Academic Support (SEND)
Academic standards are high at the College and the norm is that students will sit eight plus GCSEs and three A-Levels. GCSE and A-Level results provide clear evidence of the quality of teaching and intervention.
St Columba’s College, which has a roll of just under 800 students in the prep & senior school, are supported by a small Special Educational Needs Department.
The College has a number of students who present with needs such as hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical difficulties, social and emotional needs, amongst others, as would be found in most secondary establishments.
The main presenting need is dyslexia which is primarily met by quality dyslexia friendly approaches in teaching, as well as differentiation within the classes taught. All teachers are fully appraised of the learning needs of each student and updated as appropriate. Most needs are met by quality first teaching. A number of students in the early stage of their school career have no special assessments but may require support in adjusting to the demands of the school curriculum and pace of learning. Once those skills have been cemented, support is withdrawn. There are currently no children with Educational Health Care plans in place.
The Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) provide in-class support as needed dependent on the overall assessment of the individual student’s needs. Individual withdrawal from classes is not commonplace as the LSAs support teachers’ work contextually.
Subject clinics are available during lunch break to which students are directed, but they can attend voluntarily should they feel they need further support, to clarify any misconceptions they may have, and to build confidence in academic competencies.
Some students require support on a practical level to address management of schoolwork, meeting deadlines and apportioning time correctly, which aid in responding positively to the school’s working patterns and homework schedules.
In cases where individuals do not progress significantly quickly to the provision, in any of these areas indicated, short bursts of intensive, targeted, intervention are strategized, and time scaled.
The College will consider reasonable adjustments to provision on an individual basis.
SEND takes its responsibility to respond pastorally to any child’s emotional welfare as part of its commitment to their overall well-being and its commitment to safeguarding.
Parents are expected to cooperate with, and act upon, the SEND advice and strategy determined by the Department.
