Mary Mountstephen MA (SEN)
KidsCanSucceed Level 1 Practitioner Training
www.kidscansucceed.com
This course is aimed at teachers and early years practitioners as well as
professionals from other disciplines such as occupational therapy and
physiotherapy working in a school or clinic setting.
It is based on my own training with leading experts and experience of working
with children with learning differences and delays over the last 30 years. It uses
a group based, daily, simple physical programme to address immaturities in the
child’s primitive and postural reflexes and to build better foundations for
classroom performance.
History
The KidsCanSucceed movement programme was initially developed to address
the needs of primary aged children in mainstream settings whose academic and
/or general levels of performance and achievement were a cause of concern. It
has since been adopted by a number of early years settings who have integrated
the moves into their daily routines to support general physical development and
as a means of identifying those children who may need more specific support.
This means that it provides opportunities for children to revisit skills such as
creeping, crawling and rolling and, for some, to experience them for the first
time.
Children who complete the daily programme over the period of one school year
often (but not always) improve in terms of:
 Emotional maturity: Their interpersonal skills improve and they interact
better with other children. Concentration and focus often improve.
 Physical coordination: Many children today are starting school with poor
physical skills, which impact on their learning. This programme addresses
these weaknesses and supports the development of fine motor skills such
as handwriting as well as the ability to maintain appropriate posture.
 Academic skills: There is evidence linking neuromotor immaturity to
learning delays and difficulties such as dyslexia and also weaknesses in
visual tracking which impact on reading.
Neuromotor immaturity refers to the continued presence of primitive reflexes
beyond the age when they should be inhibited and the absence or
underdevelopment of postural reflexes.
It has long been established that neuromotor immaturity can influence
educational achievement and Goddard Blythe (2011) has written extensively
1
about this as Director of The Institute for Neuro-physiological Psychology, which
is one of the pioneers in this field.
This course provides participants with the theory and structure to implement
the daily programme as part of a school’s commitment to the physical dimension
of learning or to provide those working in clinics with an additional resource.
The exercises, which are common to several different programmes developed in
various parts of the world, are designed to either mimic or counteract the
primitive reflexes by following the original hierarchical order in which they are
naturally inhibited. The reason why this may not have taken place effectively for
some children is explained as part of the training.
The course provides the following:
 A comprehensive manual which covers the theory behind neuromotor
immaturity or developmental delay and the associated exercise
programme
 A format for screening children and to monitor progress
 Copies of presentations and videos explaining the programme
 Access to research documents
 Access to video clips of the exercises
 Links to associated websites
Practitioner Training Level 1
On completion of Level 1 training, course participants will demonstrate that
they:
 have completed the reading list learning log
 can show a sound working knowledge of the theoretical and practical
components of the screening test for neuromotor immaturity. This will be
demonstrated through a written test, video recordings of at least 3
screening sessions and associated case studies
 can plan and manage school or clinic based programmes using the KCS
Training Manual
 understand that they are NOT licensed to practise as a neuromotor
immaturity therapist or to teach the content of the training to any other
person
 may not delegate the sessions to an untrained member of staff
 understand and agree to the code of ethics
School/ Clinic Benefits
 This training contributes significantly to the participant’s and the school/
clinic’s wider continuing professional development by raising awareness
and understanding of the physical dimensions underpinning learning.
2


It is a cost effective and proven means to maximizing learning potential in
children from an early age.
It acts as a screening tool for the identification of underachievement from
an early age.
KidsCanSucceed will provide:
 on-line training resources and KCS manual
 regular (individually negotiated) contact time for advice, support and
instruction sessions
 access to Level 2 Training
 a real sense of community
 on-site training on request
 assessments of children identified in need of 1:1 diagnostic referral via
referral
Note:
It is anticipated that this course will be delivered over a 12 week period, with
preliminary reading being in addition to this.
Cost: £250 per participant with discounts for study buddies.
This includes a copy of the book: How To Detect Developmental Delay and What
to Do Next (JKP Publishers)
Mary Mountstephen is a former headteacher and Director of the Learning
Development Centre at a leading international independent school in the U.K.
She is the author of several, books and presents internationally at conferences.
She also has a private practice working 1:1 with children aged 4 and above.
Comments
‘Before this training I was aware that some people said that getting children to
crawl was important, but I didn’t know why. I found out so much about why
babies move the way they do. I’m going to make sure my daughter does some
crawling every day’: Teacher at Highgate School, Cyprus
‘I really enjoyed the practical aspects and the background reading was well
chosen so I could pace myself and not get over-whelmed’. Teacher at Wells
Cathedral School
Testimonial
"I am very privileged to work with Mary. She is a natural leader, transforming
her knowledge and wisdom into something beyond learning, perhaps best
described as vision, passion and compassion. When I watched her training I was
glad that I had met someone with so much positive energy, love of children and
3
above all contribution. It is such a gift to know her as she truly contributes to
education. The recent training she gave to Highgate staff was but a simple taste
of what she can do to transform and create a fun and refreshing atmosphere
within a school.
Mary has a long career in education where she dedicated herself to improving
standards, equality and a pastoral, holistic way of teaching and learning. "
Maria Theochari
Head: Highgate School
Cyprus
4