Learning Development

The Directorate is dedicated to developing the learning of all students. To this end it is responsible for or closely involved with a number of College wide initiatives:

• Students are encouraged to recognise and understand their own learning styles with a view to developing independent learning skills.
  
• All classes are seated in boy-girl seating plans.
  
• Transferable study skills are reinforced in both tutorial time and across the curriculum.
  
• All students are assessed on entry, using Cognitive Ability Tests, the results of which are shared with staff, students and parents to allow for a recognition and development of potential.
  

Homework Club

This is open every day in the Library and is run by Support Staff. Students of all ages and abilities attend and the supportive environment enables them to gain in confidence and self-esteem while developing independent learning skills. In addition to the College library, resources include increased access to ICT, scanning and photocopying facilities.

Spelling Booklet

All Key Stage 3 students are issued with a Spelling Booklet as part of their Student Organisers. Contents include strategies to ensure successful spelling, together with subject word lists for useful reference. The final section is a Personal Spell Well in which students record any spellings with which they have experienced difficulty.

In-Class Support

Support Staff work in mainstream classes alongside individual or small groups of students to help them increase in confidence and progress within the National Curriculum. Following assessment and monitoring, students with learning difficulties may be placed on a Stage of Assessment. Their progress is reviewed regularly and short term targets are set as part of an Individual Education Plan. Students who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs have an additional Annual Review to ensure their particular needs are met.

Support with Basic Skills

Students requiring support with basic skills attend twice weekly sessions. These allow them access to small group work in addition to the Integrated Learning System Successmaker, a computerised system that offers individualised literacy and numeracy programmes.

Gifted and Talented Education

The College Gifted and Talented Policy ensures that all students of high ability are identified and provided with support that enables them to achieve their full potential both within and beyond the curriculum. Students with very high overall ability are invited onto the Gifted and Talented Education Programme, while students with a subject specific ability or talent are identified within departmental Gifted and Talented policies. All students are monitored on a regular basis by Form Tutors, a two way process intended to maximise progress and encourage independent learning skills, whilst ensuring the students’ emotional well being.

Additional activities are organised during the year when students are given the opportunity to consider a topic or issue in depth, often with the stimulus of outside speakers and the challenge of a final presentation. Well developed contacts have been established with a range of universities and annual visits take place allowing students to consider the possibilities available post-18.

How parents can help

Parents can be of immense assistance with their child’s basic skills. Reading with an adult for ten minutes every day will improve reading and parents can help students reinforce good practice when learning spellings (the Look, Cover, Write, Check method is recommended). Support and encouragement will also help them establish good homework patterns, such as organising their time effectively and setting aside a quiet place to work without distraction. The use of ICT for research and homework is encouraged.

If you would like to know other ways in which you can support your child’s learning, please do not hesitate to contact the Learning Development Directorate.

The Special Educational Needs Policy is available in the College for parents who wish to read this.