JUNIOR SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT POLICY Summary Statement At Dulwich College pupils follow a rigorous academic curriculum and it is therefore essential that the Learning Support Policy provides for appropriate screening, diagnosis and provision of help for pupils with a specific learning difficulty. The aim is to enable them to be confident, well motivated pupils in order to achieve their full academic potential and so participate fully in all areas of learning. The purpose of this policy is: To ensure that all pupils with specific learning difficulties are identified and supported in school. To provide appropriate support for teachers to meet the learning requirements of all pupils. To provide the appropriate resources and support for students with specific learning difficulties. Definition Dulwich College is committed to providing equal access for all pupils to the curriculum and aims to identify and give support where there is an established learning difficulty or disability that could inhibit a pupil s access to the curriculum or undermine a pupil s efforts to achieve his potential. The school is mindful of the recommendations made in the newly revised Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (June 2014.) Whilst they are not legally binding for independent schools we have taken note of the recommendations. Further updates of the policy may be necessary during this academic year as the new SEND Code 2014 becomes embedded in practice throughout the country. As a selective, academic school we are aware that sometimes a student may have a learning profile where discrepancies between skills (for instance, between verbal and performance abilities) can affect learning confidence, organisation and achievement. Aims and Objectives To identify at the earliest opportunity any pupil who may have special educational needs. To provide different levels of intervention to match each pupil s level of need. To ensure that all school staff are aware of each pupil s needs and that they are given guidance on how to cater for these needs in the classroom and elsewhere. To provide pastoral care and support for all pupils so that they can develop as confident learners. To ensure that appropriate records are maintained. To conduct a regular review of pupils progress. To work in partnership with pupils parents. To provide and direct staff to appropriate INSET.
Page 2 of 5 Responsibilities The Learning Support Co ordinator is responsible for ensuring appropriate provision is made for pupils with identified specific learning difficulties. All teaching staff are expected to be familiar with individual pupil s needs and provide differentiated activities and resources whenever necessary. Identification and Assessment of Pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties From the Michaelmas Term, 2014 all pupils in the Junior School will be screened for specific learning difficulties. Where the initial screening process indicates a possible difficulty, parents will be contacted by the Learning Support Co ordinator to suggest further screening. Following the screening, parents are given an opportunity to discuss any findings and the next steps. This might involve targeted support from the Learning Support Co ordinator who will assess whether a more detailed assessment is required. A referral to an educational psychologist or other external agent might be recommended. The College maintains close links with various outside agencies, including educational psychologists to whom parents can be introduced. Parents are required to pay for the assessment and usually the psychologist comes to the College to work with the child. Parents are invited into school as soon as the assessment has finished to discuss the findings. With parental agreement, the Learning Support Co ordinator and Form Tutor will normally attend this feedback session. Upon receipt of the completed report the school endeavours to implement all reasonable recommendations. Many pupils are then allocated individual lessons with the Learning Support Co ordinator on a weekly basis. For other pupils, specific support within a small group may be provided. In addition to this, at the beginning of every academic year all pupils complete reading, spelling and mathematics standardized tests. Results of these tests, alongside the results from the screening are scrutinised, in conjunction with the most recent PIPS scores, by the Form Tutor, the Learning Support Coordinator and the Director of Studies. Low scores are then highlighted on the year group spreadsheet. If there is any suspicion that poor scoring is a result of a specific learning difficulty the Learning Support Coordinator may undertake a further assessments. If at any stage throughout the year a teacher or parent raises a major concern about a pupil a Record of Concern sheet is filled in and the Learning Support Co ordinator arranges to see the child and the procedures outlined above are implemented. New pupils with an existing learning difficulty and who have a report from an educational psychologist or other professional agency will meet with the Learning Support Co ordinator in the first few weeks of the academic year. Their son s profile will be discussed and the level of support that will be provided. The Learning Support Register and Learning Profiles Upon receipt of the written report from an educational psychologist or other external agency, the following procedure is implemented: The pupil is added to the Learning Support Register which can be found in the Learning Support folder in the Junior Staff Documents. This document contains the names of any boy with an
Page 3 of 5 educational psychologist s or external agent s report and the nature of any identified specific difficulty. It is circulated to all members of staff at the beginning of an academic year. In addition to the whole College Learning Support Register, the Junior School maintains a list of boys about whom we have academic concerns and wish to monitor closely. This list is also stored in the Learning Support folder in the Junior Staff Documents. A Learning Profile is written for any pupil with an external report, whether or not a specific difficulty has been identified. The Learning Profile is drawn up after consultation with parents, the Form Tutor and, in some cases, with the pupil. A Learning Profile document contains a summary of an individual s profile with recommendations for strategic support both in and outside the classroom. Learning profiles can be found in the Learning Support folder in the Junior Staff Documents, saved in The Year Group Folder. Learning Profiles might also be written for some boys because they receive some support or have received some support from the Learning Support Co ordinator. These boys might not have a report from an external agency but a report might be recommended in the future. Provision Pupils identified with a specific learning difficulty will generally have a weekly, individual lesson with the Learning Support Co ordinator. The timing of individual lessons is carefully considered in consultation with Form Tutors and wherever possible pupils do not miss any core curriculum lessons. Timetabling of lessons is regularly reviewed. Parents are not required to pay for Learning Support Lessons provided by the school. Some of these pupils may also have further support in a group, with the Learning Support Coordinator or teaching assistant. Pupils who have not been diagnosed with a learning difficulty may also receive support. This is generally in a group, but may be individually if this is deemed necessary. The Learning Support Co ordinator discusses the level of support provided, regularly, with Form Tutors. Where a change to the level of support is recommended the Learning Support Co ordinator will contact parents to discuss this. The Junior School arranges for external agents (e.g. Speech and Language Therapists or Occupational Therapists) to deliver specific support programmes at school. The cost of such additional support is the responsibility of parents. Pupils are encouraged to use a laptop in school where a need has been established and in most cases its use has been recommended by an educational psychologist. These pupils are expected to learn to touch type. The school can recommend several appropriate external agencies for this and an after school touch typing club is being offered from Michaelmas Term, 2014. The parents will pay for the latter as it is being run by an external agency.
Page 4 of 5 In addition to meetings with parents throughout the assessment process, the Learning Support Coordinator is available for individual appointments at parents evenings. Detailed comments written by the Learning Support Co ordinator are included in pupils reports to parents. Some pupils require support throughout their time in the Junior School whilst others may require support for a limited time. We understand that some children might have temporary barriers to learning and the Learning Support Co ordinator endeavours to help children through difficult times. Evaluation of Provision Form Tutors and the Learning Support Co ordinator meet regularly to review pupils progress. There is regular discussion at staff meetings concerning boys with specific learning difficulties. The Director of Studies and Learning Support Co ordinator meet each term to review pupils progress. The Learning Support Co ordinator is available to talk to parents at Parents Evenings and by appointment throughout the year. Links with Teaching Staff The Learning Support register and the boys Individual Learning Profiles are stored in The Junior Staff documents in the Learning Support folder. At the beginning of the academic year they are updated and circulated to Form Tutors. It is then the responsibility of the Form Tutor to circulate Individual Learning Profiles to all other staff who teach their Form. When a new Educational Psychologist s report is received the Learning Support Co ordinator will discuss the findings with the Form Tutor. A Learning Profile for that pupil will be drawn up and distributed, as above. This ensures that all teaching staff know: The pupils in their lessons who have an identified learning difficulty. The nature and extent of each pupil s difficulty so that support and differentiation can be provided. Suggested teaching strategies. Specialist Resources and Equipment All pupils have access to a range of resources to support their learning. In situations where specific equipment has been recommended as part of an assessment procedure, the school will, where reasonable, endeavour to purchase specialist resources and equipment. Arrangements for Admission Dulwich College is an independent, academically selective school, where all prospective pupils are assessed equally on the basis of competitive examinations for Y3 and entry into Y4, Y5 and Y6. Any relevant reports from an Educational Psychologist or an Individual Education Plan are requested to assist in planning any special arrangements during the admissions assessment, such as extra time and/or use of a lap top. Access arrangements will be provided for a candidate with a physical disability where there is evidence that support is required to allow him to participate fully and fairly in the entrance procedure.
Page 5 of 5 (See Admissions Policy) Access Arrangements for Examinations Reasonable adjustment is made in internal school exams for students who are known to have a learning difficulty. Extra time or use of a laptop can be given to those pupils with an Educational Psychologist s recommendation. Children for whom English is an Additional Language We have children in the Junior School who receive additional support as English is an additional language. Please see the Junior School EAL Policy. Transition to the Lower School Reports and information are passed on to the Lower School and Learning Support Department at the point of transfer. Parents are informed that records have been passed over and that a meeting has been held between the Junior School Learning Support Co ordinator and the Joint Heads of the Learning Support Department at the College. To be read in conjunction with the whole school Learning Support Guide Policy. Update: November 2014 Review date: November 2016