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Individual Needs

The School and the Individual Needs Department has an inclusive philosophy and aims to provide all students with equal access to the curriculum and every aspect of school life, to support them so that they can achieve their full potential academically and in every other sense.

The school attempts to provide for a diverse range of student needs including:

  • Very able students across a number of subjects
  • English as an other language needs (ESOL)
  • Learning difficulties
  • Specific Learning Difficulties (SPLD or Dyslexia etc)
  • Emotional and behavioural difficulties
  • Physical disabilities
  • Sensory impairment
  • Speech and language difficulties
  • Medical conditions.
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Learning Support

South Island School accepts students with a wide range of ability, some of whom have Special Educational Needs. The Individual Needs Department is responsible for identifying and supporting these students.  We provide specialist withdrawal courses and support students and teachers across the curriculum. Our approach to meeting the Special Educational Needs of our students is based on the ESF wave model.  Students’ special educational needs are identified using information passed on from Primary schools, from school-based assessments and from concerns raised by parents, students, staff or other relevant bodies. South Island School has a dedicated class of 21 students who have complex learning needs.

A range of strategies are employed, to ensure that the school meets the needs of these students. These include:

  • Withdrawal groups for Learning Support Class students, particularly for English, Maths and other accredited courses
  • Withdrawal groups in KS3 for Extra English lessons. These are for students with literacy development needs. They are usually taught in place of a modern foreign language.
  • In-class support
  • Support for ESOL students during Library and Study periods at Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) and in class support at Key Stage 3
  • The provision of a well-resourced Learning Centre with open access to students throughout the school day
  • Individual work with talented students to guide them in independent study projects
  • Liaison between Individual Needs Support staff and mainstream staff (on academic and pastoral issues)
  • Working closely with parents to support the whole student
  • Special examination arrangements for some students
  • Speech and Language therapy
  • The dissemination of relevant information to staff through regular briefings, Inclusion department representatives, The Gateway and Individual Education Plans and Student Support Plans (where appropriate)
  • The provision of advice and training to staff on a variety of learning needs/strategies
  • Resourcing of differentiated books/materials for subject departments

When a student is identified as having Special Educational Needs his or her name is placed on the school's Special Educational Needs register in one of the following categories:

  • Level of Adjustment 1: subject teacher is responsible for ensuring student progress through differentiation of materials and assessments.
  • Level of Adjustment 2: subject teachers and Individual Needs teachers liaise to establish appropriate programs of intervention
  • Level of Adjustment 3/4  (Learning Support Class) - the school currently has provision for 21 students, who have a wide range of moderate/complex learning needs. These students constitute a special learning support class with special funding arrangements. These students follow a highly differentiated curriculum provided by Learning Support with a guided programme of inclusion in mainstream classes.

There are approximately 120 students on the school's Special Educational Needs register. 21 out of the 120 are in the Learning Support Class. The register is not a fixed entity - students may enter, leave or move between stages according to their particular circumstances and the outcomes from placement reviews.

Individual needs (SEN) policy

INDIVIDUAL NEEDS STAFF

ESOL
Lyn Ovens KS3 support and Vici Egan KS4 support

Talent Development Programme coordinated
Michael Evershed

Learning Support Staff
Teachers

  •  Mrs. Carol Chapman (Head of Department)
  •  Mrs. Jean Spillane (Deputy Head of Department)
  •  Mrs. Patricia Alexander (Full time Learning Support teacher)
  •  Mrs. Annette Chapman (Assistant Principal and Head of Middle Section)
  •  Mrs. Maria Woods (Full time Learning Support teacher)
  •  Mr. Krishin Hotwani (Part time Learning Support teacher)

Educational Assistants

The work of the department is supported by a very experienced team of Educational Assistants. The Educational Assistants work either in a 1:1 support situation with a student or in a group situation. They work both in the mainstream class and in the Learning Support class. Many of the Education Assistants have completed additional external training as well as attending internal training on a range of subjects.