As a Learning Support Department, we strive to ensure every student’s needs are accommodated in order for them to fulfil their potential. Students with special educational needs and disabilities are regularly consulted to ensure their views are reflected in the provision we make for them. All staff in the School are aware of students with a special educational need and detail of their specific needs, to ensure that they are supported to access a broad and balanced curriculum.
We welcome visits to the Learning Support Department and would urge you to meet with us if you are thinking of sending your child to the School. We are always happy to offer tours for prospective students, parents and carers. For further information, please see our Admissions Policy.
The Learning Support Department
In the Learning Support Department, we aim to remove barriers to learning so that students are supported to achieve to the best of their abilities. Our Head of Learning Support is a qualified SENDCo and has experience supporting students with SEND from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 5. We have recently restructured the department following our Enhanced Provision teacher gaining a SENDCo qualification. Ms Diver is now the Deputy SENDCo.
Enhanced Provision is a specialised targeted provision, offering a bespoke curriculum targeted to specific students’ needs during some of their lessons.
We have a dedicated team of skilled Teaching Assistants who hold a range of qualifications in different areas including Foundation Degrees in barriers to learning and, in some cases, degrees in specific subjects. The SENDCo is supported in managing the teaching assistants by four Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) and the Enhanced Provision teacher.
We have an online provision map, which is a tool to help us identify interventions for pupils with SEN and disabilities. We use this to help us monitor the effectiveness of these interventions and thereby inform planning for future support.
The support we put in place is dependent on an assessment of a particular student’s needs. Where appropriate, we adapt the learning environment or use ancillary aids and assistive technology. This may be with the support of outside agencies such as the Educational Psychologist.
Key Contacts
- Mrs R Merrington: SENDCo & Designated Teacher
- Ms K Diver: Deputy SENDCo and Designated Teacher
- Mrs A Spires: Higher Level Teaching Assistant
- Mrs F Sallabanks: Higher Level Teaching Assistant
- Mr M Skipworth: Higher Level Teaching Assistant
- Miss C Warnes: Hifger Level Teaching Assistant
- Miss L Upsdell: SEN Administrator
- Mr K Palmer: SEN Governor
- Mr D Rhodes: Learning Support Line Manager
- Mrs D Lamsdale: School Registrar (Admissions)
Statutory Duties
The Department seeks to fulfil its statutory duty with regard to the Revised Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs (January 2015). A Special Needs Register listing all the pupils and students in the School with a recognised special need is kept to inform all staff. Learning Passports are created for students with special educational needs. The Learning Passport acts as a guideline for staff, concerning the teaching and learning needs of students with special needs, across the School. Identification of students with special needs is made as early as possible on entry to the School by a variety of methods – primary school liaison; cognitive ability testing; monitoring of progress; close liaison with departments and teaching staff; discussion with individual students and consultation with parents or carers.
The School ensures that it complies with its duties in the Equality Act 2010 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 in making its curriculum accessible for those with disabilities or special educational needs.
