Special Educational Needs

Arthur Mellows Village College Special Needs Department

Welcome

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to the work of the Special Educational Needs Department at Arthur Mellows Village College. We hope that this information paints a picture of what we, as a department, believe in and what we do day to day.

If you would like to discuss any of the information provided or anything concerning you, about the start for your child at the College, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

As a department we are united in the belief that every child, regardless of academic or physical difficulties, has the right to participate in and enjoy every aspect of College life. We believe that our day to day work supports this belief.  We will work in partnership with parents, staff and students to make this belief a reality.

We are a united department who strongly believe in a team work approach, not only with each other, but also with you. If you have any concerns about any aspect of special needs work then please do not hesitate to contact us at the College. We can assure you of a warm, understanding response.

The department continues to grow. The current structure is outlined below:

I am responsible for every aspect of Special Needs work within the College, from administration and record keeping to classroom courses and support.

The Learning Support Assistants are involved with the day to day care of individual Special Needs students and their range of activities and skills stretch far beyond the classroom.

The Special Needs Department works alongside the Key Stage 4 Inclusion Team, Heads of Year and the Pastoral Team. Our work is overseen by Dave Kennedy, Assistant Headteacher.

Classroom support is through a dedicated team of Learning Support Assistants and for Year 7 we try to ensure a consistent adult is available in the majority of lessons. There are always members of staff from the SEN Department available at break and lunchtimes in the SEN/Inclusion area. This can be found where the Maths and Modern Foreign Languages corridors meet.  Break and lunchtime clubs also run for students with additional needs who would prefer not to be outside, in what can be quite a busy environment.  Please let your child’s keyworker know if your child would like to be shown where these areas are.

Communication with yourselves is through a ’10 Day Report’, similar to the primary IEP. This report will be completed by your child’s keyworker and outlines a number of areas for you, including three targets your child will be working towards. Targets are currently being discussed with your child and the first report showing these targets is attached.

We also issue a ‘Red Book’. This is your direct communication with the LSAs in the classroom and yourself. Please remember your child may read its content so it would be best to telephone with a message about any more sensitive issues. Extended homework explanations will be recorded in this book to support both you and your child in understanding the tasks set.

Some students will require more intensive Literacy support. We undertake a comprehensive screening program in the first weeks involving reading and spelling assessments. A combined reading, spelling and Key Stage 3 Progress Unit course is then provided, amounting to 10% of a student’s curriculum time (6 lessons over a 10-day timetable). The course is operated on a withdrawal basis. Students are withdrawn from a range of subjects, but never more than twice from any one subject area. We believe that withdrawal from lessons is justified by the fundamental need for good literacy skills and that these impact on the entire curriculum.  More information regarding these sessions will be sent out to you shortly. Lessons will also begin imminently.

Paired reading with a Sixth Form reading buddy will also commence shortly, as will ‘Kick Start’, our sensory circuit sessions. All students with additional needs are invited to these, although it is not compulsory to attend. Letters will be sent to you by the lead LSAs running the activities with more information.

We hope that you will have found this information useful as an introduction to our work with your child and we look forward to working closely with you over the next course of their time with us.