A group of classroom assistants have been presented with awards for supporting pupils with learning difficulties at a ceremony at Nant Mawr Centre, Buckley. They work in various schools across the county (as well as some from Conwy) and include primary, secondary and specialist schools and resources.
The 26 classroom assistants (22 from Flintshire, four from Conwy) received certificates for passing courses to help support pupils with dyslexia. They have all been successful in obtaining the British Dyslexia Association (BDA)’s Certificate for Classroom Assistants in Specific Learning Difficulties (ALSA), and Agored Cymru credits for the course, ‘Supporting Pupils with a Specific Learning Difficulty’.
The classroom assistants are:
Rachel Allman, Janis Atherton, Sharon Barton, Ruth Bell, Sally Crowder, Sonya Foulkes, Ceri Jones, Dorothy Jones, Menai Hughes, Lisa Isgar, Helen Lawson, Deana Lightfoot, Carole Maddocks, Meriel Millot, Wendy Minter, Lynne Noble, Anna Parry, Debbie Preston, Anne Price, Lesley Riordan, Joy Roberts, Mo Robinson, Margaret Tregenza, Elaine Walker, Joanne Whitehead and Pamela Williams.
Flintshire is a leading light in dyslexia training and this year’s group means that the Council has now trained over 220 classroom assistants/NNEBs (Nursery Nurses) as part of the on-going programme of training. 199 of those are from Flintshire, 21 are from Conwy, and 1 from Gwynedd.
The certificates were presented by Elwyn Davies, Head of School Services, who said:
“This is a fantastic achievement and Flintshire stands out as the leading trainer in the whole of the UK. This initiative has been central to the Council’s intention to become recognised as a Dyslexia Friendly local authority by the BDA, and for all our schools to be recognised as being dyslexia friendly. It has also provided a useful model for developing the skills of assistants in other areas, such as autism and behaviour management.”
