High Attaining Students
The curriculum is designed to ensure all students are challenged and stretched. Our approach is to ensure the most able students experience a different pathway through the lesson rather than simply completing additional extension tasks. Programmes of Study explicitly outline the pathway for the most able students whilst also providing additional opportunities beyond the classroom such as the UK Maths Challenge, Literary workshops, STEM club, National Association for Able Children in England (NACE) and Latin classes (to name a few!).
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
The SENCO has the responsibility for ensuring that every student receives the support and sensitive challenge he or she needs in order to make the greatest progress. She ensures that all current guidelines, for example the most recent revision of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice, are fully implemented. Part of the SENCO’s role is to ensure sufficient variation, intervention, stretch and challenge is incorporated into the curriculum to meet the needs of all student groups.
Our excellent team of Teaching Assistants work closely with the teaching staff and are included in CPD sessions and in lesson planning activities to ensure a coordinated approach to the students. They run small group intervention sessions, 1:1 work and support in lessons as appropriate.
Students with English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Students joining the school with English as an Additional Language are supported and their rich cultural heritage celebrated and championed. The School recognises that the needs of these children are different from others, requiring specialist support in the early stages of English language acquisition.
Our EAL students are supported by a combination of careful preparation where information is available in advance, sensitive diagnostic assessment when first joining the school and tailored support in lessons. Measures may include:
- Personalising all resources and developing a specifically tailored pathway through the lesson to maximise student progress
- Seating them next to a reliable student translator
- Identifying and explaining any cultural content that may be unfamiliar
- Inclusion within lessons for the bulk of the day, with extraction for targeted support at times to be arranged by our SENCO
To view our SEND Policy please visit our Policies page
Our SENCO & Head of Personalisation, Ms Janette Wood can be contacted by email: senco@hoevalleyschool.org