“Rosie really enjoyed the 2 classes and felt very happy about it, I think they seemed really good with her”. –  Tessa, mum of Rosie

“Hello, my daughter really enjoyed the format & had a lovely time. Her concentration is poor, so nice that she wasn’t forced to take part in all of it & could dip in & out of it! She was v.happy, which was the main thing…
Thanks so much again for a lovely time!” –Parent

“Christopher loved his SEN Yoga class yesterday afternoon. Gillian clearly has a really special connection with him, even though she hasn’t seen him since March 2020. Christopher is very good at Yoga and remembered most of the positions he learnt previously, which was lovely for me to see.”

Geraldine

“Thank you so much for the workshop, it was lovely seeing Lucy enjoying herself and participating with others” – Parent

“I attended the first session with a shy child, unsure of new surroundings.  The classes are mixed ability and fun.  My daughter’s self-esteem has increased and she is happy and confident within the lesson.  She ends every class telling me “dance is good”, and I agree”. – Heather

“Seeing the children interacting in a safe environment and being able to take part in something they might not otherwise be able to do is just the best.  To these children being able to take part is just as thrilling as winning a race”. – Parent

Orla attended the SEN dance class this afternoon. Just to say a big thank you & she really enjoyed it! Hoping there will be more! ” – Zoe

“My son has been attending Erin’s SEND class on a Monday since September and he absolutely loves it.  Erin is so patient and very understanding and never pushes him to do more than he wants to.  She knows how to get the best out of him and it’s wonderful to see him open up to her”. – Jackie

“The movement aspect of the workshop was perfect for our daughter, with her cerebral palsy she finds movement so difficult so having this aspect of the workshop was really lovely, she had a great time and smiled the whole way through.” – Parent

“Just wanted to let you know that the Ongar Place dance has been a real success. As you know the children performed the dance to parents on Tuesday which was well received. Then we travelled to Haslemere for the festival. There were 8 schools who were all well rehearsed from across Surrey. The children enjoyed the day. The event was seen as a festival and not competitive, as such ,but Ongar Place were the only school given an award which was for the school that best demonstrated the festival values through their dance, attitude and behaviour. The children felt has though they had ‘won’. We were very proud. The children then performed the dance to the rest of the school on Friday.

The 20 children taking part have had a great experience and the whole range of dancers have benefited greatly.

Could you pass on the thanks of the school and children to Jess for her hard work and belief. We look forward to continuing to work with Synergy.”

“The sessions have been going very well, the members have enjoyed them!”. – Sarah Lyle – White Lodge centre – Synergy Sit and Be Fit classes – trained by ParaDance UK

“Megan was fabulous in engaging what could have potentially been a very tricky group. She thought on her feet to adapt her session to best suit the needs of the young people and it was a huge success as a result. In addition she was professional, charming and energetic. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her and you. Thank you for all your help and I look forward to working with you again.”

R. Norris – Surrey Young Carers Workshop

“The sessions have really been enjoyed by both at Walton and Sunbury so would love to continue if possible. Many Thanks to Charlotte”

– Samantha Howlett | Area Operations Manager, North East Surrey | Surrey Choices

“Just wanted to pass on thanks for the dance with the ‘Rock Bottom’ show. It was well performed and the choreography really helped to lift the show above the ordinary. Thank you again for all the help and expertise that you have provided for our school.”

– Ian Knott/Ongar Place School

CASE STUDY: Megan, Synergy SEND instructor – SEND classes at Guildford Spectrum and in schools

“My class at Guildford Spectrum has led to developments in character such as becoming considerably more vocal and confident in class. The students have also developed their awareness for others, and have learned to share and take turns via activities and games we play within the session

My class at Guildford Spectrum has led to developments in character such as becoming considerably more vocal and confident in class. The students have also developed their awareness for others, and have learned to share and take turns via activities and games we play within the session. Furthermore, one child can now even write their own name due to the fact they had to write it on the top of their worksheet for each class. The children have a better response to being spoken to individually, a better understanding of discipline and developed skills of working in a team.

At Linden Bridge, children developed both motor skills and communication skills by developing control with their body as well as having to work in groups. The children became vocal by singing nursery rhymes, something which by the end of the term happened with much more ease and boldness than on week 1. As well as this, skills such as balance, agility and control were tested and developed through practising standing on one leg each class, as well as structured travelling work to develop their movement ability.

My classes at Clifton Hill School have seen wondrous results. From week one I set tasks in which the students had to talk to and negotiate with each other, with these progressing to require physical contact between one another. Even being able to carry out such tasks with the students was a milestone achievement. The students became more and more engaged as the routine progressed, to the point where some students even asked to stand at the front as people to follow for the other members of the class. By practising rhythms each lesson the students developed their ability to watch and copy, a sense of musicality and also became self-assured that they could follow along at the correct timing. Travelling work developed physical strength in some students with physical hindrances, and a smile was present throughout.

 I … can honestly and genuinely say that SEN dance classes are a wonderful and achieving addition to the curriculum and everyday life”

CASE STUDY: Erin, Lead Synergy SEND instructor – ERIN spreads sparkle and colour wherever she goes – we are proud to have her on our team and she is simply excelling beyond expectations in her SEND delivery. Erin leads our Special Needs class at Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex/Freedom Leisure, every Monday from 4-5pm

The classes so far at Guildford Spectrum have endeavoured to create a fun and accessible environment for participants to feel both involved yet individual. As the class is small at the moment, it has provided an organic and nurturing atmosphere in which the children and their parents/guardians have been able to “get stuck in”. This has been really special to both facilitate and interact with children and parents, whilst simultaneously enjoying the experience of witnessing the interactions and bonds between these pairings and the children themselves. The children in the class are of various ages, with a range of needs and abilities. By staying open, dynamic and adaptable I have found that I can stick to a structure and yet follow their lead, catering the class to specific needs depending on what the class dynamic is that day. This is done through a structure that includes a general greeting, warm up, adaptable choreographies with room for expression and improvisation, creative movement with imagery and props, games and a cool down. This works well and the children have been able to begin to bring a piece of themselves, in terms of ideas and personality into the class, as they become familiar with me, the class and other participants better. A seed for a little “community” has been planted and will continue to be nurtured through creative and expressive dance and movement.
As the weeks have gone on, I have found as facilitator, the children recognise and remember the structure of the class and dances/movement activities included within it. They are beginning to get used to dancing together, waiting for one another and taking turns/sharing. They have also begun to pick up movements from one another. As they get used to the space, I have witnessed them moving away from adults and taking on a more independent role, interacting more with one another as they do so. This is encouraged, not only through movement, music and dance, but through the use of props and verbal communication or ideas. I have noticed that the children have become much more at ease with me, recognising me as their teacher but also someone to dance and have fun with! Their interactions have increased through movement, eye contact and verbal communication since we began. It has been an all round extremely positive, rewarding and heart warming experience and I enjoy every second, learning to adapt and fit in with the group as I teach them so that we are all included and have a good time. I feel these ever growing skills and my capacity to be flexible and hold the class are supplement to my training with ParaDance UK.

CASE STUDY: Chrissie, Synergy Dance SEND instructor, Chrissie is one of our lead instructors at Synergy and has been leading Synergy Sit and Be Fit at White Lodge Centre. She was keen to learn inclusive dance and is excelling in her new SEND classes.  

The training with ParaDance UK was fantastic and has already led to some really rewarding teaching. I completed the weekend feeling completely prepared to teach my first class and the quality of training was outstanding. What I have come to realize is that dance can benefit people in so many ways and I have loved bringing joy to those in my class, as well as helping to improve their health and wellbeing!

CASE STUDY: Renata, Synergy Dance SEND instructor, Ren joined the company as a dance instructor and will be starting new Synergy SEND classes in 2018.

The SEND training I completed with ParaDance UK gave me an excellent insight as to how it is possible for everyone to participate in Inclusive Dance and was an invaluable experience. The practical training in particular gave me the confidence to teach people with disabilities and that it can also be fun!  This has prepared me for teaching classes and offering the best environment for people to learn, improve posture and fitness, to socialise, and to enjoy the experience of Inclusive Dance.