"Ali and her circus skills sessions has been an integral part of planning enriched curriculum, for a wide range of students aged 11 - 16 for the last four years. While she is well respected within the school for her sessions with mainstream groups, my particluar involvement has been in the context of SEN students with varying degrees of learning difficulties.

The origionsl objective was to provide another dimension to work with a small group of students who experienced considerable literacy difficulties. The theory was that if balance and co-ordination could be improved, than literacy skills would also improve.

A programme was develpoed in which a variety of equipment was introduced and with Ali's skilful training, the students made rapid progress in learning various circus skills. What became clear very early, was that the balance and co-ordination targets were only one aspect of a complete package of advantageous learning outcomes. Concentration and determination were evident in abundance. Confidence was raised as skills developed and the students' self esteem rose noticeably. All of this transferred to the where the skills being taught, the equipment involved and the key coaching pointw were used in a variety of literacy contexts.

The students quickly developed a willingness and confidence to try unknown pieces of equipment and so raised their self esteem and this gave the students a great deal of satisfaction. It also encouraged them to try things they found difficult within the literacy lesson and renewed the desire to develop their literacy skills. They has been a real transfer of positive attitude into the classroom.

The enthusiasm, enjoyment and motivation of these students was so positive that we decided to extend the objectives with agroup of Year 11 students who were following the ASDAN course.

They had a one trem course and produced a performance for younger students at the end of it. It was clear with this group too, that not only had the students learnt some interesting skills but they also developed peer support and co-operation and recognized the need to consider safety for each other and also for the audience when performing.

Ruth Charlesworth, SENco or special needs co-ordinator at Callington Communtiy College, Cornwall.December 2006.

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