Learning Support at Spratton Hall
Nationally, around 1 in 5 children has some kind of additional learning need during their school career. This need may be very short term – perhaps they struggle to pick up one particular concept as quickly as their peers, or it may be longer term – a child may have a specific learning difficulty such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia or Dyscalculia which needs ongoing support. No child is the same, and every child requires carefully structured and individualised interventions in order to move forward in their learning when they encounter a problem.
Aims and Values
The aims and values of the Learning Support Department at Spratton Hall reflect those of the school as a whole and are very much integrated within our holistic pastoral care approach. We aim to develop independent and confident children, and stimulate a love of learning within them. Our goal is to produce in a pupil the ability and confidence to achieve success here at Spratton and on into their future lives. We work to boost each child’s self-esteem and to capitalise on and increase their strengths, as well as supporting them to overcome barriers to their learning.
Approach and Resources
The Learning Support Department is able to offer a very flexible approach to intervention. We currently have four specialist and experienced teachers working within the department, and we take an active part within the school community. We provide high quality learning experiences, specialist resources, and a supportive, inclusive environment for pupils from Pre-Prep right through to Year 8. Spratton Hall believes that provision for pupils with additional needs is a matter for the school as a whole and the responsibility of all teaching staff and a whole school approach to Learning Support is adopted. As a result, we work closely with staff across the school to identify those children who may benefit from some additional support.
The Learning Support Process
After liaising with teachers and carrying out a range of assessments or screenings, children who have barriers to their learning may be allocated time within the Department. They follow structured schemes tailored specifically to their needs. Some pupils come to the department in small groups, some for one-to-one lessons and some are supported within the classroom. As well as help with all academic subjects, we also support the development of social skills, communication, working memory and motor skills.
Technological Support
The Chromebooks that the School provides from Year 5 have also helped counter the issues faced by children with additional needs, such as dyslexia. For those that find reading and writing challenging, continuous, and equal access to ‘speech to text’ or the Chromebooks’ built-in reader tools, has greatly increased their curriculum accessibility and inclusivity.
Specialist Support
We also maintain close links with a range of Specialist Practitioners and we will recommend external assessments and specialists input, if appropriate, and incorporate their advice into our teaching. We pride ourselves on our comprehensive Learning Support provision and are proud of the achievements our children make in overcoming difficulties and barriers.
