How is extra support allocated to students?
Role of Subject Teachers in Identification:
Subject teachers are expected to formally assess student progress at least once per half term. Subject teachers will work with their SENCO to identify students making less than expected progress given their age. Teachers will be expected to provide intervention in the first instance for any student that is falling behind. This is adapting their teaching to provide high quality teaching tailored to the gaps in the student’s learning with clearly differentiated work meeting the needs of the student(s) in question. This may involve use of additional time such as enrichment time. Where progress continues to be less than expected, the class teacher should discuss interventions with the SENCO. This usually involves compulsory, supported enrichment sessions outside the class teaching or short-term supported withdrawal within the School day focusing on a specific skill area. Throughout the intervention processes, the SENCO/subject teacher should communicate their plans for intervention.
Throughout this process, every effort should be made to communicate with the student and their family what support is available and why it is being provided. This should be over and above the progress reports sent to parents every half term.
Involving Parents/carers:
If a concern persists regarding a student’s lack of progress, a meeting will be held with parents/carers to discuss the concerns and decide together what actions would be most appropriate to support the student. Actions might include personalisation within lessons, support from a Teaching Assistant in some lessons, or asking advice from specialists and acting on it. At Falconer School, we appreciate that parents/carers are experts on their own children and so we always listen carefully to their views and plan together. Students themselves are also asked about any difficulties they are having and what sort of support they feel would benefit them, and their views are
also listened to and taken into account.