LEARNING SUPPORT AT JUNIOR KING’S
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Who are we? “Every teacher at Junior King’s is a teacher of SEND.” The Junior King’s Learning Support Department has a team of very well-qualified learning support teachers with specialist qualifications, overseen by a Head of Learning Support who sits on the Senior Management Team. Our Teaching Assistants support our delivery of booster groups or additional interventions. Some are employed by parents to work one-to-one with a student.
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Junior King’s and SEND Please see our SEND policy on our website (www.junior-kings.co.uk), which is reviewed annually. It follows best practice guidelines, according to the SEN Code of Practice and Equality Act. We also have an Accessibility Plan, which is renewed every three years. Our teachers receive regular training and support in meeting the needs of all learners in the classroom (quality-first teaching). We run a range of interventions for those children who may need an extra boost in an area of learning, e.g. Lexia, Talkabout, touch-typing, Fizzy, Drawing and Talking, emotional literacy support, etc. We offer small group or individual learning support sessions if we feel that a student needs this – up to 2x30 minutes. If a student requires a level of support that is above what most students require (and usually with a diagnosis), they would be placed on our SEND register – these are students who need this support in order to make progress. Many of these students will have a provision plan, which is reviewed three times per year. Where external agencies are involved, the student will usually be on the SEND register. We work with NHS and private providers in terms of specialist support. We also share a dyslexia register with staff – some of these students may or may not have a diagnosis. Some dyslexic students may not need extra support as such, beyond differentiation in class and awareness of their learning profile. Dyscalculia is also included on this register.
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We also keep a monitoring list, on which there will be students that staff need to be aware of due to a diagnosis, or because of their learning profile. Some students may need regular mentoring check-ins, rather than learning support lessons. We aim to include teachers, parents and the pupil (where relevant) in the provision we offer, so that we are all working together to achieve the best outcomes for the child. We work closely with the Academic Deputy, the Pastoral Deputy and the Health Centre team, including referrals to the school counsellor. We are forever strengthening our links with the Learning Enhancement Department at the King’s School. This is crucial for a smooth transition for our pupils, and we liaise closely with a range of future schools to make sure students are fully supported, whichever school is the right one for them. Supporting them and preparing our students for their next steps is a high priority. We will always be honest in terms of whether we can meet a prospective pupil’s needs.
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We will always try to make reasonable adjustments where we can. We celebrate neurodiversity and recognise that some of our students with impressive potential may find some areas of learning more challenging. We see it as our role to help them be the best they can be, so that they feel confident and happy. Some of our top academic performers are children with SEND.
Common questions about learning support at Junior King’s I am worried my child is finding an aspect of learning particularly difficult, what should I do? In the first instance, always discuss this with the form tutor or at parents’ evenings with teachers who will know your child well. Do feel you can contact the Head of Learning Support, too, if you have concerns. I feel I should seek an assessment for my child, what should I do? Please talk to us first! It is very important that we work with Educational Psychologists or other specialists; it is also very important that they are suitably qualified. Reports that are presented without any liaison with the relevant educational establishment are not always valid.
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A laptop has been recommended for my child, but I am worried they will lose the ability to handwrite. Can this happen? We are adding guidelines about laptop use in our renewed SEND policy. A student may be advised to start using a laptop from about Year 5 onwards for a range of reasons. Senior schools would expect a student to be competent in terms of typing by the time they start with them. For exam use, laptops have to become a student’s normal way of working, so if it is thought to be better for a student to use one, please do not worry about handwriting being affected, as this skill is pretty much entrenched by the time a laptop would be recommended. I am worried that there is a stigma attached to students who have learning support, is this right? Absolutely not. Probably around one third of our students have some kind of support during their time with us. A lot of work is done in PSHE, through assemblies and through our school values generally, to promote a sense of positive inclusivity.
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What are exam access arrangements? We follow best practice guidelines in terms of exam arrangements and make necessary adjustments, including extra time, word-processing, rest breaks, etc. Please note that for public exams, such as the Kent Test or music exams, a report from a suitably qualified assessor is required as evidence and this has to be seen as their normal way of working in school. We advise that parents should not obtain a report without liaising with the Learning Support Department first. What can I do to support my child? Be positive, but also realistic. Set clear boundaries and consequences for them. Put their wellbeing and happiness first and work towards them developing more independence. Above all, love them!
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Junior King’s Milner Court Canterbury, Kent CT2 0AY www.junior‑kings.co.uk
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