LEARNING SUPPORT POLICY

LEARNING SUPPORT POLICY

This policy applies to EYFS

Personnel - The structure of the whole department is;

SLT Overview

Pre-Prep - Head of Pre-Prep      Middle and Upper School – Nicola Lawrence

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SENCO – Rachel Keeling

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Learning Support Teacher - Rachel Keeling

Ms Keeling’s main focus is specialist 1:1 lessons, small group sessions out of Latin and ensuring all paperwork is up to date such as the Cause for Concern and SEND registers.

Ms Keeling, Mr Melton and Mrs Lawrence will focus on numeracy and literacy in small group sessions in years 5 to 8 scheduled against Latin for those who would benefit from and who need specific help in one or both of these core areas.

In Practice

Ms Keeling sees children with SEND on a 1:1 basis from across the whole school as well as working with small timetabled groups in years 4 to 8 who have been identified as having Learning Support Needs - these lessons are timetabled against Latin.

Ms Keeling will also assess pupils in the Pre-Prep to identify SEN needs and then arranges support for these children in conjunction with Head of Pre prep, either as individual or small group support sessions with TAs and/or Ms Keeling or, if required, an outside agency.

All 1:1 targeted intervention sessions with Ms Keeling will be charged at £30 per half hour.

Our Values

At St Christopher’s we believe that all our pupils have a right to a broad and balanced curriculum, relevant and appropriately differentiated, which provides progression and coherence.  The School will take all reasonable steps to avoid putting pupils who are disabled at a substantial disadvantage in accordance with the Special Needs and Disability Act 2001 and the Discrimination Act 2005.

We believe that all our pupils who have met the entry requirements for the School can learn and make progress at St Christopher’s with appropriate provision made for pupils:

• With specific learning difficulties and/or disabilities
• Who manifest literacy, numeracy or subject-specific learning problems
• Who are gifted or talented and need stretching and challenging
• For whom English is an additional language and, as a result, their understanding and grasp of English is limited and impacts on their progress and learning.

We are committed to offering our pupils and prospective pupils (so far as is practicable) equal opportunity of access to the School’s curriculum and to the full range of curricular activities on offer at St Christopher’s.

Definition of the School’s Policy on Pupils who require Learning Support

A pupil requires learning support if:

• He or she has a learning difficulty which calls for support to enable progress to be made

• He or she is most able and needs appropriate provision to challenge and stretch his/her abilities

●   He or she speaks English as an additional language and, as a result, has significant difficulties in understanding English and thereby coping with the linguistic demands of the curriculum.

It should be noted that a child must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language at home is different from the language in which he or she is or will be taught.

A child has a learning difficulty and/or disability if he or she:

• Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the  same age

• Has a disability, which either prevents or hinders the child from making use of the educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority

Identification

In Reception, EYFS staff will identify learning needs from nursery reports where provided and will discuss a child’s progress on a regular basis with parents, in addition to observing and assessing children’s learning needs within the EYFS setting. They also do GL Reasoning tests in June.

In years 1 and 2, GL Reasoning tests are conducted in June which assess verbal and non-verbal reasoning skills.

In Years 3 to 7, the New Group Reading Test is administered in February/March to identify children with reading difficulties who may require extra support. In addition to this throughout the Michaelmas and Summer term they will also do the New Group Spelling Test. The same year groups will also do the New Group Spelling Test twice a year in the Michaelmas and Summer terms.

In Years 1 to 8, the Progress Test in Mathematics is administered in January to identify children with difficulties in Mathematics and the Progress Test in English is administered in May to identify children with difficulties in English – year 8 do not do PTE.

In Years 3 to 8 CATS 4 (GL Assessments) verbal, non-verbal reasoning, quantitative and spatial awareness tests are administered in September/October, not only to identify children with learning difficulties, but also to identify those who are gifted.  These children are given support and are identified to ensure that short-term planning includes suitable differentiation.  

Year 7 pupils are placed in ability sets in many subjects or streams with Year 8 pupils being streamed according to ability.  Most able children are challenged and stretched in Years 7 and 8 as they prepare for the possibility of academic scholarship examinations.

Beyond these systems, pupil concerns should be raised by members of staff as follows:

Subject teacher identifies need to Learning Support team

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Teacher completes ‘Cause for Concern’ form

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The Learning Support team arranges an observation/assessment

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If a need is identified an IEP will be produced by the Learning Support assessor

and intervention put in place if required

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IEP shared with the child’s form tutor and the rest of the Learning Support Team

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Form tutor arranges a meeting with parents to discuss and agree the IEP along with the Learning Support assessor

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IEP to be shared to all relevant staff, information added to Isams and IEP to Google Drive

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Termly Review by Team

Ms Keeling will update the Cause for Concern register on Google Drive identifying the actions taken.

EAL Pupils

A register is kept of all EAL children and is shared using Google Drive. EAL status is also recorded on Isams. See separate EAL Policy

In the Pre-Prep, Form Tutors identify EAL children and they are supported by their teachers who plan work which is appropriate to their needs. In Reception, pupils are supported by the EYFS staff that may use dual language books, EAL resources and phonics activities.

In the Middle and Upper School, EAL pupils with language difficulties are identified by Form Tutors and subject teachers.  Appropriate help and support is organised by the Learning Support Team, who will work with individuals and groups if needed.

Our Aims

• To identify and assess individual learning needs as early as possible, either through teacher assessment, school examinations or standardised diagnostic assessment

• To maximise pupils’ exposure to the full extent of the curriculum, differentiating where appropriate

• To prepare Individual Education Plans for children identified as requiring support on the School’s SEND Register or general support to overcome weaknesses in mathematics and English and to review these regularly.  Learning support provided for Reception pupils is noted on EYFS Profiles. All IEPs are shared with staff in Google Drive.

• To work in partnership with parents and children, clearly setting out targets (as laid down in IEPs) on which they work each year

• To liaise and monitor progress with parents at Parents’ Evenings and at any other appropriate times

• To continue to develop and maintain the self-esteem of all our pupils, but particularly those who require learning support to ensure an inclusive school community

• To encourage children to share in the planning and evaluation of their learning and to undertake a degree of responsibility for it

• To ensure that all teachers are aware of their responsibilities for meeting the range of needs in their classrooms, and of working with the support of the SENCO and other agencies as appropriate

• To withdraw children in small groups or 1:1 for learning support with basic literacy, numeracy or language skills and to ensure proper liaison between the teaching staff, tutors and the Learning Support team

• To identify and support children who may be most able

Learning Objectives

1.        Learning activities should be planned to enable pupils to succeed and make progress, and also to enable pupils to be included in their learning and experiences

2.        Learning will be facilitated by recognising the importance of equal opportunities, taking into account individual learning styles and needs, gender, race or creed.

3.        Children respond best to praise and therefore a positive approach to their achievements will be adopted to encourage them to succeed.

4.        Children will be helped to develop independent learning strategies which they can employ within both the home and school contexts.

Teaching Objectives

1.        Teachers should have high expectations of all pupils and should engender within the children a feeling of self-worth.

2.        Teachers will plan to differentiate the curriculum where necessary.

3.        Children identified as having a learning difficulty and/or disability may be taught by the SENCO individually, in groups, or supported within the classroom.

4.        Children will be given the opportunity for repetition, reflection and revision.

5.     Children with learning difficulties and /or disabilities will be given extra time to complete work, as appropriate, and in examinations as arranged by the Academic Coordinator.

6.         Coloured board/paper pens/backgrounds will be used where this helps dyslexic children differentiate notes.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting Objectives

All members of staff are responsible for identifying pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the Learning Support team will work with staff to ensure that those pupils who may need additional or different support are identified at an early stage.  

1. Parents of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities will be informed at each stage and will be encouraged to help them at home.

2. Within the School's Assessment Policy we shall continue to use a baseline assessment to inform our professional judgements.

3. Children will have IEPs if they are assessed to require one and are receiving additional help in small groups or 1:1.

4. Regular reviews of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will be held and will involve the pupil, parents, Form Tutor and Learning Support team.

5. Annotated examples of children's work will be collected together with any useful information.

6. When the School has evidence that a pupil is making insufficient progress despite significant support and intervention or based upon the results of internal tests and screening such as the Dyslexia Screener/Portfolio, it may suggest to the parents that the child is assessed by an Educational or Clinical Psychologist

7. Parents will be invited to meet the SENCO or another member of the Learning Support team by appointment to discuss their child’s progress.

8. A number of pupils may have an Educational or Clinical Psychologist’s report containing a detailed assessment of the child’s learning difficulties and/or disabilities and recommendations for active intervention by the School to support their individual needs.

Planning Objectives

1.        IEPs will be planned, drawn up and reviewed each term by the Learning Support Team in consultation with relevant staff.  These sessions are planned following the  ‘Assess Plan Do Review’ as stipulated in the Code of Practice.

2.        Recommendations from any outside agencies will be taken into account.

3.        Teachers will plan for pupils who are in receipt of learning support within their normal medium and short-term plans.

4.         Written information should be accessible in a range of different ways for disabled pupils wherever it is provided in writing for pupils who are not disabled.

Organisational Objectives

1.        Children who require learning support may be withdrawn individually or in groups, or supported within the classroom, according to the requirements of their IEP.

2.        Children working with the Learning Support team will usually be withdrawn individually at pre-arranged times or in small timetabled groups in years 4 to 8 in place of Latin or Spanish.

Management and Coordination Objectives

The Learning Support Coordinator will manage the implementation of this Policy in support of the Deputy Head Academic and Academic Coordinator who oversees it.

Learning Support files, including IEPs, will be kept on file by the SENCO on Google Drive.  Copies of the short-term targets will be used by Form Tutors and other subject teachers.

A copy of the Learning Support Register and current IEPs will be kept on Google Drive under Learning Support.

The Policy will be evaluated and reviewed annually and ratified by the Governors to ensure that proper regard is given to the current guidelines.

The learning support timetable will be drawn up by Ms Keeling in conjunction with the Deputy Head Academic and Academic Administrator.

Admissions

The School’s Admissions Policy will be followed.  

St Christopher’s is a co-educational independent school that educates children who display a broad spectrum of talents and abilities.  It acknowledges that each child is unique and that there are a range of issues to be taken account of in the process of each child’s educational development.  The School will continually strive to meet the needs of all its pupils.  All children are welcome to apply for entry, including those who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. An entry test will be administered.  The School will make every effort to accommodate pupils with disabilities, given the nature of the school site.  The School will seek to develop improved facilities for pupils with disabilities (see the School SENDA Three-Year Development Plan).

If, over a period of time, and following implementation of an IEP and the provision of learning support, a pupil is unable to make satisfactory progress and has increasing difficulties coping with the demands of a curriculum which is geared towards 13+ CE and Scholarship, it may become necessary for the Head to recommend to parents that they seek a more appropriate education for their child in another school.  Such a process would be undertaken sensitively and with the needs of the child at its heart.

Resources

A range of schemes, such as Alpha to Omega, Sound Linkage, Stride Ahead and the Totem reading scheme, (with computer software programs Nessy, Wordshark 4 and Numbershark 4) and multi-sensory resources, are available from the Learning Support team.

Reference books on the subject of dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, Autism and Emotional Literacy are available to all teaching staff.

The SENCO will attend staff meetings during the academic year to keep the teaching staff up to date with resource developments and to raise the profile regularly of pupils who require learning support.

House points and Commendations, together with stickers and stars, will be available to encourage children and to help recognise their achievements.

Arrangements for Monitoring

The Head of Learning Support alongside the Deputy Head Academic and Head of Pre-Prep are responsible for the work of the Learning Support Department and they liaise closely to ensure that the needs of all pupils are being appropriately met.  The Deputy Head Academic keeps the Head fully informed.

Liaison/Collaboration with other Agencies

Mrs Sheila Hall                                              Mrs Sima Patel

48 Woodland Road,                                36a Duke Street, 

Hassocks,                                        Brighton

West Sussex,                                        BN1 1AG

BN6 8HG                                        

Email: shamiltonhallep@gmail.com                info@thewellbeingpractice.co.uk 

Senior School Liaison

All relevant documentation on pupils who receive learning support at St Christopher’s will be forwarded to senior schools.

LDD Complaints Procedures

Should there be a complaint about the School's learning support provision, the parent or guardian should be referred to the Head in the first instance, who will liaise with the Learning Support Coordinator and, where necessary, the Governors.

The Role of the Learning Support Team and SENCO

• To support colleagues with the identification and monitoring of children who require learning support, and to arrange regular discussions with all relevant staff about any progress made by the child, with a focus on language development

• To maintain the school's SEND Register and to keep Individual Education Plans – records of all strategies that are employed by staff when meeting their pupils' needs

• To work with outside agencies as required in meeting the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

• To make any referrals to an Educational Psychologist or outside agency when a formal assessment of a pupil is deemed necessary, following consultation with the Deputy Head Academic and the Headmaster and/or Section Head where appropriate

• To contact parents or guardians about assessments that take place, and to inform them of any meetings that they should attend

• To inform Governors about funding required throughout the School and to report back on how resources are used