At Down Syndrome UK, we understand the difference that skilled, confident staff can make to a child’s experience in school. Whether you’re a class teacher, SENCO, teaching assistant or headteacher, we’re here to support you. Our work with schools focuses on building staff confidence, adapting practice to meet the learning profile of children with Down syndrome, and supporting schools to create inclusive and successful classrooms.
Dr. Becky Baxter is the 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.
June is a retired independent children’s Specialist Bladder and Bowel Practitioner with over 30 years’ experience supporting children with continence needs. June has been involved with DSUK for over four years, helping to develop and support our closed toilet training Facebook groups, promoting DSUK’s award-nominated step-by-step toilet skill development programme, #Pants4School.
Sarah is our Specialist Advisory Teacher and leads our Early Years Development Programme sessions. She is a qualified teacher with 18 years of primary teaching experience, specialising in supporting children with Down syndrome.
Ashleigh Dick (BSc Hons) began her journey in occupational therapy at 16 years old, working as a playworker and peer mentor before becoming a teaching assistant in specialist school provisions while studying at university. In 2017, Ashleigh and her husband founded Live and Love It, providing therapy services to children across Sussex and Surrey.
Discover practical strategies to support vision and hearing in pupils with Down syndrome. Learn how simple classroom adjustments can reduce barriers, boost confidence, and help every child thrive.
Discover targeted strategies for teaching pupils with Down syndrome. Build on their learning strengths, address challenges, and create inclusive classrooms where every child can thrive.
Helping children with Down syndrome settle into primary school requires careful planning and collaboration to create a learning environment tailored to their individual needs. Here’s how to make the transition smoother:
Just discovered you’ll be teaching a child with Down syndrome? This introductory guide covers everything you need to know to create an inclusive, supportive classroom environment where every child can thrive.
Our patron, actor and advocate Noah Matthews Matofsky, is available to deliver inspiring talks on inclusion in schools. Noah speaks passionately about the importance of not placing limits on students, and how, with the right training and support, children with Down syndrome can thrive in mainstream education.
He has previously spoken to school leaders, including heads across United Learning, where his talk was very well received. Noah is happy to travel to schools to share his message – he does not charge a fee, only expenses.
Since March 2023 we have collaborated with Twinkl to share information around working with a child with Down syndrome in primary school settings.
We also feature many of our resources on the Twinkl website, including our very successful toilet training games and information about Down syndrome to share with other parents.
