Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Policy on Special Educational Needs
Nationwide it is estimated that one in five of all students will have additional learning needs at some stage in their schooling.
Some difficulties will be very short term and require only a limited period of extra help. Others will be longer term and may require extra support throughout the student's school career.
The Additional Learning Needs Department at John Beddoes School helps those students experiencing long or short term learning difficulties of a general or specific nature. Our aim is to help students as much as possible to overcome or minimise their difficulties.
John Beddoes School values the abilities and achievements of all its students and all our teachers acknowledge that they are teachers of students with additional educational needs.
The school has an Additional Learning Needs Coordinator who assesses students and arranges and oversees the day to day support and extra help required. Please contact the coordinator regarding any questions or concerns you may have about your son or daughter's additional learning needs.
Following an assessment of reading and spelling on entry to year 7 and after liaison with primary schools, students may be withdrawn from one or two lessons or form periods per week for extra help. Parents will be kept informed about this.
The school has a learning support room where students who are withdrawn have access to specialist resources and software.
Students with additional learning needs are taught in mainstream classes for all subjects and have access to differentiated work if necessary. They will have access to support from the learning support assistants in some or all of their lessons according to their need.
Students with behavioural difficulties also have additional learning needs and may require behavioural support through the school's behaviour policy which creates a positive atmosphere of encouragement and acceptance, one which respects achievement and display sensitivity to individual needs.
Inclusion
Students with additional learning needs engage in the activities of, and together with, those students who do not have those needs, providing it is reasonable and safe to do so. All students are educated on the same site and all students have equal access to school activities.
Disabled Access
All areas of the school are fully wheelchair accessible and have disabled toilet facilities nearby.
The additional learning needs department is well supported by the Social Inclusion Coordinator, the Learning Managers and many outside agencies including the Educational Psychologist, Educational Welfare Officer, medical officer, social services, counseling and mediation services, speech therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, careers advisors and sight and hearing impairment advisory teachers.
Parental support is obviously important for all students but particularly so for students with additional learning needs and the staff welcome enquiries and visits from parents to discuss any aspect of their con or daughter's progress.
