Press Release 10 October 2008

Lord Mayor Councillor Chauhdry Rashid and Lady Mayoress Shafait Begum saw for themselves today the amazing results produced by ACE (Access to Conductive Education) - a unique education service at Great Barr Primary School.

Two years ago The Foundation for Conductive Education, based in Birmingham set up a pilot project at Great Barr Primary School to provide conductive education for up to 28 pupils with conditions such as cerebral palsy and dyspraxia. The Foundation already runs a national centre of excellence in Moseley providing conductive education encompassing the national curriculum for children up to 11 years, but wanted to see how their life-changing educational techniques would fit within mainstream schooling.

The objective was to help pupils with motor disorders become more independent, more active and more able to participate in the national curriculum within the school’s own system. Conductive Education helps them with handling objects and handwriting, as well as dressing and undressing for PE and eating lunch. They also learn how to plan and sequence movements which enables them to move around more independently. But it doesn’t stop there – the confidence they gain from Conductive Education also helps them develop all aspects of their personalities.

This service is the only one of its kind in the UK and helps children become more integrated in the school’s mainstream activities, instead of separating them as is the case in some other educational establishments. All the children are educated together throughout the school day.

The Lord and Lady Mayoress were delighted to be invited to meet some of the children receiving Conductive Education at the school and sit in on one of their sessions teaching them how to carry food and drink in a canteen scenario. Councillor Rashid commented “I am highly impressed by what I have seen today and you have my support 110 per cent for your excellent work in giving children the skills to live as independently as possible. It has been a learning curve for me as well, seeing exactly what conductive education is all about. You have my thanks and that of Birmingham City Council.”

Great Barr Primary School caters for 472 pupils and has a resource base for 22 children with physical disabilities. The Foundation’s two year pilot was so successful that Head Teacher Sue Courbêt had no hesitation in incorporating Conductive Education within the school’s curriculum. She comments “We’ve seen improvements with children’s independence, confidence and motivation, and their ability to access the curriculum. Conductive Education has had huge benefits for the children, enabling them to improve their social interaction with other children. Within our ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda, these children are able to make a more positive contribution, and there has been a big impact with our community cohesion, because they are able to work together and relate to each other within the classroom.”

ACE at Great Barr Primary School is managed on a full time basis by Conductor in Charge, István Szucs, who has been practising Conductive Education for over 20 years and was trained at the Peto Institute in Hungary. István was in charge of the initial pilot and has since seen the service go from strength to strength, even receiving a Leading Aspect award in 2007 for maximising children’s independence and building self-esteem.

ENDS

Contact : Treena Jones

Director of Marketing and Fundraising

Tel : 0121 449 1569

Email : tjones@conductive-education.org.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS

• Conductive Education is a form of specialised neuro-rehabilitation for children and adults with physical disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Dyspraxia, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke and head injury.

• It was developed by Andras Peto in Hungary in 1945.

• It’s an educational approach to helping children and adults with motor disorders and helps them learn to overcome problems of movement.

• The Foundation for Conductive Education was set up in 1986 in Birmingham to bring the method to the UK via direct services and training.

• Conductive Education teaches children and adults with motor disorders how to overcome their problems of movement and helps them to lead more active and independent lives. It shows them just what they are capable of and gives them the will to achieve amazing results.

• The Foundation for Conductive Education runs the National Institute for Conductive Education which provides the following services :

- Parent and Child Service

– children from birth to three years

- Early Intervention services – children aged three to seven years
- School Group providing Conductive Education alongside the national curriculum – children aged five to eleven years

• The Foundation also gives hope to adults living with motor disorders by providing early diagnosis advice and on site sessions.

• The Foundation offers a BA (Hons) degree in Conductive Education in conjunction with the University of Wolverhampton, aiming to facilitate the availability of Conductive Education within the UK and beyond.

• The Leading Aspect Award has been designed with, and by, educational practitioners as a means to recognise leading practice that exists in schools, families of schools, Higher and Further Education Institutions, Behaviour Support Services, Foster Care, Secure Accommodation, in fact anywhere where leading practice exists and which may or may not have been recognised.