Learning Support
Special Educational Need
The SEN Resource Base is an integral part of the school. It caters for up to 42 students in Years 7 to 11 with Statements of Special Educational Need for moderate learning difficulties.
The students taught in the Resource Base receive their English and Maths lessons in small teaching groups of between 6 and 13 students. The rest of their curriculum is delivered in Mainstream teaching groups with support from Learning Support teachers or teacher assistants. The provision for each student is based on the stipulations of their Statement and reviewed annually.
Additionally there are students with Statements of Special Educational Need for Specific Learning Difficulties, Physical Disability and Autistic Spectrum Disorders who follow a wholly Mainstream curriculum. These students too are supported by Learning Support teachers or Teaching assistants to ensure inclusion and accessibility.
Key Stage 3
In Years 7, 8 and 9 students follow parallel courses, suitably differentiated, to Mainstream groups in Maths and English. The students are taught by a Special Needs teacher throughout KS3.
Key Stage 4
In Years 10 and 11, Maths and English are both taught at Entry Level by a Special Needs teacher. The opportunity to follow GCSE courses in Maths and English is available for those students who make sufficient progress. Furthermore, an established KS4 programme offers students opportunities in BTEC, ASDAN, ICT, Science, RE and NVQ, all suitably differentiated, and provides our students with a full set of qualifications to prepare them for further education, training or employment after Year 11.
Key Stage 5
For students who qualify for post 16 education opportunities, support can be continued to encourage both their independence and their continued education.
Asdan Cope Level 1
Cope stands for Certificate of Personal Effectiveness. To gain the qualification you need to complete a range of practical, life enhancing and work related challenges. You will be responsible for planning, organising and carrying out these challenges, evidencing your work in a portfolio.
Cope enables you to gain valuable life and work experience, providing a good basis for further qualifications and an introduction to the world of work. These are particularly the skills that employers have said they want from young people. Cope at level one is equivalent to a GCSE grade D-G.
Edexcel BTEC Explorer Introductory Certificate
BTEC Explorer is an introductory award in Vocational Studies. This is a practical, work related course that offers a variety of topics to cover. You learn, and gain the qualification by successfully completing projects and assignments that are based on realistic work situations, activities and demands, which is evidenced in a portfolio.
This course prepares you for the workplace, and offers a good basis for further advanced work related qualifications. BTEC Explorer is equivalent to four GCSE grades D-G.
