At whatever level of study, it is our role to accommodate these individual requirements.
The majority of pupils will have their needs met within the teaching framework, but a significant minority will require additional support or extension.
A pupil’s needs may become apparent in a variety of ways:
- Staff experience and expertise
- Teaching within the Nursery or classrooms
- Assessment procedures i.e. Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, annual reading and spelling tests, class based assessments, PIPS, NFER
- Parental concerns
- Further assessment and screening undertaken by the Head of Additional Learning and relevant support staff
- For older pupils, self-referral
- Reports from outside agencies. We will recommend that parents arrange specialist assessments when we think further information about a child would be helpful. Parents may also make their own decision to ask for a report. Pupils sometimes enter the school with an existing report. In all cases we will take note of the contents of reports and make such arrangements we consider are appropriate.
Learning Support
In Nursery and Reception pupils are still very much at the developmental stage of their education. There is no formal learning support, but pupils are monitored closely for potential issues which could affect learning. Relevant information is then forwarded to the Head of Additional Learning, should there be a need to follow up a concern at a later date. As part of their journey through EYFS, pupils will be supported as necessary in line with their attainment towards EYFS goals.
From Year 1 onwards, support is delivered, in the first instance, by class and subject teachers who use differentiated planning to meet individual needs. After a period of targeted differentiation and monitoring, especially at the start of the school year, a need for additional support may be identified. From Years 1 to 5, additional support is provided by teaching assistants. In the Senior School, additional support is delivered by a designated Higher Level TA. The Head of Additional Learning coordinates this provision in consultation with Heads of Department and also takes direct teaching responsibility for groups throughout the school as required.
Outside Agencies
We do take note of the contents of reports from outside agencies and use their recommendations to make such arrangements we consider are appropriate. Some pupils attend specialist dyslexia lessons but these are arranged privately by their parents.
Learning Extension
Learning extension is given to those pupils who are identified as being more able. More able pupils are those whose abilities in a subject area are significantly and consistently above the expectation for their age. There are more able learners in every year group in every school. The DCSF suggest that around 10% of every school population should be identified as more able. As a school we are free to determine the size of our more able population but we should be able to justify this in terms of the provision made for the identified group and subsequent improvements in standards.
EAL
At present around 50% of pupils come to St. Aubyn’s with English as an Additional Language. This does not always pose a learning problem. However, it is closely monitored in case individuals do need further support to access the curriculum fully, as they progress through school. All pupils who speak English in addition to other languages are recorded on the Additional Learning Register.
Head of Additional Learning