Pace is a community that has children and families at its heart. Those who work at Pace, irrespective of their role, length of service, or experience, share a common passion for the work that we do and a deep commitment to helping the children at Pace to be the very best they can be, whatever their individual needs and challenges.
Our clinical and educational approach is delivered by highly skilled teams of teachers, conductors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work together in the classroom in transdisciplinary teams. In other settings, children typically leave the classroom to receive a session of therapeutic input, or even travel to a completely different place. At Pace, educational and therapeutic input is delivered together as part of an integrated curriculum and is therefore mutually reinforcing.
Pace is a community of professionals who challenge themselves, and the whole organisation, to be the very best that they can be, for those children and families we support.
A full list of staff qualifications is available if needed. All staff participate in a thorough induction training process when they join Pace. This makes sure every member of staff has the knowledge and skills to work with the children in a way that addresses all aspects of an education for life. A high staff to child ratio ensures all needs are met throughout the day.
When necessary a child might work individually with a staff member in a specific area of need, such as speech and communication, sensory integration or academic work. In addition to Pace staff, outside consultants are employed to offer additional expertise as and when required.
Pace seeks to further the best interests of the children at all times and so has a commitment to close collaboration with other professionals involved with the children and their families. This co-operation between Pace and other medical and educational specialists leads to a consistent approach. Contact is maintained through telephone calls, visits, exchange of reports and attendance at review meetings.
Alex was born with a rare genetic Mitochondrial disorder. He needs help with all daily living functions. He’s profoundly deaf and wheelchair bound. Despite his very complex needs, with the amazing help and support of Pace since Alex was 13 months old, we as a family (and most importantly, Alex) have learnt how to cope with and even excel at living, with this life limiting condition.
At 2 years old we were advised that Alex would probably not live past six. He’s now nine, which has amazed all his specialists and baffled the experts at Great Ormond Steet (GOSH). It has even been suggested by one of his specialists at GOSH that it is down to the total commitment, care and constant stimulation that Pace gives to him during his schooling. They gave us hope and confidence to move forward with Alex and help him to achieve things that no one thought possible. He now drives his powered wheelchair with his foot, signs with his feet and turns his pedals on his specially adapted trike. He’s been waterskiing, snow skiing, surfing and can even take my credit card out of my purse to give to one of his carers to pay for DVDs from Amazon!!! He does not let anyone ignore him and he’s achieved so much in his short life.
He’s really cheeky and he has an amazing sense of humour. We don’t know what the future holds for Alex but everyone who meets him falls in love with him.
