Spring 2020
update Transforming the lives of children with disabilities
Springhill Farm, 1990. Pace began with just five pre-school children and three staff.
In the spring edition of Pace UPDATE: Page 2 School update Showcasing success
Page 3 Volunteers David Owens
Page 4-5 Fundraising success Our highlights
Celebrating 30 years of transforming lives
Page 6 Child and Family Helping children thrive in mainstream
Page 7 Early Intervention Some exciting developments
Page 8 Dates for your diary Find out more!
School Update
Showcasing success at our Children’s Challenge event As the crown jewel in our events calendar, the Children’s Challenge exemplifies the vision and the values that have been at the heart of Pace from it’s very beginning, our belief in every child’s ability to learn and make progress whatever challenges they face. Held at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the home of the Paralympics, the Children’s Challenge is an inspirational day of sporting events celebrating the hard work and achievement of our Pace students. The students choose a skill that they have been working on throughout the academic year to demonstrate their progress in a sporting activity. For example, a student might participate in an archery themed event using their EyeGaze computer. Their eyes control a virtual bow and arrow and they navigate their gaze to aim for the target on the screen in front of them. Other students might choose to show
the progress in their hand and arm movements during a Boccia style event, a precision ball sport similar to bowls and curling. And other students might opt to demonstrate their independent mobility by taking part in an obstacle course. It’s set to be a big and unforgettable day and a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success and achievements of our wonderful children and young people. You can join us for our 2020 Children’s challenge on 26th November. For more information, please email fundraising@thepacecentre.org or contact us on 01296 614287. And if you would like to support the children as they take on their challenges you can sponsor them at www.justgiving.com/campaign/ PaceChildrensChallenge2020
Pace awarded ‘outstanding’ for the 6th time We are absolutely delighted to be able to share the news that following our inspection in November, we have once again been rated ‘OUTSTANDING’ under the new Ofsted Inspection Framework. The threshold for an outstanding rating has increased under the new framework which makes this achievement even more special and we are thrilled that the inspector was able to recognise the exceptional quality of our school provision. Being graded as ‘Outstanding’ does not happen as a matter of course and yet we have achieved this incredibly significant milestone for six consecutive inspections.
The inspectors found that Pace’s pupils, “including those with complex needs, thrive at this excellent school. They are upbeat, determined and joyous...” This impressive recognition has been awarded to Pace School Services thanks to the hard work and dedication of every single member of our school team and is testament to our pioneering and highly impactful approach to learning for children with complex disabilities. Claire Smart, our Headteacher says “I would like to take this opportunity to extend my genuine and heartfelt thanks to all Pace staff from every part of the organisation who have contributed to this amazing accreditation. I feel prouder than ever of the work we do here at Pace and am looking forward to continuing to develop our curriculum and the services we offer”.
Volunteers in Focus
Parents Survey To carry on the theme of good news, we received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our Pace parents who completed a ‘Parentview’ survey. As we are continually striving to find ways to develop and refine the way we work for the benefit of all our children and young people this feedback is vital.
100%
of Parents reported that their child felt happy and safe at Pace
100%
reported that Pace school makes sure students are well behaved
91%
of Parents felt that Pace school made them aware of what their child was learning
100%
of Parents reported that Pace school gave their child what they need to succeed
100%
of Parents felt that Pace school has high expectations for their child
100%
of Parents reported that their child does well at Pace
100%
of Parents reported that Pace school let them know how their child is progressing
95%
of Parents reported that Pace school supports their child’s wider personal development
100%
of Parents reported that they would recommend Pace school to another Parent
INTRODUCING
David Owens David is one of our very special volunteers. Last year he was announced as the winner of the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust Community Hero Award 2019! David is a real asset to the Pace team, a true hero in our eyes and we couldn’t think of a more deserving winner. We spoke with David to ask him about volunteering at Pace. When did you start volunteering at Pace and why? I had been volunteering for many years before coming to Pace. It was when my wife and I decided to move to Aylesbury to be closer to our family that someone said that I should see if Pace needed volunteers, that was five years ago and the rest, as they say, is history. What do you love most about volunteering at Pace? For me, one of the greatest rewards from working with the children is watching them learn, grow in confidence and make friends. The other thing for me personally, is that I have always been made to feel like a part of the team. What has been your most memorable moment as a volunteer? There have been countless memorable moments during my time as a volunteer at Pace: Christmas performances, The Children’s Challenge, sporting events to name just a few. Anything where the children have an opportunity to show how hard they have been working and how much progress they have made. How does it feel to be hailed a local hero? When Jo, a Learning Support Assistant suggested putting my name forward, I was completely surprised and felt very humbled. The real heroes though, are our children, how they work so determinedly to overcome the challenges they face to make such incredible progress. They are amazing. What would you say to someone who was thinking of becoming a volunteer at Pace? I would say to anyone thinking of becoming a volunteer at Pace, give it a try, come and look around and meet the children and staff. If you choose to join us, you’ll have access to full training and there is always a member of staff to offer their advice and full support.
Fundraising Success
The healing power of nature at Lindengate At Pace we understand better than most that our mental wellbeing is just as important as our physical health. Research suggests that people with disabilities are up to four times more likely to develop mental health issues.
All aboard the minibus The acquisition of our very own Pace minibus, thanks to a very successful fundraising appeal in which our wonderful supporters raised ÂŁ35,000 in just six weeks, has been transformational in terms of transporting our students to a wide variety of educational destinations both locally and further afield. Weekly local community trips have enabled our pupils to apply their learning from the school curriculum allowing them to develop and use vital life skills in real life settings. The children have been on school trips to Tring Natural History Museum and to Stoke Mandeville Stadium to take part in a wheelchair sports day. There are more exciting school trips being planned to include a visit to the V&A Museum and the Waterside Theatre. We wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to Manor Signs who very kindly provided the Pace branding for our minibus free of charge. Sponsored by Caremark
Harry with the minibus
Having new experiences and accessing activities and fun days out that many typical families enjoy together becomes increasingly difficult for families with children with complex neurodisabilties, and as a result our families are often left feeling isolated and detached from society. Supporting our students to ensure they have good mental health, high levels of self-esteem and recognise that they are valued members of the community is one of the biggest parts of our role. New experiences bring joy and a sense of achievement to children and help them to expand their minds and learn. Trying new things teaches the children about the world around them and more about themselves. We work hard to ensure that they have access to opportunities where they can experience new environments and different ways to express themselves, helping them to grow in confidence, independence and improve their self-worth. We recently took the children to Lindengate, a local mental health charity that offers specialised gardening activities to help people with mental health needs. It was a brilliant opportunity for the children to learn about the healing power of nature and the great outdoors. They spent time exploring the beautiful grounds, smelling and learning about different herbs and then planting them in planters which they took home to their families. Just by looking at the photo you can see that our students had a truly wonderful time and that it was a really positive experience.
Racing driver Nic Hamilton visits The Pace Centre Towards the end of last year, we had the pleasure of welcoming professional racing driver Nic Hamilton to Wendover Road. Nic is a remarkable ambassador both for his sport and for people with cerebral palsy. He really exemplifies all that we seek for our children and young people here at Pace – the opportunity to reach the very fullest potential in life. Nic spent his time getting to know our young people and sharing his experiences from motorsport. Much fun was had by all and memories were made to last a lifetime. We are sure that we will be seeing him again…
Maximising mobility with Floatsation Several of our children have been attending Aquatic Therapy sessions which have allowed them to work on their current physical goals in the medium of water. Maximising mobility is vital in supporting children with cerebral palsy to be as independent as possible and to reach their full potential. Not only are there unrivalled therapeutic benefits, spending time in the water is a great way for the children to have fun, exercise and experience the freedom of movement. We are always looking for innovative, exciting and effective ways to help the children build self-esteem and confidence. As part of the Aquatic Therapy sessions the children have been using Floatsation. Floatsation is a swimming aid made of a unique matrix of balls giving the children total support and independence whilst in the water. It was developed by Martin Mansell, award winning Paralympic swimmer, whose aim is to bring the benefits of enjoying the water to disabled children, young people and adults. Inventive and accessible products such as the Floatsation mean our children can learn and develop whilst being able to share in the joy of new experiences. It makes us even more excited to announce that Martin will be our Paralympian guest of honour at this year’s Children’s Challenge and we are looking forward to welcoming him to the Pace family.
Child & Family
Helping children thrive in mainstream Every Monday afternoon we hold a group for three boys between the age of six and eight years old. The boys currently attend mainstream school but access Pace for additional support and to develop the tools they need to maximise their education. We work with each of the boys to improve their attention and focus, as well as their ability to regulate their emotions and their handwriting.
We have seen significant, positive changes in all three of the boys and have received encouraging feedback from their teachers and families.
The boys come to Pace to develop the tools and strategies they need to help them cope better in their school environment so that they can access the curriculum and progress with their learning.
“Jack had just started in Year 1, every day he was getting himself really worked up and upset, not wanting to go to school and he was really struggling to cope.
Starting with a physical activity such as an obstacle course, designed to release any pent-up emotion and energy, the sessions are fun and interactive and the boys learn through multi-sensory play, storytelling and role play.
We wanted to get help for Jack, but we struggled to get the support he needed until we found Pace. I was amazed at the amount of understanding and compassion shown to Jack and to us.
We work closely with the boys to help them understand how to recognise how others think and feel by understanding what people mean by their words and actions. We teach the children how to attach language to their own emotions so they can more confidently talk about how they are feeling.
Since Jack has been coming to Pace, he has been working hard and we have seen so many positive changes. He is much more confident now and he is enjoying school.
The work we do goes beyond the sessions they attend at Pace; we work closely with their teachers and with their families so they can continue to develop these strategies both at school and home.
I realised just how much progress Jack had made when we were on holiday and without any encouragement, he was able to ask another little boy if he wanted to play with him. Pace have done so much for Jack and for our whole family”
Early Intervention We wanted to share with you an exciting strategic development that has been happening here at Pace. At Pace, we are committed to ensuring that every child with a neurodisability can reach their fullest potential in life and over the past decade we have developed a highly impactful Early Intervention provision. Typically, NHS community therapy teams, or voluntary sector providers are under-resourced and struggle to deliver intervention at the appropriate levels of scale and intensity. Early intervention is critical for babies and toddlers with neurodisabilties, when neuroplasticity is highest. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections and is at its highest in the first 2-3 years of childhood. Our provision is yielding great outcomes but as experts in our field we know that we can, and indeed must, do more. We are continually working to establish a model of best practice for early intervention and as leading specialists, Pace have a responsibility to help deliver the national systemic change that is required to deliver better early, intensive therapy to babies and toddlers with neurodisabilties. In addition to providing excellent outcomes for the child and their family, early intervention provides a good return on investment with potential cost savings in terms of future education, health and social care.
We have been developing a three-year programme that will fully fund our early intervention work to enable it to be free for families at the point of delivery. By doing this it removes a barrier that may be preventing the most vulnerable families from accessing our services and we hope that, through sharing our expertise, we can positively influence the NHS and local authority professionals to both signpost and refer to Pace. As a result, there will be significant improvements in life chances and potential for children with neurodisabilties. Through communicating our model of best practice with clarity, sharing engaging and informative research that allows us to clearly highlight the benefits and by providing effective training we will enable our Early Intervention provision to be replicated by a wider network of educational and clinical professionals. We are seeking to fund this three-year critically important programme through grants from charitable trusts and foundations. Given the national significance of this work, we are confident that our vision for a more widespread delivery of models of early and intensive intervention will become a reality and that we can ensure brighter futures for all babies and toddlers with neurodisabilties both nationally and internationally.
Events
Dates for your diary for more information email fundraising@thepacecentre.org
Summer at Thame Park Fine Wine & Cheese in the Cellar at Waddesdon 04.09.20 An invitation for wine enthusiasts to attend a private wine tasting evening in the impressive cellars of Waddesdon Manor. Showcasing eight wines from Rothschild estates across the world, Expert Wine Advisor Peter Tompkins will guide you through this unique wine tasting experience. The evening will finish with exclusive access to the Waddesdon Wine Shop.
The Superhero Mile 26.09.20 We are delighted to introduce you to The Big Walk’s new sidekick, The Superhero Mile. A fun, family friendly and inclusive event for everyone, whatever your age or ability – where small steps make a big difference.
30th Birthday Dinner Dance 30.10.20 Join us at Notley Tythe Barn, in your finest evening attire and help us celebrate our 30th birthday in style. Enjoy canapes and arrival drinks before sitting down to a two-course meal followed by coffee, an auction and dancing!
La Grande Aventure – Lille Big Cycle The Big Walk 26.09.20 For the children who come to Pace walking can be a big challenge and yet just a few steps can lead to much greater independence. This year, you can help transform children’s lives by putting on your walking shoes and joining us for the Big Walk. You can choose to walk 6, 12 or 18 miles and with a new route for 2020, this year’s BIG WALK takes you along the beautiful Ridgeway Trail between Watlington and Wendover.
Would you take on the 3 Peaks for Pace? Could you climb the highest mountains of England, Scotland and Wales in just 24 hours? When you take on a challenge for Pace you are transforming the lives of children who stop at nothing to be able to do the things many of us take for granted. To register your interest or for more information please email fundrasing@thepacecentre.org
You shop. Amazon Gives. Did you know that you can support Pace, by simply starting your shopping at smile.amazon.co.uk or with a quick change to App settings? It’s the same Amazon you know, same products, same prices, same service but with AmazonSmile 0.5% of the net purchase price (excluding VAT, returns and shipping fees) will be donated to Pace. The Pace Centre Ltd, 156 Wendover Road, Aylesbury, Bucks HP22 5TE Registered Charity 1011133
School Enquiries: 01296 392 739 General Enquiries: 01296 614 287 info@thepacecentre.org
