Down syndrome celebration

World Down Syndrome Day was marked with a coffee afternoon at The Angmering Sixth Form.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Mar 2017, 17:17 BST
Updated 27th Mar 2017, 13:18 BST

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Students with Down Syndrome hold up their coffee afternoon invitationStudents with Down Syndrome hold up their coffee afternoon invitation
Students with Down Syndrome hold up their coffee afternoon invitation

Students chatted, shared information over doughnuts and got to learn more about Down syndrome on Tuesday.

Since 2008, The Angmering School has managed the learning needs of a small number of students with Down Syndrome.

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The group of learning support assistants is led by Mrs Sam Tonks, a specialist leader in this area. They work more specifically to ensure these students are well integrated and receive an appropriate and personalised curriculum.

Sixth formers were encouraged to learn something they never knew about Down SyndromeSixth formers were encouraged to learn something they never knew about Down Syndrome
Sixth formers were encouraged to learn something they never knew about Down Syndrome

Mrs Tonks said: “Our students with Down syndrome are valued members of the school community and this was celebrated on World Down Syndrome Day when the sixth formers joined them for their coffee afternoon.”

The students learned around one in every 1,000 babies born in the UK will have Down Syndrome, which is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome.

There are approximately 40,000 people in the UK with the condition. It is not a disease and people with Down Syndrome are not ill, nor do they ‘suffer’ from the condition.

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Mrs Tonks pointed out a learning disability affects a person’s ability to learn, it does not mean they cannot learn.

Students chatted and shared information over doughnutsStudents chatted and shared information over doughnuts
Students chatted and shared information over doughnuts

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Sixth formers were encouraged to learn something they never knew about Down SyndromeSixth formers were encouraged to learn something they never knew about Down Syndrome
Sixth formers were encouraged to learn something they never knew about Down Syndrome

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