Curriculum Support
King Edward’s takes the welfare and academic progress of all its students very seriously, and we aim to recognise pupils who need support so that they can derive maximum benefits from the curriculum.
This includes the many students with a specific learning difficulty or disability. Our aim is to care for and support all such students so they not only flourish socially and emotionally, but also achieve their full potential academically.
Independent Learners
At King Edward's, the aim of Curriculum Support is to help our students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) become independent learners. We use a range of strategies to help them overcome difficulties with learning and school life, while building their self-esteem and confidence.
We cater for all pupils with a learning difficulty. This includes those with:
Communication and Interaction Needs – this includes speech, language and communication difficulties and autism. We provide social skills support for students, delivered by trained staff.
Social, Emotional and/or Mental Health Needs – such as ADHD, anxiety disorders and other mental health needs. Support is provided through ELSA, as well as access to the school counsellor and the wellbeing room.
Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties – such as visual or hearing impairments. Support is provided in collaboration with the NHS, specialist therapists, and Learning Support Assistants.
Cognition and Learning Difficulties – this includes pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Support includes guidance on accessing the curriculum from dyslexia-trained staff.
Individual Focus
The Curriculum Support Department at KES is committed to supporting all pupils with a range of Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities to reach their full potential. This is achieved by identifying and, where possible, removing barriers to learning, while ensuring that pupils remain fully included in a busy mainstream academic school.
SEND Support
Alongside the Curriculum Support staff, we have specialised subject teachers and Learning Support Assistants in the department who offer 1:1 support in the classroom and within the department, depending on availability.
When pupils with a specific learning difficulty apply to the school, we ask that parents or the previous school submit an Educational Psychologist’s report or a medical report confirming their diagnosis. This provides us with information about the child’s difficulty, enabling us to offer the best possible provision once they are at school. We also request evidence of the child’s normal way of working from their previous school.
Pupils with SEND are identified once our professional teaching and pastoral staff have got to know them and understand their potential learning needs, ensuring the best possible outcomes for each child. We manage this through several strategies, including reports from previous schools and concerns raised by teachers and parents. Special educational provision is delivered through high-quality, carefully adapted, and inclusive teaching by trained staff.
Learning Passports are created based on Educational Psychologist reports and discussions with students, and are shared with all staff to ensure everyone is aware of the needs of pupils in their classrooms. Guidance and strategies are provided to teachers on how to adapt the curriculum and learning environment to best support these pupils. Progress is regularly monitored to ensure pupils’ needs are being met or adjusted to reflect their learning journey, and there is ongoing communication between teaching staff, pastoral staff, and the department.
Examination Access Arrangements
Access arrangements are the principal way in which awarding bodies comply with their duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable’ adjustments. These must be approved by JCQ (the Joint Council for Qualifications) at the start of their examination courses, with documentary evidence held on file. They allow candidates with special educational needs, disabilities, learning difficulties, or temporary injuries to access assessments. Access arrangements are put in place to ‘level the playing field’ for disadvantaged candidates.
KES only accepts Educational Reports from our own approved school assessors this is to conform with the new JCQ regulations, please contact a member of the SEN team before you go ahead and book any psychological assessment as we need to support this clearly with our professional teacher evidence first.
Communication
Parents are consulted and kept regularly informed of the recommendations, support and progress of their child. Advice is also sought from a school-approved assessor to ensure all pupils achieve to the best of their ability, despite any difficulty or disability they may have.
Please feel free to email the SENCo or the SEND team if you have any concerns about your child at: SEND@kes.school
