Learning Support

Education and Welfare Provision for pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs and English as a foreign language

Around 12% of our pupils across the Pelican, Prep and Upper, from the lowest to the highest attainers academically, are being identified as experiencing Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). Without additional intervention to meet their educational needs, these pupils can be socially, psychologically or emotionally vulnerable and at risk of significant under-achievement. Each of the three schools has a designated person who  is responsible for Learning Support (oversees identification and where necessary, referral for assessment). The designated person tries to ensure that the ongoing progress of these pupils is appropriate in relation to their potential through direct intervention, advice to staff and referral to outside agencies as necessary. Outside professional help is secured with the agreement of parents, at their expense. Under the Disability Discrimination Act we have a whole-school responsibility to help identify pupils who are experiencing specific learning difficulties and to respond appropriately to their needs.

 

Designated Learning Support Teachers at The Perse School:

 

GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE: The Disability Discrimination Act

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was passed in 1995 to introduce new measures aimed at reducing the discrimination faced by many disabled people. It protects disabled people in the areas of employment, access to goods, facilities and services, and the management, buying or renting of land or property. There are four parts to the DDA. Part 1 defines ‘disability’; Part 2 covers employment provisions; Part 3 covers trade organisations and access to goods, facilities and services and Part 4 covers education. Not all of the parts of the DDA came into effect at the same time, some aspects of the Act not coming into force until September 2005.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) was passed to implement (and amend) Part 4 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Part 2, Chapter 1 of SENDA deals with schools, Part 2, Chapter 2 with further and higher education. The Act covers student services as well as learning provision, including applications, admissions and enrolment procedures.

These Acts make it unlawful to discriminate against disabled students, including potential applicants. Disability is defined as ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities’. This covers those with physical or sensory impairments, dyslexia, medical conditions, mental health and learning difficulties, as well as progressive conditions, conditions that have a substantial cumulative effect and people with a history of disability.

The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) was established as an independent body to eliminate the discrimination faced by disabled people and promote equality of opportunity. They provide Codes of Practice and other guidance on the implications of the Act.

What are the provider’s duties to disabled learners?

The provider must not treat someone less favourably because of their disability without justification. Learners must not be put at a substantial disadvantage by the institution failing to make a ‘reasonable adjustment’.

What are ‘reasonable adjustments’?

It is considered reasonable to know which students have disabilities, to be aware of the implications of those disabilities on teaching and learning, and to translate that knowledge into action to ensure inclusion in the learning process.

Reasonable adjustments are broad based and often benefit all students in the class. For example, the following would be considered ‘reasonable’:

Cost is a factor to be taken into account in deciding what is regarded as ‘reasonable’, but it cannot be used as a blanket excuse for inaction. It is reasonable to expect organisations to plan for additional expenditure.

Disclosure and confidentiality

The DDA/SENDA states that institutions have a duty to take reasonable steps to encourage students to disclose a disability. Providing consent has been given, once one person in an organisation/institution knows about a student’s disability or special learning difficulties, the whole organisation is deemed to know and is therefore expected to make the necessary arrangements. This has major implications for the ways in which organisations/institutions obtain, record and disseminate information about students and their consent about the use of this information. This means that systems and procedures need to be carefully reviewed to ensure that rules on consent are adhered to, and that any action taken is appropriate.

 

Further information: starting points

 


1.        The Perse School Procedure for the identification and support of pupils with learning difficulties

Information on areas of difficulty is sought from parents and feeder schools prior to entry to the School. The designated person may decide to screen for additional information following entry. A Learning Support register is kept of identified pupils. The designated person also liaises with the LEA for pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need and where necessary supports applications for Statements of Special Educational Need.

The teachers will inform the designated person if they subsequently become aware of problems which may be associated with specific learning difficulties.

If concerns are reported, further information about the pupil’s general progress  is sought from colleagues. There are then four possible steps forward, or combinations of any of these:-

a)      within the normal school framework

Many SPLD problems are addressed as a matter of routine within school. If additional support is needed, an outline of the difficulties and guidelines for supporting the pupil's learning is communicated to staff in the school. Individual learning targets are also given, for inclusion into the main target setting arrangements.

Any additional support is normally provided through classroom and homework differentiation. The school does not routinely provide a dedicated classroom assistant for learning support unless through the provision of a Statement of Special Educational Need or bought in by the parent/guardian at the school’s request.

b)     Referral for a Detailed Assessment

All pupils identified from screening and prior liaison are given further diagnostic testing with parental permission. If necessary, the pupil is referred with parents’ agreement to an Educational Psychologist or other outside professional for a detailed assessment or diagnosis of needs. Guidelines based on the professional assessment are circulated to all teachers involved.

c)      Private Tuition from a Specialist Individual Needs Teacher

This support is an addition to the normal curriculum, and may be given in school or outside school, with or without an educational psychologist’s recommendation. In either case, collaboration with the school increases the likelihood of success.

d)      Special exam concessions

These are at the Head's discretion, based only on professional recommendation.

 

 

 2.       Pupils with English as an Additional Language

 

We have a number of pupils with difficulties stemming from a differing language and cultural background. Teachers are made aware that these difficulties can be quite subtle.  For example, quite common vocabulary may not be understood precisely or in a given context, complex sentence structures may take longer to process or the pupil may not realise s/he has not fully understood. These subtle difficulties are addressed on an individual basis as they arise but more substantial difficulties may require additional private teaching outside school at the parents’/guardians’ expense.

Pupils who enter the school at the beginning of public exam courses require either an International GCSE in English or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate at an overall level of 6.5 with reading and writing tests at least level 6.  IELTS courses are not taught by the school.

 

Last reviewed: 19th January 2010