Learning Support

Our Learning Support Department supports pupils with a range of learning difficulties to enable them to access the curriculum offered. A small team of specialist teachers provide one to one lessons which are sympathetically crafted to build self-confidence and help each pupil to achieve his or her potential.

If it is believed that a pupil would benefit from Learning Support, the parents will be Learning Support approached initially by the Form Tutor to start the discussion about how we can help. We may do some informal assessments to ascertain the area of difficulty. Good communications between the parents and the Learning Support teacher are vital. Each pupil has an Individual Scheme of Work tailored to suit their needs – this can include one or a combination of the following:

• Literacy – improving spelling, reading and handwriting using a structured, multisensory form of teaching.
• Numeracy – support of classroom mathematics.
• Organisational skills – day to day help with organisation as well as revision and exam techniques.
• Social skills – being able to understand emotion and feelings, and how to behave appropriately with one’s peers.
• Study and thinking skills – we liaise closely with teachers and include subject topics and areas that have been noted as difficult for the learner.

Professional recommendations – we implement strategies and suggestions made by an Educational Psychologist/Occupational Therapist/Speech and Language Therapist and make sure that teachers are made aware of such strategies for individual pupils.

The number of lessons per week can is usually one or two for which there is an additional cost. Once we have the parent/carers agreement we commence the lessons and the fee is added to the termly bill.

Head of Department: Sarah Attwood