Primary Education Programme

12 months' access to the training, information and ongoing support so you can confidently meet the needs of a child with Down syndrome and help them flourish in your classroom.

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We’ve introduced a two-term pricing option for our Primary Education Programme. If you join today, you’ll receive full access from 1 January right through to the end of August – at a 30% reduction to the annual rate.

Down Syndrome UK’s Primary Education Programme is an accessible, online programme created by Dr Becky Baxter in collaboration with other specialist professionals. Designed for teachers, SENCOs, teaching assistants and school leaders, the programme provides practical knowledge, strategies and information to help staff confidently support children with Down syndrome in the classroom. Participants receive a full year’s access to the programme for all staff, including practical guidance and ongoing support, making it easy for your team to fit learning around busy schedules.

12 months’ access to learning and support from sign-up

Why choose us?

The Primary Education Programme is an expert-led, online programme designed to help primary school staff successfully support pupils with Down syndrome. With flexible access for your whole team for an entire year, the programme includes video training and practical tools – all developed by specialists with extensive experience working with pupils with Down syndrome.

Expert-led

Developed and delivered by Dr Rebecca Baxter in collaboration with a range of experts in their field.

Practical and flexible

Designed with busy school staff in mind – easy to follow, packed with examples and practical advice ready to use in real classrooms.

Cost-effective

One registration gives access to the full programme for all staff in your school.

CPD Accredited

The programme includes an accredited training course for those working in the classroom with a certificate to recognise continual professional development.

Ongoing support

Regular online sessions with experts highly experienced in working with children with Down syndrome, and the opportunity to meet and share ideas with other schools.

Wealth of information

A dedicated hub of information giving educators the knowledge and strategies to work effectively with children with Down syndrome.

What schools think of DSUK's Primary Education Programme...

Kelly Toshak

Deputy Headteacher

“Being part of the Primary Education Programme over the last year has given us access to a wide variety of resources and professional learning opportunities to give staff a deeper understanding of how we can support young learners who have Down syndrome. It is reassuring to know that we have a point of contact that we can go to for advice and support if we need it.”

Emma

Year 2 Teacher

"PEP has been a really useful tool for me as a class teacher, with all of the resources in one place to support and assess the child. I love the videos and as a team we have all found the hints and tips incredibly useful. The drop-in sessions have provided me with ideas and solutions to support my learners. I look forward to continuing to use this next year and it has certainly helped us prepare for transition. A great resource!"

Anonymous

"The recordings are invaluable as a result of difficulties with accessing at the scheduled time and with work load during term time. The support staff member who works in my class accesses the live sessions and discusses the content with me the following day so this is very useful. The way the programme is accessible for a fixed fee for all staff that work with the pupil is very helpful as we can all be more on the same page."

Anonymous

"The sessions have been really helpful. It has been great to be able to ask questions too. Seeing the specialist OT for example was excellent. Access to printable resources for staff have been really helpful."

Anonymous

"We haven’t supported a child with Down syndrome before, so being part of the DSUK PEP has been really helpful for us as a staff team, on top of the support from relevant professionals."

Anonymous

"I feel like the information is comprehensive and well organised with a lot of useful and practical guidance. I enjoyed using the pre recorded PEP sessions to consolidate the information I had learned in the information sheets provided on the portal. I also appreciated sessions delivered by experts to shine a more thorough light on all the different areas for consideration."

Anonymous

"Good time of the day as cover could be difficult. The recordings are also extremely handy as I was unable to attend the last session and I can ensure all of my colleagues see it. Having the opportunity to ask questions and get hints and tips is invaluable!"

£ 100 PER YEAR

12 month subscription from date of sign up
Includes all staff
Ongoing support from our experts
Could be funded through an EHCP

Not sure about signing up? Download our free 'supported listening times' resource

Supporting children during listening times can be one of the biggest classroom challenges. Pupils may struggle to access key information if it’s delivered only verbally, leading to frustration, reliance on adult support, and missed opportunities for independence.

One of many resources in our Primary Education Programme, Supporting listening times, is packed with practical classroom strategies you can use straight away, including:

Visual supports and extra copies of resources to aid understanding
Target vocabulary and signing to strengthen engagement
Tips for fostering independence and inclusion during whole-class inputs

This resource has been designed specifically for teachers and support staff working in primary schools, helping you to unlock learning, reduce barriers, and build confidence for pupils with Down syndrome.

👉 Download your free copy today and discover how our Primary Education Programme can transform listening times into real learning opportunities

Dr Rebecca Baxter

This programme is designed and led by Dr. Becky Baxter, Director of Education and Speech and Language Therapy at Down Syndrome UK. With over 15 years of experience working with schools and families, Becky has successfully supported hundreds of children with Down syndrome of all ages across a range of education settings. Becky has worked collaboratively with specialist professionals across education and health to develop the programme, ensuring that school staff have access to relevant and up-to-date information from experts within the Down syndrome community.

Our programme is built on a strong foundation of evidence-based insight into the learning needs of children with Down syndrome, while our services focus on providing practical advice and support to improve outcomes in the classroom.

FAQs

Our school finds it difficult to release staff for training during the school day. How can we access the training?

The online training recordings, which cover a range of topics, can be accessed at times which best suit the staff working with the pupil who has Down syndrome. We would recommend that everyone watches the accredited training videos first, entitled ‘Teaching pupils with Down syndrome’, which include information about the learning profile of pupils with Down syndrome and how to best support their needs.

How long does the training take to complete?

The core training consists of three 40–minute recordings. In addition, the programme includes a library of recordings, information and resources covering literacy, numeracy, health, physical development and classroom strategies. These can all be used flexibly throughout the year of your subscription.

Do the drop-in sessions run during the school day or in after school hours? Are they at specific times?

The live drop-in sessions take place once a month after school. Our monthly newsletters for professionals signed up to the PEP share details of the up-coming sessions. Dates and subject topics are listed in the PEP portal.

If a school has more than one child with Down syndrome attending, is the subscription still the same price?

No – the programme is for 1 pupil with Down syndrome. We charge £75 for each additional child with Down syndrome you would like to support using the programme.

Does the Primary Education Programme include information on speech, language and communication?

Yes, the PEP includes a section focused on supporting and developing speech, language and communication. This is a particularly valuable resource if your school’s current SALT provision is limited. Maintaining consistency in the use of signing, visuals and spoken language between home, nursery and school as well as between classes is important.

Can parents use the same resources from the PEP at home?

Yes! School can share whichever PEP resources they wish with parents. Some of the resources, such as toilet training, are already available to parents via DSUK’s website. All PEP resources are downloadable from the portal, so staff can easily share specific resources they are using with parents. It is important that school and parents communicate about what they are using to ensure consistency for the child.

We’re in Wales — is the Primary Education Programme relevant?

Yes! While the curriculum and SEN support systems may differ, families in Wales have found the PEP resources highly relevant and helpful.

One school has told us their staff have been using them this year with great success:

“Being part of the Primary Education Programme over the last year has given us access to a wide variety of resources that we have used to support our young learner. It has also given us access to a number of professional learning opportunities which have supported an increasing number of staff to develop a deeper understanding of how we can support young learners who have Down Syndrome. It is reassuring to know that we have a point of contact that we can go to for advice and support if we need it.”

We're having some challenges managing behaviour. Does DSUK offer support and advice for this?

Dr Becky Baxter leads an Individualised Behaviour Support Service which primary schools can access to receive training videos, resources and online support from Dr Becky Baxter. Schools already signed up to the Primary Education Programme can also access this at a discounted rate.

Can school pay by invoice rather than via the website booking page?

Yes, you can. To request an invoice, simply email education@downsyndromeuk.co.uk. We will invoice your school and you can add colleagues to the portal as soon as the invoice is paid.

Should our school sign up to the PEP before a pupil joins our school?

Schools can sign up at any point in the year and will receive 12 months’ membership. Staff can access the online resources at any time to familiarise themselves with the programme and understand about the learning profile of pupils with Down syndrome before the child joins their class. The programme also includes resources and guidance about successful transitions which will be invaluable as staff welcome a new pupil to their class.