What's on?

How Mainstream Can Work - A series of workshops for parents during the Autumn term

Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) in partnership with Northamptonshire Parent Forum Group and the Local Offer are holding a series of events exploring the advantages that attending a mainstream school can offer students with special educational needs and disabilities.

The two hour workshops will take place at a variety of venues around the county at a range of times with talks from mainstream SENCOs and information about the Equality Act and how it applies to children in school. The workshops will provide parents and carers with an opportunity to explain how their child's school made it work for them. 

Booking is essential, for dates and times please visit the IASS website.

‘The Voice That Makes a Difference’ Project: (October 2019)

‘The Voice That Makes a Difference’ uses total communication (British Sign Language, subtitles, sound, and audio description) to make blockbuster films accessible to all disabled people at the cinema (in their preferred language). The project allows disabled young children (who are deaf and/or blind) to see blockbuster films free of charge. The offer is open to children with other disabilities too.

‘The Voice That Makes a Difference’ will offer workshop opportunities, so that children and young people can produce their own films about their feelings (linked to socialising at the cinema).

‘The Voice That Makes a Difference’ are offering schools the opportunity to experience ‘total communication’ blockbuster films, free of charge. There will also be the possibility of pupils attending the workshops.

For more information about ‘The Voice That Makes a Difference,’  and this project please call 07742 146326 or email  thevoicethatmakesadifference@hotmail.co.uk.  

Calendar of events

Autism East Midlands for young people with autism

Senior youth clubs (11 years plus)

Junior youth clubs (8 to 11 years old)

Deaf Connect for young people with a hearing impairment

Deafconnect run two youth groups for junior and seniors twice a month. Ages are flexible dependent on where the child or young person feels more comfortable. Clubs cost £2 per person which includes food (pizza, chicken nuggets, chips). There is also a tuck shop to buy sweets.

Various toys, games and activities are available at each session to make it a valuable time mixing with deaf peers. You are welcome to stay with your child if they are feeling a bit shy. Please sign up on BAND or email Jennie.Higson@deafconnect.org.uk to let her know you are coming.

• Deafconnect Junior Youth Club winter 2019 dates (PDF 1.73MB)
• Deaf Connect Senior Youth Club winter 2019 dates (PDF 1.74MB)

Juniors (age 4 to 10)

 Seniors (age 11 to 18)

Action For Children (phone 01604 752553)

These youth clubs have been commissioned by Northamptonshire County Council as part of the Short Breaks offer details provided in May 2019 for children and young people with special educational needs.

Autism East Midlands

Action for Children

​These holiday clubs are commissioned as part of the Short Breaks offer. Booking is required and you can contact them on 01604 752553 or email northants.disability@actionforchildren.org.uk.

Film making with IASS and Screen Northants

The Information Advice and Support Service for SEND in Northamptonshire (IASS), along with Screen Northants, have arranged for Screen Northants to produce a series of films giving information, advice and support directly to young people. They are looking for young people who will be able to help create these films.

This opportunity will be held each school holiday (but not the Christmas holidays) until summer 2020.

During the workshops young people will help come up with the ideas for the content of the films then work with professionals to shoot them on location in Northampton.  There will be opportunities for presenters and actors too.

• Film making booking form (Word 35KB)  

If you are interested in taking part, please complete the booking form  and email it to NiTaylor@iassnorthants.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can post it to: 

Nikki Taylor
Information, Advice and Support Service
ONE Angel Square
4 Angel Street
Northampton
NN1 1ED

If you have any queries, please call Nikki on 07736 638533.

Summer play schemes

The Local Authority commissions summer holiday play schemes as part of the Short Breaks Innovation funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Parents are expected to contribute no more than £10 per day per child. Details are published in the Summer edition of the SNIX magazine and details are listed here.

District and Borough Councils in Northamptonshire

Holiday activities are organised for all children by the district and borough councils. Some of these may be suitable for children with special educational needs and disabilities, although there should be reasonable adjustments in place to ensure that they can attend. See your local council for more information

​Play

• Riverside Hub (Northampton): first Friday of the month
• Boost Trampoline Parks (Northampton): first Wednesday of the month
• Rugrats and Half Pints (Banbury): first Tuesday of the month
• Gravity Trampolining park (Corby): Thursdays

Music

• NMPAT Relaxed Sing Along (Barton Seagrave): monthly (term-time)

Discos

• Dolphin Disco (Northampton): first Thursday of the month.
• Care with a Difference Tuesday Discos (Kettering and Northampton) (18 plus only).
• Rockin Roadrunner (Northampton): quarterly, view website for dates (18 plus only).
• Club Calm Beach Stay Up Late Disco (Wellingborough): third Wednesday of the month (18 plus only).

Cinema (Autism friendly screenings)

• Cineworld: first Sunday of the month, 11am
• Vue: the last Sunday of the month, 10:15am
• Odeon: one Sunday a month, 10:15am

​Northamptonshire Libraries and Country Parks

The Events Calendar provides up-to-date information about activities for children and families in Northamptonshire's libraries and country parks. It includes details and availability of universal children's centre services that are provided by the libraries.

• View the libraries and country parks events calendar

Holiday activities in the country parks this summer   

• View the country parks calendar for activities

Northampton Museums

Activities and workshops for children and families Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and Abington Park Museum.

• View Northampton Museums calendar

National Museums

See the calendar to find museums to visit that are holding sessions suitable for children with ASD.

• View the calendar of events 

Northamptonshire Sport

Northamptonshire Sport is a partnership of local and national organisations working together to provide opportunities for people to participate in sport, physical activity and recreation in Northamptonshire.