Extra newsletter
Welcome to the extra PACE newsletter. Stuff we'd love you to know about but can't fit into the printed copy!
What is different about the PACE approach?
PACE’s integrated approach to the “whole child” provides an “education for life” for children with physical disabilities.
It can be explained in the form of an analogy.
We are not born with the ability to play a piano. The necessary physical and cognitive skills have to be learned over a long period to gain competency.
We do not go separately to a white keys expert, a black keys expert, a pedals expert, and an expert in reading music to teach us how to play a piano. We go to a piano tutor who knows how all the elements of learning to play a piano fit together. We therefore learn to play in an integrated way. How good we become depends on the amount of practice we do. The more opportunity for practice, the more we achieve, and the better the sense of satisfaction we get from playing.
We all have the ability to learn new skills. Children with disabilities are no different, they just need more help.
Conductors are currently the closest we have to the “piano tutor”. Started in Hungary in the mid 1940’s, Conductive Education takes the “whole child” approach.
The traditional system produces separate specialists to help children with physical disabilities to learn – teachers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists etc. Therapists are generally able to provide only episodic and disjointed input to an individual child.
Currently children have access to either Conductive Education, or the traditional specialists.
PACE integrates Conductive Education with other teaching and therapy approaches to produce the complete “piano tutor”.
The Comino Foundation
Since 1996 the foundation has been supporting PACE training provision. The Trustees have also provided invaluable support and guidance, with John Slater acting as a Mentor for Heather Last to support her work on PACE’s strategic development. The Comino Foundation’s purposes have their roots in the Founder’s conviction that “by giving more explicit attention to the process of achieving what we set out to achieve, we are all able to become more effective achievers and so contribute to the well-being of our society”. The Foundation has established a network of Comino Centres and is currently supporting PACE with funding for full-time Training Co-Ordinator, technical support for the final phase of the PACE Centre Training Curriculum and the work of a Project Consultant.
History of PACE
1990 • Established by a group of parents with just four children and three staff • Employed Heather Last, Paediatric Occupational Therapist, to lead the service
1992 • Registered as a Charity
1993 • Moved to Dinton Lodge, also operating services in portacabins one mile away
1994 • Rented facilities on a rural site were becomingly increasingly inadequate to meet the demand for services
• Board of Trustees made decision to appeal for funds for purpose built Centre
1995 • Capital Appeal launched • 22 children attend on a part-time basis
1996 • Work commenced on construction of purpose built Centre on a mainstream school campus • 27 children attend on a part-time basis
1997 • Construction of The PACE Centre completed following intensive capital appeal • Philip Green House officially opened by the Rt Hon Lord Carrington • 25 children attend on a part-time basis • Establishment of first Primary Class for 5-7 year olds
1998 • Registered as an independent Special School for pupils with motor disorders from 2½-11 years of age
1999 • Beginning of Outreach services • 31 children on school roll
2000 • Pre-school services received an excellent report following assessment by HMI Inspectors • 38 children on school roll
2001 • OfSted Inspection report concluded there were no key issues to be addressed
• Inspectors strongly commended and recommended further development of outreach in mainstream schools and provision of in-service training for staff from other services • Extensions made to building to create additional storage and bathroom facilities
2002 • Full time therapist appointed to head up Outreach and Follow Up services
• Demand for services outstrips capacity within the current building and the Board of Trustees investigate use of external premises • 47 children on school roll
2003 • Construction of a new classroom and bathroom to accommodate an increased number of children and a sensory motor class • Parent and Child services delivered off site in rented premises
2004 • Board of Trustees recognise need for strategic development including the development of a PACE Centre Training Curriculum • Post of Head of Centre created to enable Director to focus on strategic development and training
2005 • An additional new classroom built for individual and group programmes for school aged children • A volunteer from the Cranfield Trust worked with PACE staff and trustees to advise on strategic development, leading to a recommendation to develop secondary services• 52 children on school roll
2006 • Strategic Development Plan for the Centre outlining the requirement for new facilities and the development of secondary services presented to Patrons and Trustees and agreed • Provision at PACE judged as ‘Outstanding’ following a whole school OfSted Inspection • Establishment of a Conductive Education class for secondary age pupils at Heritage House School, funded by Buckinghamshire County Council • Working groups established to examine the development of PACE’s services • 55 children on school roll
2007 • Project Development Team established to lead the strategic and capital development project • Architect draws up initial plans and identifies land and space requirements • 75 children on school roll
2008 • Project Development Team focuses on the identification of suitable land for PACE’s development • Development of a pilot PACE group within a mainstream school for secondary aged pupils • 81 children on school roll with 10 on the waiting list because of limited space
• PACE Centre Training Curriculum used to deliver external courses for health and education professionals
2010 • PACE celebrates 20th Anniversary • 103 children seen in all areas of PACE
