Support for Learning

The Support for Learning Policy in Locharbriggs is based on the Education Committee policy which specifies that:

• Children with mild to moderate learning difficulties should be educated in mainstream schools with appropriate support.
• Children with significant physical disability should, where possible, be educated in a mainstream school.

The needs of the individual child are to be the prime consideration in the implementation of policy. It is our philosophy to see each child as having individual educational needs. Additional resources to support learning are held in school and are made available for use with all pupils. We aim to ensure that by a collaborative approach involving class teachers and support for learning staff every child’s maximum potential is realised.

Where a pupil’s progress is giving cause for concern the class teacher and  Support for Learning teacher will discuss the nature and the level of support required. Support may take place in class or in the support base; with a group, or on an individual basis.

A variety of support strategies may be used:-

• Specific assessment to identify the difficulty.
• Working in a different group in class.
• Allowing more time to complete tasks.
• Individual learning tasks in class.
• Peer support
• Working in smaller learning steps.
• Simplifying aspects of language in specific curricular areas.
• Asking parent to help by reinforcing specific learning at home.

Any concerns will be discussed with you as parents and you will be kept informed of your child’s progress.

Dumfries and Galloway is committed to the well-being and educational development of all learners. The process of inclusion requires all involved in the business of learning and teaching to demonstrate commitment, innovation and flexibility in order to ensure that all children and young people have access to quality learning opportunities and experiences.

The Authority attempts to meet the needs of all children with additional support needs through a range of provision from mainstream classes (with or without support) to part- time or full- time provision in a school with a learning centre or base.

It is generally recognised that approximately 20% of children may have additional support needs at some time, which are likely to range from mild and intermittent difficulties through to those which are more complex or they may have multiple factors proving to be barriers to their learning.

The Additional Support for Learning Act introduces a new framework for supporting children and young people in their school education, and their families.  This framework is based on the idea of additional support needs. This new term will apply to children and young people who, for whatever reason, require additional support, in the short or the long term, in order to help them make the most of their school education.

Children and young people may require additional support for a variety of reasons and may include those who:

• have motor or sensory impairments
• are being bullied
• are particularly able or talented
• are looked after
• have a learning difficulty
• are living with parents who are abusing substances
• are living with parents who have mental health problems
• have English as an additional language
• are not attending school regularly
• have emotional or social difficulties
• are on the child protection register
• are young carers

This school has developed its own policy for additional learning support within the framework of the Council Policy and a copy can be made available on request. The additional resources for support for learning in this school are:

• Support for Learning Teacher
• Support for Learning Assistants
• Visiting Specialists

Individuals and groups of children work with our Support for Learning Staff, usually in the classroom. However, pupils can occasionally be withdrawn for one- to- one tuition or assessment purposes and an Individualised Education Programme can be created for specific targets. Sometimes a pupil will have a Co-ordinated Support Plan if several agencies are working together to meet educational objectives for an individual child or young person