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| Chloe aged 5, using her cane, walking to school holding hands with her friends. |
I can’t believe that 7 years
have passed and next week I will pick up my daughter for the last time from
your school gates. I was so scared of giving my four-year-old into your care. I
had so many questions; would you look after her, how would she manage, would
she make friends, would you be able to make the adjustments needed so she could
learn? I had already been through so much heartache, loss and acceptance. I
knew how much she had to offer but I also knew it wasn’t an easy task.
Everything is so much harder and takes longer to process when you can’t see
very well and rely on Cochlear implants to hear. A congenitally deafblind child
who learnt using braille was highly unusual and there was no precedent to
follow. We needed a willing school up for a challenge to welcome her into their
community.
We thought long and hard
about where she should go, what size school would be best, considered the
buildings and outside space she would have to navigate and tried to assess the
attitude and ethos of each place we visited. I will never forget the morning we
sat in the Headteachers office and she looked us in the eye and said, “we would
LOVE to welcome Chloe to our school.” I knew you genuinely wanted her and that
made all the difference.
Tonight, I watched Chloe give
a brilliant performance in the end of school production. She even started the
whole thing off. There she was, centre stage ordering cast members around (in
role) and it took my breath away. You have allowed her to find her voice, to
blossom and grow into the kind, feisty, funny, stubborn and complex 11-year-old
she is now. Often vulnerable and sometimes frustrated she feels accepted and
part of the school community, just as we hoped. She has friends, she has
despite all the barriers to her learning done better than anyone could have
predicted academically, and she still wants to go to school every day which
says so much for the security you have given her.
I want to thank you for being
willing to work with me and the team of people Chloe comes with that enable her
to be in mainstream education. Your SENCo has been worth “a pot of gold”
(Chloe’s words) to me and supported changes in the background that made sure
Chloe carried on progressing. When things got difficult, she helped solve the
next puzzle and carved new pieces if necessary so the fragile picture would
hold. It wasn’t always an easy experience, but I trusted that I would be
listened to and together we worked out solutions so that the bumps in the road
were navigated safely.
I know I will miss walking her
to school and being able to hand her into your care knowing she will be acknowledged,
celebrated and accommodated so well. You have never made her feel less than any
other child because she learns so differently. From the Sense Pompom challenge
to Chloe running a Friday lunchtime Braille club you have encouraged her to
accept herself and show others what she is capable of. Each year I held my
breath while she was introduced to her new teacher and they quickly got up to
speed with the team that accompanies her and the challenges Chloe faces. From
her wonderful foundation teacher who gave her an exceptional start at the
school to the year 6 teacher who gave her the courage to go on residential and
helped her gain some independence you have never let her down.
Thank you for providing such
a great experience at Primary School, for recognising her achievements and
getting her ready for the next big adventure. We will never forget what you
have given our family and I suspect you may remember Chloe for a long time to
come.
With so much gratitude,
Jane
