Our school is Mark Our school is Mark Hall.Hall.

One day you One day you might come to might come to this school.this school.

Our school is Mark Hall.Our school is Mark Hall.

We are some of the We are some of the pupils in the school pupils in the school who use wheelchairs who use wheelchairs or walking frames, or walking frames, and some of us need and some of us need help to get around help to get around the building.the building.

Some of us have Some of us have medical conditions medical conditions that other pupils that other pupils don’t know about.don’t know about.

We thought that you We thought that you might like to know might like to know something about something about what it is like here.what it is like here.

Before we started at Before we started at the school we all the school we all thought that it thought that it would be quite would be quite frightening.frightening.

I was scared that I I was scared that I wouldn’t find my wouldn’t find my way around and way around and that I would get lost.that I would get lost.

To make us feel better about the school To make us feel better about the school we were able to come and look around.we were able to come and look around.

When we came we were met by people When we came we were met by people who had visited us in our Primary School who had visited us in our Primary School and who already understood our needs.and who already understood our needs.

We were all made to feel very welcome.We were all made to feel very welcome.

We still felt quite nervous.We still felt quite nervous.

I was looking forward to starting Mark I was looking forward to starting Mark Hall school but I was worried that I might Hall school but I was worried that I might get bullied because no-one would like get bullied because no-one would like me.me.

I was pleased that no-one said anything I was pleased that no-one said anything about my disability and I was treated like about my disability and I was treated like one of them.one of them.

Also I knew another boy who started with Also I knew another boy who started with me and he had the same sort of problem. me and he had the same sort of problem.

I was still worried…...I was still worried…...

I was worried that I might get I was worried that I might get squashed in the corridors at squashed in the corridors at breaktime, but it didin’t happen.breaktime, but it didin’t happen.

I didn’t want to try my electric I didn’t want to try my electric wheelchair at first but I love it now.wheelchair at first but I love it now.

We all settled into We all settled into the school very the school very quickly and we quickly and we will tell you about will tell you about the things that the things that have helped us have helped us most to enjoy most to enjoy school.school.

We can all use the lifts.We can all use the lifts. There is special equipment in the Food There is special equipment in the Food

Technology room for us to use if we Technology room for us to use if we need to.need to.

There are activities we enjoy in PE. There are activities we enjoy in PE. We can go to Activity Clubs at lunchtime We can go to Activity Clubs at lunchtime

and after school.and after school. We can have a locker.We can have a locker. People in the school are encouraged to People in the school are encouraged to

help each other.help each other. We all enjoy the dinners. We can talk to We all enjoy the dinners. We can talk to

the cook if we need something different.the cook if we need something different.

We have had support We have had support from an adult.from an adult.

We have been given We have been given extra time to finish extra time to finish work.work.

We have had extra time We have had extra time to do homework.to do homework.

We have been able to We have been able to sit in the most sit in the most convenient place in the convenient place in the class.class.

We have had extra help We have had extra help from the teachers.from the teachers.

We have been able to We have been able to work with a friend.work with a friend.

We have always been able We have always been able to get help from…….to get help from…….

The teachers.The teachers. The Learning Support Assistants.The Learning Support Assistants. People on duty at Breaktime.People on duty at Breaktime. Dinner Ladies.Dinner Ladies. People in the Office.People in the Office. Caretakers.Caretakers. FRIENDS.FRIENDS.

The other pupils seemed to have The other pupils seemed to have noticed that…..noticed that…..

Whenever I see a person in Mark Whenever I see a person in Mark hall using a wheelchair or walking hall using a wheelchair or walking frame or who are special in some frame or who are special in some other way, they always have a other way, they always have a group of friends around them group of friends around them supporting them.supporting them.

We have talked about the We have talked about the things to make our school things to make our school even better…...even better…...

Specialised sports equipment and Specialised sports equipment and ways to use it.ways to use it.

Being able to have the opportunity Being able to have the opportunity to get changed for PE with my to get changed for PE with my friends.friends.

Even more practical work.Even more practical work. Adjustable height furniture.Adjustable height furniture. A safe out door play area.A safe out door play area.