Staff

Mrs Sarah Rigby, Head of Learning Support
Ms A Godwin,  Learning Support Teacher

Supporting Learning Needs

The School aims to provide as much assistance as possible for the learning needs of individual pupils, and to this end, Learning Support has become part of the teaching and pastoral fabric of the School. Early identification of learning difficulties is a priority; screening takes place for all pupils on entry to the School and, where necessary, this is followed up by mentoring and advice from the Head of Learning Support and her assistant.

All staff are encouraged to be aware of all of the pupils’ learning needs and to be sympathetic to different modes of learning. All pupils with a specific learning need will have an Individual Learning Profile containing recommendations and guidance for teaching staff to follow. Differentiation takes place within each lesson to accommodate the specific needs of each pupil and individual support is also offered, where necessary. The School has contact with external specialists who provide supplementary consultation and support.

A further strand of our work aims to enhance the learning experience of girls who have English as an additional language (EAL). Given the highly cosmopolitan and multicultural focus of the School, it is sometimes appropriate to supplement individual girls’ studies with English tuition from a language expert, whilst maintaining the breadth of their curriculum.

Staff INSET sessions in each of these areas ensure that staff in all disciplines are informed of current issues and are able to implement
good practice.