Special Educational Needs
As parents, you can make an important contribution to the educational welfare of your child. Your views are greatly valued by staff at the College in helping us to determine the level of provision required to ensure that your child’s needs can be met.
Learning difficulties encompass a wide variety of categories:
A physical disability
A problem with sight, hearing,speech or communication difficulties.
Emotional or behavioural difficulties
A medical or health difficulties
A specific difficulty with reading, writing, spelling and/or mathematical
concepts
In recognising and accommodating these difficulties, the College’s Pastoral system, the Learning Support Department and our College Mentoring team all have important contributions to make.
The system is particularly advantageous to students with special needs as individual issues are dealt with from a basis of sound background knowledge and shared views of your child’s development over a prolonged period. As a relatively small school it is possible for Pastoral, Behavioural and Learning Support staff to liaise frequently and we would hope that you would share any concerns as they arise so that they can be dealt with promptly.
Students transferring from other Education Authorities are encouraged to visit College, and parents are welcome to meet with staff and discuss any particular areas of concern. Contact is made with the student’s previous school to obtain further information which will help to ensure that appropriate provision is in place.
1. School Action – where a need is recognised and provision is in place within the school.
2. School Action Plus – where a recognised need requires the support of external school agencies.
3. A Statement of Special Educational Need – issued by the Local Education Authority.
The Local Education Authority do support pupils and their families through referral to the child and Family Therapy Service, and such referrals are possible through school should you consider that these might be useful.
Help is offered in a variety of ways in different year groups to assist students in need of support:-
1. Individual or small group withdrawal tuition of literacy skills negotiated throughout all year groups according to need.
2. Negotiated time out of a identified curriculum area for literacy tuition, homework help and subject work support.
3. In class support in mainstream subject classes.
4. Assistance and advice to subject staff in providing appropriate classwork and homework for students.
5. Tuition for literacy and numeracy difficulties using the ‘SuccessMaker’ computer programme.
6. Referral to the Positive Support programme for individuals, yoga, or the group Stretch programme.
7. Liaison with external support agencies e.g. Educational Psychologist, Services for Hearing-Impairment,Visual-Impairment,Physical-Impairment Service, Health services and LEA inclusion sevice.
Each student’s curriculum is considered on an individual basis and timetabled according to current needs, and parental discussion is considered a vital part of any changes in a students education programme.
Children having a statement of Special Educational Need
In accordance with national legislation annual review forms are compiled and final copies sent to yourself and the local authority, and your views as well as those of your child are welcomed in determining whether appropriate educational provision is being made.Students taking a leading role in the process.
At the end of Year 9 the Annual Review is supported by a Transition Plan which will ensure that appropriate Year 10 and 11 courses and support are undertaken, and career plans are included. Again, your views form a vital part of this process.
Progress monitoring is continued throughout Year 11, and special external examination concessions are made as appropriate to individual need.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding Special Needs at the College please contact the College.
Departments