This document is a statement of the aims, principles and strategies for children with learning difficulties or disabilities and takes account of our Equal Opportunities Policy.  Alton Convent School is committed to providing tuition/activities for all children irrespective of disability or special needs as defined by the Special Needs Disability Act 2001.

It was developed through a process of consultation with teaching staff and senior management.   It was approved by the Governing Body and is reviewed annually. A schedule for the review of this and all other policy documents is developed by the Senior Management Team, subject to the agreement of the Governing Body.

This document is a whole school policy and endeavours to convey the idea of a united school whereby we aim to secure the best for all pupils as individuals.  This approach means that every effort is made to promote a positive school climate that recognises the right of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities do not to stand out from their peers.

Meeting learning difficulties or disabilities can be accomplished by adapting the curriculum to suit the needs of the individual.

Our aims are: 

• To promote an atmosphere of encouragement, acceptance and respect for achievements in which all pupils can thrive.

• To develop sensitivity to individual needs and a climate of warmth and support in which self-confidence and self-esteem can grow.

• To develop skills in identifying children with learning problems and construct suitable programmes of work.

• To adopt positive and consistent strategies to help children with behavioural difficulties and/or emotional problems.

• To effect a programme of support and referral that will enable children to receive the help they need quickly and effectively.

• To inform parents of the needs and progress of their child and to work in partnership with them.

• To provide reasonable adjustments for any physically disabled pupil to facilitate learning so that no disabled pupil is placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with pupils who are not disabled.

Children with learning difficulties or disabilities include those with physical disability, emotional and/or behavioural problems, a different level of achievement than their peers and those for whom English is an additional language.

Arrangements for co-ordination

 The school has appointed co-ordinators for the Prep and Senior departments who are responsible for co-ordinating special needs and learning difficulties or disabilities provision within the school.  They provide support, and liaise with staff and with external agencies.  They monitor and develop provision to meet individual needs.

Identification, assessment and review arrangements

Every teacher is responsible for the learning and development of all the children within his/her class, including those with learning difficulties or disabilities.  In the Prep School learning support will be given where an educational psychologist's report indicates a need.  In addition, if it is felt that the results of annual NFER tests suggest that a child would benefit from extra support, it would be offered, either in the short or long term, as required.  It is the class teacher's responsibility to assess and identify children and notify the co-ordinator. Provision includes in-class support from the class teacher, individual support from learning support assistants, focussed support groups and individual support from the specialist learning support teacher. These arrangements are described in more detail in the Notes on Prep School SEN  Provision document.

In the Senior School it is the responsibility of any subject teacher to identify and refer any pupil to the co-ordinator.  The co-ordinator will support the teacher in setting up appropriate strategies and programmes of work.  Reviews are undertaken in consultation with the co-ordinator, the form teacher, the subject teachers, and parents as appropriate. In addition, for years 10-13 the year co-ordinators undertake regular reviews and for all pupils the Annual Performance Review and Staff Forum Meetings provide specific opportunities for raising concerns and suggesting targets and action plans.

For children whose first language is not English.

Children whose first language is not English are assessed on entering the Prep School.  Where necessary a learning support assistant will be responsible for providing initial support.  Children whose first language is not English are assessed on entering the Senior School.  Where appropriate a TEFL trained teacher will provide short term focussed language support.  Children will be monitored annually to ensure continued progress.

Integration and access to the curriculum

The school has opted to arrange the pupils in mixed ability classes and to ensure differentiation in meeting children's learning needs. In the Senior School only Mathematics is grouped by ability.

We undertake to ensure that children with learning difficulties or disabilities have access to the full breadth of the curriculum by the use of such strategies as flexible grouping of children, adapting timetables where appropriate, and the sharing of resources and expertise where beneficial.  Where appropriate and possible, teachers are flexible about organising and managing teaching groups to increase the support available to children with learning difficulties or disabilities.  We also aim to extend and develop skills and resources that will aid differentiation to meet each child's specific requirements within all areas of the curriculum.  In the Prep School children whose first language is not English will be immersed in the activities of their year group to encourage acquisition of language, with additional support from a learning support assistant or a TEFL trained teacher as appropriate.  In the Senior School children whose first language is not English will work with their peers and with individual support as appropriate.

Resources

We accept a variety of means of recording and provide specific aids to learning and for examinations where appropriate.  We assess written material for suitability of reading level and provide differentiated resources as necessary.  We organise our classrooms to ensure access to resources is appropriate to all the children's needs.

The school recognises the need to provide the maximum amount of assistance to children with learning difficulties or disabilities, given budgetary limitations.  When learning support is available priority is given to the promotion of literacy and numeracy.  However, we aim to remain as flexible as possible in meeting the differing needs of children and may use learning support in other areas when appropriate.

Partnership

We recognise the importance of effective dialogue between teachers and parents.  Parents are kept informed of their child's progress at every stage.

All parents are entitled to view the school's learning difficulties or disabilities policy on request and a summary of our approach is laid out in the school's prospectus.

Parents with children with learning difficulties or disabilities who are concerned about their child's progress should in the first instance speak to the co-ordinator.

Liaison with other schools and agencies

In order to ease any transfer problems for children with learning difficulties or disabilities, arrangements are in place for liaison between playgroup/nursery and the reception class.  In addition Year 6 children will be given some training in the skills they will need to operate successfully at secondary school. Specialists from external agencies provide support through training or visits to maximise progress.  Pupils transferring into the senior school or to other institutions will have details transferred with them.