The Green Paper, "Excellence for All Children" (1997) stated that "if we are to move successfully to greater inclusion, it is essential that all pupils in mainstream schools should receive specialist support and the special schools should reflect this changing context".
It was with that purpose, in September 1999, that Ifield Community Special School formally launched the Smile Service based at the Smile Centre in Jubilee Crescent, Gravesend. The school receives funding for Smile on an annual basis from the LEA to provide a service that supports Additional Educational Needs in the 40 primary and secondary schools across Gravesham. The Centre also receives funding through grants from the Beacon School movement, Standards Fund bids and self generated income.
Smile strives to support the Kent County School "All Together Better" aim of improving access to life long learning through increased inclusion.
From the Centre in Gravesend East, the staff, consisting of two qualified and experienced teachers, a full time Administrator and a team of part time experienced Teaching Assistants undertake a variety of duties. The Centre also uses well qualified Teaching Assistants from Ifield School.
The work has developed in four main areas:
The full range of courses offered by Smile are published in a flyer distributed to West Kent Schools at the beginning of the academic year. Full details of our courses can be found on these webpages. The training courses are very well attended and well received by delegates. Some of the training is delivered by external professionals who have expertise in a particular area, while other courses are delivered by staff from Ifield School, some of whom work at the Centre.
Because there are conference and catering facilities at the Centre, costs of these courses are kept to a minimum; courses presented by Centre staff are usually free except where there is a nominal charge for resource packs, lunch and refreshments. While the courses primarily serve the Gravesham Schools, staff from other areas of Kent do attend when there are places available.
Inset training can be delivered to whole school staff, groups or individuals when requested on such topics as Raising Awareness of ASD, Managing ASD in the Classroom, Visual Strategies, Numeracy, the of Smiley Boxes and other resources. Practical workshops on making Visual Strategies using "Writing with Symbols" software package are held regularly throughout the year.