Student Support & InclusionA fully inclusive school aims to remove all barriers to learning to enable all members of the community to achieve their full potential by providing a challenging and appropriate curriculum and offering a range of appropriate targeted interventions to support all students and staff. There are several specific strands that work together under the umbrella of Inclusion, particularly SEN [Special Educational Needs], EAL [English as an Additional Language] and Mentoring, but it is imperative that Inclusion remains a whole school issue. Much of the necessity for pupil support can be avoided by a prevention rather than cure ideology – fostering resilience in students, promoting and rewarding good behaviour, monitoring attendance for example – and these strands should be developed alongside interventions. For example, training and supporting English teachers to teach dyslexic students within the class or providing opportunities for Gifted and Talented students to face really challenging work and appropriate extension tasks to avoid disaffection will mean many barriers will automatically be removed. Current specific support provision for studentsMost students will be catered for by level one support, which is usually short term, low level support, and can often be sought and used by the student themselves. Support for students at level 1 The Learning AdviserThe learning adviser sees children regularly, will often have a good level of communication with parents and will be one of the most important people at recognising students who present as being at risk. They can offer support themselves through; Circle time One to one meetings Communication with parents/ carers They can seek informal advice from their head of year, or to another member of staff who they feel may have relevant expertise
Peer MentorsWhat is peer mentoring?
Peer Mentoring in a school context means older students providing support to younger students. The purpose is to offer support of encouragement, friendship to lonely or isolated students. To help build confidence and self-esteem, and promote a more positive participation in school life. Training & Certificates
All peer mentors have received a day of training produced by Childline, focusing on: Communication, body language, problem solving, supporting others, listening skills and confidentiality. They have all received Childline certificates and have been presented with a peer mentor badge. They support students in Y7 and Y8 some have been approached by the younger students asking for help and support, or just to say “hello”.
Support & Participation
Our Peer Mentors are on hand to support the Y6 entry to the Academy, including their Induction Day and Taster Day as well as other school programmes. Some of the Peer Mentors attended the 2006 launch for Anti-Bullying Week which explored issues of bullying through debate, drama and music workshops. Its very likely that bullying will be one of the main issues our Peer Mentors will have to deal with. Our Peer Mentors are from Year 10 & Year 11 Peer mentoring is based in room U36. Attendance officerEffective first/ second day calling may reduce pupils at risk because of low attendance/ punctuality. Research has shown that the sooner interventions are put in place, the sooner barriers can be removed. This post is currently vacant. School nurse/ health visitor We currently have a school nurse (Pat Ali) who offers one day a week ‘drop in’ centre. This needs to be promoted much more, especially as part of the teenage pregnancy strategy. It would be excellent to develop this role further, particularly in light of current teenage pregnancies, and have a community health worker for an afternoon per week for students, maybe even a surgery for parents concerned about their children. Fostering high levels of communication in studentsShowing students how to communicate their feelings and express their emotions productively can be fostered through many curricular areas, particularly PSHE and Drama. Integrating EI across the Academy will have excellent connotations. Information about outside agenciesPromoting outside agencies that can offer support should be introduced more frequently into assemblies, PSHE time etc. Samaritans, Childline, Brent Connexions etc Parental SupportFostering good communication with parents that notifies of positive behaviours as well as raising concerns about negative can help quickly alleviate student problems. Staff need to be redirected to looking at the ‘contacting parents’ policy in the staff handbook Support through playDeveloping strategies to support girls at break times, by providing ‘safe’ areas to play, or sit quietly Students at a level 2 of risk require specific planned time bound interventions, which can be monitored. At this stage, an official referral will be made by Heads Of Year to the relevant area of support, and a key worker appointed. Level 2 intervention supportLearning MentorLearning mentors provide a targeted, time bound programme, usually lasting half a term with chance to extend, which focuses on removing the barriers to learning. Initial consultation should include learning adviser, parents and student, with gathering of information from subject teachers and, where appropriate, assessment from SEN specialists. Referrals by HOYs and KS Directors. Occasionally by self referral. Girls’ groupRun by learning mentor department, this offers a chance for girls who may be experiencing difficulties to meet and share their problems at lunchtimes Brent Positive FuturesAn alternative in school mentoring group for Year 7, and some year 8. Students referred for individual and group work by HOY Year 7 and 8. Needs to feedback into system Global GraduatesMentoring initiative for targeted year 9 students who are significantly underachieving at all levels. Needs monitoring CarrillionTargeted mentoring for year 11 pupils who are disaffected and might need alternatives to ‘normal’ educational routes. Windsor FellowshipTargeted mentoring for (mainly) African Caribbean boys – sessions after school. Needs monitoring, and to be able to feed effective strategies into system Black Male forumTargeted support for black boys Teaching AssistantSupport for statemented students or students at school action plus Core group supportTargeted withdrawal of students with specific barriers to learning, focusing mainly on students with low literacy and numeracy, for long term programmes. It is envisaged this role will increase across all year groups, with manager of core group working closely with English and Maths CALS to develop appropriate differentiation. EAL supportCurrently working on two levels; to provide support in class, and to withdraw specific small groups. Further work needs to be done on role of EAL - ConnexionsCurrently working with KS4 with priority given to students at level 2, to provide information on careers, Further Education, alternative educational provision etc Boys2MenAfter school club for students referred by Social Services Level 3 students include all statemented students, and students at serious risk of exclusion and disaffection. Level 3 support will involve outside agencies and specialist services.Structure of Pupil Support Learning Mentorsfunction as integral part of pupil support role is to receive referrals from HOYS and Directors of Key Stage, develop a target based, time bound programme review progress at set intervals and document progress communicate strategies and successes to all staff liaise with parents as named key worker to provide support for PRU Lead Learning Mentor line manages other learning mentors, and is in turn managed by Head of Inclusion
Learning Support AssistantsTo support students who have a statement To support students at SA+ where appropriate To work with teacher to support smaller groups within a classroom (to leave teacher to work with a range of groups) Capital City Academy has some funding for LSA from statemented students
There is a serious need to recruit high calibre, committed Learning Support Assistants, who have at least some idea of ‘good’ educational practice. A review of recruitment procedure is needed. There needs to be training in place and a review of salary. There also needs to be staff training on how to work with Learning Support Assistants. Monitoring needs to be put in place to ensure they are being effective. LSAs are currently line managed by the SENCO To develop…Teaching Assistants Staff attached to particular curriculum areas whose role is to; Develop resources within a department Provide cover for a department Provide support for the teacher by withdrawing students, taking small groups etc
This role would suit someone wanting some experience of teaching before embarking upon a career in education, or a teacher who no longer wants the responsibility of a full time class room role. Line managed by CAL SENCOIn charge of special needs provision for SEN/ EBD students at SA+, and for statemented and looked after students Responsible for cascading good practice to other staff Supporting curriculum through in class support Supporting curriculum through withdrawal of core groups To be developed…the current SENCO focuses almost entirely on teaching and supporting he core groups in 7 and 8, and offering specific support to humanities. It is envisaged that this becomes a specific role, and that a new role is created for whole school SEN and EBD, with more of a focus on cascading best practice LSU staffTo provide short term, intensive programmes for students at serious risk of exclusion To assess needs and provide relevant literacy and numeracy support To provide anger management and behaviour remodification programmes To monitor re-entry into mainstream lessons To provide staff with strategies for supporting pupils
At least one other SEN teacher should be recruited to offer specialist literacy support and allow the LSU to be fully staffed at all times (at the moment, it is only part time due to other teaching commitments of member of staff). To be line managed by VP Pupil Support School counsellorTo develop… To help train peer mentors To provide drop in centre at given time for self referral To increase provision to provide bereavement counselling (1 out of 6 of all students in the PRU have experienced bereavement in the last three years)
School nurse/ health worker To develop… EALTo provide targeted withdrawal support for beginners in English To monitor and support reintegration of students To work with English at their request offering specific support and guidance To develop whole school EAL policy
To be line managed by VP Pupil Support ReferralsA rigorous system of referral is needed to ensure students gain access to the relevant services, and are constantly monitored whilst they are at a higher level of risk Referral to level 1 supportSelf referral - students seek out teachers/ students/ counsellor etc Class teachers alert learning adviser through email Referral to level 2 supportAny one can suggest a referral is needed by alerting HOYs who will assess request HOYs can refer to Learning Mentors, other mentoring groups Attendance officers can refer to EWO/ HOY Subject teachers can refer students for in class support to SENCO Subject teachers can refer to core group through SENCO Subject teachers can refer to EAL support through EAL department At this point a keyworker must be appointed, whose role is to ensure that progress is monitored, and the right sort of provision is being made. The key worker can be LA, HOY, Learning Adviser, Director of KStage, other mentor. This will work in conjunction with the normal pastoral system of sanctions/ reward Referral to level 3Any one can suggest a referral is needed by alerting HOYS Referral to all specialist agencies will come after consultation at Intervention meetings, and will usually involve a concensus from HOYS, Directors, Brent Exlcusions officer, EWO, SENCO, EAL.
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