Learning Support

As part of the school’s commitment to the Every Child Matters agenda, the Learning Support and Inclusions Faculty strives to support the ongoing work towards securing high standards in the five areas:
• Being healthy
• Staying safe
• Enjoying & achieving
• Making a positive contribution
• Social & economic well being
 

Visual Impairment Specialist Resource

The Visual Impairment Specialist Resource enables visually impaired students to access the curriculum alongside their sighted peers. Specialist staff (Learning Support Assistants and teachers) produce adapted materials and provide in-class support for the visually impaired students, according to their individual needs.

The Resource base is now sited in the East block of the school where we have rooms for preparation of materials and teaching. Three stair lifts enable students with mobility difficulties to  access the Resource. In addition, two lifts in the main school building allow those students to access the main floors in the school.
 

Learning Support & Inclusion

The Faculty of Learning Support and Inclusion comprises seven department teams: the Learning Support Department; Visual Impairment Specialist Resource; Pastoral Support Unit; Designated Special Provision for Moderate Learning Difficulties; Ethnic Minorities Action/English as an Additional Language Department; Learning Mentors and B.E.S.T. Most of these have been accommodated since September
2002 in a purpose-refurbished suite of rooms.

Elsewhere the Learning Mentors Team operates from a base in a quiet area of the school, and B.E.S.T. occupies the former Premises Managers bungalow close to the Faculty. The Special Educational Needs Department at Crown Woods School supports students to achieve their potential. The school’s SEN policy currently under review, reflects both the revised Code of Practice, published in January 2003, and developments in inclusion policy at Crown Woods.

Although it is no longer a requirement of the Code that the school maintain the SEN Register, it was decided to continue with what we see as a valuable tool for assessing the scale of the school’s SEN task, and for providing all staff with important information.

In June 2008 there were over 250 students on the SEN Register, 61 of whom had statements of special educational needs; 90 were at Action Plus and over 110 at Action.

The Designated Special Provision for students with moderate learning difficulties and the VISR aim at maximum integration into mainstream classes. The progress made by the students during recent years has been especially pleasing.

The on-site Pupil Referral Unit supports students experiencing behavioural difficulties, by offering amended timetables and a small group learning environment.

The B.I.P./B.E.S.T. (Behaviour Improvement Project/Behaviour and Education Support Team) team of professionals from a range of disciplines work with the school to provide a greatly enhanced support network for students experiencing various difficulties.

With well over 40 languages represented within the school, the EAL team concentrates on the induction of new students and supporting students towards end of KS3 and KS4 exams and assessments.