HARLOWBURY Primary School has been given The Smallest Things Prem Aware Award.  By completing additional training and steps to become a Prem Aware School, teaching staff at Harlowbury Primary will have a better understanding of the learning needs some children born prematurely may have, will be able to identify needs earlier and will be able to provide timely and targeted support.

While pupils born extremely prematurely (before 28 weeks’ gestation) are most likely to:

Need extra support, research highlights that children born just a few weeks early may still face difficulties at school.

The cognitive and learning difficulties most commonly associated with premature birth include slower processing speeds, difficulties with memory, poorer visual-spatial skills, attention difficulties and struggles with mathematics.

Headteacher, Vicky Early, at Harlowbury School said: “This training may help people identify the missing piece as to why a child is struggling with school and provide ideas of how to support them.”

The Smallest Things Ambassador, Suzy Newman (pictured left), who presented the award to Mel Dyer, Inclusion Manager, (pictured right) said: “It has been so wonderful presenting the Prem Aware Award certificates to schools. I have had the pleasure of meeting children who have been born prematurely and it brings me so much joy knowing that their teachers can now support them in the best way possible.”

Congratulating the steps taken by Harlowbury Primary School, Catriona Ogilvy, Founder and Chair of The Smallest Things said:

“The Smallest Things is delighted that Harlowbury Primary School has joined our growing list of Prem Aware schools across the UK. In doing so they have shown their commitment to meeting the needs some pupils born premature may have.

“With an average of two to three children in every classroom being born prematurely, we know that teachers can play a crucial role in supporting and improving the long term outcomes for this cohort of children. Having trained teachers who know what to look out for and how to help pupils born prematurely will have such a positive impact on the children’s educational journeys.”

Yasmin Gregory, Chair of the Harlowbury Governors, said “The Governors were very excited to hear of the award.  Our wonderful staff at Harlowbury have taken time to train for this award, when they are under professional pressure from so many directions.  This training will give additional support to our pupils in alignment with our Speech and Language specialists.”