Learning Support Links
Please click the sections below for more information.
Departmental Staff
The Department is currently made up of:
Claire Ellis – Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).
Jane Stirling – Assistant Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).
A team of ETAs
In Class Support
Whilst in class support is very important, ETAs are always mindful of the balance which needs to be maintained between supporting student learning and promoting independence skills.
One to One Small Group Tuition
Additionally some students who have been disapplied from studying a particular subject will regularly work individually or as part of a small group with a member of staff.
In such cases individual learning programmes are set up to focus on particular skills or to reinforce work which is taking place in mainstream lessons.
Literacy Programmes
These programmes are highly structured and involve pupils in a one-to-one learning situation for approximately 15 minutes on two to four days a week. We are able to run these programmes between 8.30 am and 9.00 am from Tuesday to Friday inclusive.
Toe by Toe
This is a multi sensory reading programme based on word building. It uses real words and nonsense words to do this.
Stride Ahead
This is for pupils who have some decoding of reading skills but have difficulty in understanding what they have read. There are timed exercises to help the pupil to read accurately and at the same time with understanding.
Stairway to Spelling
This is a spelling programme based on the 300 most used words in the English language.
Education City
We also offer a programme called Education City which is a computer based integrated learning system. The software is able to assess the literacy ability of individuals and will set appropriate tasks adapting the level of difficulty as necessary.
The Word Wasp programme
This programme is described as being a “kick start” to literacy and aims to teach the basic rules and structures of English as well as the rules and structures of spelling.
Literacy programmes with a specialist teacher
We run small group literacy sessions for a cohort of identified students. These sessions take place during mainstream lesson time and programmes are personalised to meet individual needs.
Peer Reading
Peer reading takes place during morning registration in the library. It involves Year 7 students reading to Year 10 students.
Zig Zag Club
Examination Access Arrangements
These may range from 25% extra time through to provision of both reader and scribe (amanuensis) for an individual student.
Assessments for special arrangements are administered in school but the final decision rests with individual examination boards to whom we have to submit written applications. All students are screened on entry into year 7 and again at the end of year 9.
External Agencies
These are some of the agencies with whom we work:
- Educational Psychology
- Health
- Behaviour Support Services
- Service for pupils with a hearing or a visual impairment
- Social Services
- Westfields Pupil Referral Unit
- Kirklees Specialist Provisions
- The Looked After Children in Education Team
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- Parent Partnership
- Targeted Youth Suppor
Individual Education Plans (IEPS)
Progress in relation to the IEP targets are reviewed and set at regular review meetings. Students and their parents/carers are invited to participate fully in these reviews.
External agencies are also involved when this is appropriate.
Useful Websites:
The web is a useful source of information on many aspects of SEN.
The following sites may be useful to anyone with an interest in Specific Learning Difficulties, in particular dyslexia.