We would like to introduce to you one of our Primary students, Elin, and tell you about the positive difference being at Treloar’s has made to her life.
Elin has been coming to Treloar School for four years. She has cerebral palsy, which means she is unable to walk. Elin is unable to stand independently, and when she first came to Treloar’s, she was tube fed, was non-verbal and wasn’t expected to talk.
"Without Treloar’s I wouldn’t imagine that she would make so much progress, she wouldn’t be able to speak, she wouldn’t be able to dress herself, she wouldn’t be getting the physio. And I don’t think she would be such a confident child as she is now." - Katherine, Elin’s class teacher
Our aspiration is that students leave Treloar’s as independent as possible, with the ability to communicate with the wider community. To help make this happen, we have a large team of specialists who offer support for a range of different needs, as well as learning, communication and emotional difficulties. Our therapies are interwoven in the day-to-day activities within the curriculum.
As well as her studies, Elin is able to take part in a range of activities each week, including swimming lessons, cookery, outdoor learning, arts, crafts and sensory activities. These are all tailored to her therapy needs, improving her motor skills and concentration, all of which are really important for children as they are developing. Katherine explains what the team incorporates into Elin’s daily life:
"Elin will be working on targets relating to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy. Her wellbeing is paramount to us here, because if she is happy at school, she will be learning."
This is echoed by Elin herself who says: “I love school because I have fun there.” The combination of specialist support for Elin has helped her go from being unable to talk, to being one of the chattiest children in class. She is encouraged all the time to use her voice and express herself, and is now even able to eat and drink by herself. This is life-changing for Elin and her family, and none of this could be achieved without the ongoing generosity of our funders. Thank you–you really do help change lives!
We launched a video about Elin, in which you can learn all about the things she gets up to in her day at Treloar’s, at our Mansion House Gala Dinner in April.