Learning progress is different for every student. Each child’s educational journey is personal and shaped by their individual strengths, needs, interests and areas for development. 

Our aim is to recognise these differences while maintaining high expectations for all students. We are committed to providing the appropriate support and opportunities for each student to develop their skills, confidence and independence and to achieve their potential.  

We believe that this works best when students, families and staff work together, with the child at the centre of the relationship. 

Individual Targets and Feedback 

Students who receive individual support in the Learning Centre will work with Learning Support staff to identify and agree on individual learning targets. These targets will be shared with parents in October. 

We will provide an initial review of these targets and feedback on Learning Support sessions in December. A second review with feedback from progress in Learning Support sessions will be shared in April. During the parent meetings, you will also have the opportunity to speak with Mrs Tsilimbari about KS3 students or Ms Pantoulia about KS4 and IB students. We aim to increase the opportunities for you to receive feedback from learning support progress and we thank you in advance for your trust and respect while we are working closely with students during the school day to help them develop their skills and potential.  

If you have concerns about your child’s learning, or feel that they may have an underlying learning need, please contact us. You do not need to wait for a formal assessment or diagnosis before getting in touch. 

Early identification and intervention are important, as they allow us to understand a student’s needs sooner and work together with the student, family and teachers to put appropriate support and strategies in place. Addressing concerns early can also help students develop effective strategies before difficulties become more significant. 

Examination Access Arrangements 

Some students may be entitled to access arrangements during examinations. For examination boards, relevant assessment evidence needs to be sufficiently recent. 

If you have been contacted to provide the School with an updated assessment, please make sure that this is shared with the Learning Support Department within the requested timeframe. Receiving reports at the beginning of the academic year allows us to carefully review recommendations and, where appropriate, put arrangements in place for lessons and mock examinations. This also gives students the opportunity to become familiar with any arrangements and establish them as part of their normal way of working well before their final examinations. 

In addition to any relevant professional assessment, examination boards require schools to provide educational evidence of need. This means that we need to build a clear picture over time of how a student’s needs affect their learning and assessment, and what support they normally use in school. Early identification and appropriate support therefore help us to maintain accurate records and ensure that applications meet examination board requirements. 

It is also important that examination access arrangements are considered carefully and individually. Their purpose is to remove or reduce the disadvantage caused by a student’s identified needs. Arrangements are therefore based on evidence of need and the student’s normal way of working, rather than simply on a request for a particular accommodation. This helps us to ensure that arrangements are fair, appropriate and consistent for all students, while supporting each student to demonstrate their knowledge and skills as independently as possible. 

We look forward to working closely with you and your children throughout the year and supporting them to become confident, independent and successful learners.