There is no narrowing of the curriculum for scholars with additional needs, nor is there lowering of expectations. The school is relentlessly ambitious for all scholars and expects all scholars to meet the school’s very high standards. Some scholars will need more support than others to meet these standards, however, and the school varies the level of support on offer to scholars according to their prior educational experiences, additional needs and disabilities and academic progress.
SEND scholars are not withdrawn from certain subjects in order to receive learning support because this is counterintuitive. Nobody ever caught up by falling further behind.
In addition to the bespoke, personalised support offered according to scholars’ Education, Health and Care Plans, the following support is in place to help SEND scholars make rapid progress at AGFS:
- Bespoke reading interventions (e.g Lexia and Fresh Start tutoring) during morning reading time for scholars who are reading significantly below their chronological reading age.
- Classes with high numbers of scholars with additional needs are taught by the school’s most experienced teachers. These classes are often smaller in size.
- Scholars who have fallen most behind in English and mathematics are taught in classes of no more than 20 in Year 7 and Year 8.
- Seating plans ensure that vulnerable scholars are sat closest to the teacher and receive assistance first in class.
- The school’s approach to independent learning provides opportunities for ‘over-learning’ of important terminology and subject content; this is a key support mechanism for scholars with dyslexia.