AEN AND DISABILITY PROVISION

AEN, DISABILITY AND EAL

ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADMISSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan have special arrangements made for them on admission to secondary school. Parents are encouraged to look around schools and choose two schools which cater for their child’s needs. They are then required to name one selective and one non selective school (or one nonselective only if appropriate). A student is guaranteed a place at the school which most appropriately meets their needs after the results of the admissions test are known. Students are required to pass the test if they are to be admitted to a selective school. For students who do not have an Education, Health and Care Plan, but who are identified as having an additional educational need, extensive liaison takes place with the feeder school, parents, the student and professionals, to ensure a smooth transition and continued support throughout their time at the school.

EQUALITY FOR ALL STUDENTS

The school has an accessibility plan which has identified (through an audit) the barriers to access for disabled people. We will make every attempt to make the site accessible to all students. We have a very good record of implementing a full curriculum for students with an Education, Health and Care Plan, including those with a physical disability. All new buildings comply with the relevant legislation. The school works hard with other professionals to ensure the needs of disabled students are met.

POLICY ON STUDENTS WITH AEN

The AEN policy is regularly reviewed and regularly updated. It is widely distributed and implemented by teachers and support staff. All staff receive regular training on strategies for students with additional needs. For GCSE and A level students appropriate arrangements, which recognise individual student needs, are made with examination boards. Accurate assessment and identification of needs is at the heart of support for students. The majority of students’ needs are met through a differentiated approach in the classroom. A range of different support strategies is provided for AEN students including mentoring, in-class assistance, one to one support, small group teaching, subject teacher support and differentiated resources. Other external professionals also promote support for students, especially those who have an Education, Health and Care Plan or those who have a disability of some kind. The school has received very positive feedback from parents and other official sources with regard to our support for AEN students. The school believes in making the curriculum accessible to all students drawing upon their strengths and aptitudes. EAL

Having English as an Additional Language (EAL) is viewed as a positive attribute and not as an additional educational need. Bilingual students are encouraged to achieve proficiency in both their first language and English as it is widely accepted that learning one language facilitates the learning of another. EAL students at the school are classified as more advanced bilingual learners and, as such, cope exceptionally well with the rigorous curriculum which they follow. Bilingual students, however, may find that the level of their academic English is lower than their spoken fluency. This is considered to be a normal aspect of bilingualism. Students are supported throughout their school career to enable them to acquire the standard of academic English which is essential to their success. As part of the school’s policy of inclusion, EAL students are fully integrated in all areas of the curriculum. The school has equally high expectations of its bilingual and monolingual students and although resources may need to be differentiated from a linguistic point of view, the content of the materials used by EAL students is still cognitively challenging. Staff receive advice and training on how to support bilingual students in the classroom, and individual and group support for EAL learners is provided on a regular basis.

“ The school provides varied and plentiful opportunities for students to become involved in junior leadership roles. Students on 16—19 study programmes present excellent role models and mentoring behaviours to young pupils.” Ofsted