add some writing to the crafts - can they write with chalk, paint brushes or crayons? Can they make an attractive sign for their door or books?

6. Practice makes perfect

Good handwriting needs lots of practise. Practise handwriting with your child a few times every week - perhaps using the week's spelling words. This will help them to develop good habits and strong muscles in their hands (and good spelling). Use special handwriting paper to check the position of each letter.

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Everything you need to know about how handwriting is taught at school and what you can do to support your child at home, from the early years to Year 6.

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Building Vocabulary: How to Help at Home

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Building Vocabulary: How to Help at Home

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A rich vocabulary allows children to say exactly what they mean. Knowing and using lots of words helps them to understand what others are saying, to talk and write in an engaging way, and to better understand the world around them.

Support from parents makes a massive difference to the number and variety of words a child knows. One of the best ways to improve your child's vocabulary is to play word games and activities at home. Not only is this an effective way to boost your child's future success - it can also be fun and engaging for the whole family!

Here are some ideas for fun games you can play to build your child's vocabulary and confidence with words.

Building your toddler's vocabulary

Ask questions about stories. For example, 'Is Buzz helpful to Woody? Is the Gruffalo really scary? Do you think the mouse is a clever mouse? How do you know?'

From nursery onwards, encourage your child to answer questions in developed phrases rather than in one or two words.

Try to add more description to your own speech. For example, saying 'Please could you pass me the large blue spoon with the wooden handle?' exposes your child to more words than just saying 'Please could you pass me the spoon?'

Building your child's vocabulary at primary school

Ideally, a new word needs to be used six to twelve times, in different ways, to be remembered long term. Here are some ideas for repeating and reusing words in interesting ways.

1. Play word games

You could explore synonyms (words that mean the same thing) together. See how many different words your child can think of for nice, pretty, or tall. Some healthy competition with friends or siblings can help to make this fun.

2. Act out abverbs

Ask your child to scamper silently, crawl slowly, scuttle rapidly, smile sweetly, or speak menacingly. Children love this!

3. Master meaning

When reading together, ask your child questions focusing around a particular word, such as:

'Could we say that Verruca Salt is selfish? Why? Why not?'

'Could a selfish person ever be kind? Can you give an example?'

'Is Charlie Bucket selfish? Could we say he is unselfish?'

'When have you been unselfish? Does unselfish mean the same thing as kind?'

4. Talk at the table

Talk about food when you're at the dinner table. Use interesting words to describe what you are eating: 'My peas are not just nice and tasty - they are delicious, they are scrumptious. Do you think they are scrumptious?'

Dinnertime is also a good opportunity to ask your child about their day. For example, you could ask, 'What do you remember from your lessons today?' and encourage lots of detail. You can model this by talking about your own day first.

5. Use interesting words

When you talk to your child, try to use interesting words. For example, 'When I gave my friend her present, she was delighted. Delighted is a strong word for happy. I'm always delighted when you help me tidy up - what makes you delighted?'

Try to model using adjectives (words that describe nouns, like 'yellow' or 'smooth') and adverbs (words that describe verbs, like 'happily' or 'quickly') in your day-to-day speech. For example: 'Can you smell the freshly cut grass?'

6. Discover language on the go

Visit your local museum and ask your child to describe the pictures or exhibits they see. Take your child along with you as you head off to the bank, the grocery shop, or the post office, and see what new words you can discover.

7. Play 'word/not word'

Another way to stretch your child's use of new words is to play 'word/not word'. This works by choosing a word (for example, 'delightful'), and seeing what ideas your child associates with it. For instance, you could say to your child, 'If I say something that you love, say "delightful". If you don't love it, say "not delightful".' Then ask your child why they responded as they did.

For example, you could try these ideas: opening presents on your birthday; eating sprouts; laughing at the puppy; eating ice cream; going to bed early; reading a book; riding your bike.

Now you can vary the game, using 'beautiful/not beautiful', 'hilarious/not hilarious', 'exciting/not exciting', and so on.

Things worth remembering

Try to make time for your child to give full answers. Encourage them to answer in full sentences, or starting with because.

It's okay for your child to make mistakes, and it's okay for you to correct them. A gentle way to do this is to say something back to them the correct way. For example, if your child says 'It weren't me!', you could respond, 'It wasn't you?'.

A good idea to boost vocabulary is to watch BBC Newsround with your child and discuss the issues involved. This is great for improving your child's understanding of the world too!

Teach the correct word for things as they come up in conversation (for example, 'helmet' instead of 'hat' or 'rabbit' instead of 'bunny').

Have a simple dictionary or thesaurus to hand and explore word meanings together. Googling on your phone can also be helpful if you're not sure.

Above all, have fun and remember that children learn at different speeds!

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Building a strong vocabulary: How to help at home - Oxford Owl for Home

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A rich vocabulary allows children to say exactly what they mean. Knowing and using lots of words helps them to understand what others are saying, to talk and write in an engaging way, and to better understand the world around them. Support from parents makes a massive difference to the number and variety of words a child knows.