A NATIONAL award-winning organisation with expertise in inclusive learning and sporting activities is offering free email support to parents and schools in the region who may be struggling to support children with additional needs while they are learning from home.

Yes@Areté Learning Trust is expanding its services as it becomes a specialist Areté Learning Trust provider.

However, it has had to postpone a special launch event when guest speaker, renowned artist Mackenzie Thorpe, was due to join parents, professionals and pupils in celebrating inclusion and diversity.

“Everyone is doing their bit in these challenging times,” said Kath Lawson, director of Inclusive Support for Yes@Areté Learning Trust. “We will do our best to work alongside schools across the region and parents to support students who are now tasked with learning from home. For students with additional needs independent learning can be a challenge but there are solutions.”

Yes@AreteLearningTrust, formerly Yes@Richmond School, has provided training for hundreds of school staff, parents and pupils since it started in 2017.

The team have also operated as part of the school’s Enhanced Mainstream School (EMS) which was set up in 2010 and which was decommissioned, following the NYCC Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) review at the end of March 2020.

Now operating as Yes@Areté Learning Trust, its work will be across the Trust’s three member schools of Richmond, Northallerton and Stokesley to raise greater awareness for their innovative support and services available.

Ms Lawson said: “Although this is an end of an era, when we do hold our launch event we will be inviting local schools, parents and pupils to celebrate not only the start of the exciting developments of our new project but also the incredible achievements of the 43 schools we have supported over the past decade.

"It is wonderful to acknowledge the teamwork and good practice that has been developed during our time as Richmond Enhanced Mainstream School for Cognition and Learning.

“Already 1,004 teachers, parents and pupils have benefited from training from Yes@RichmondSchool, as well as a further 141 students enjoying our Big Lottery funded and highly successful ‘Activities for All’ programme.

“We were absolutely delighted when Mackenzie accepted our invitation. He is an advocate of inclusion and the importance of appropriate support in schools. He is also a fantastic example of what can happen when you focus on your strengths rather than your difficulties.”

The postponed launch event will feature exhibitors including Leeds University, Edge Hill University, Whole School SEND and Text Help who will provide guests with an opportunity to see new initiatives and research within inclusive practice. Places for the launch event can be reserved by emailing yes@aretelearningtrust.org.

The remit as an EMS was all about building capacity in schools and, over the years, YES have worked with a host of innovative and leading educators, supportive parents and many inspirational pupils. Their current practice is based on what they have learnt from them and from other professionals leading research in the field of inclusion nationally and internationally.

Yes@Areté learning Trust is looking forward to delivering traded support for local schools and colleges alongside opportunities for schools to be affiliates of and become involved in research around inclusive practice. For further information about Yes@Areté Learning Trust and the extensive range of training and support they offer visit www.yesataretelearningtrust.net . For FREE advice email Yes@Aretélearningtrust.org.