The teaching staff as a whole are responsible for the differentiation and implementation of specific SEND targets and learning resources, including laptops and speech to text. The staff are guided by the SENCO, Mrs Vanessa Whitehead, who works alongside teachers and pupils in the classroom.
The Learning Support Department can offer one-to-one teaching by a specialist trained SEND teacher, who offers an individual curriculum to those children who require teaching that is additional to and different from their classroom provision. The Learning Support Department has a small teaching classroom with a variety of multi-sensory teaching resources and games as well as computer aids and voice recognition software.
The learning support follows the SEND Code of Conduct 2014 and implements the Graduated Approach of assessing the needs of the SEND, planning for the specific needs, implementing the learning strategies and interventions, and reviewing regularly all teaching strategies, interventions and the well-being of the children.
The Downs Malvern offers diagnostic assessments of children to assess a child’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result of this assessment, an Individual Support Plan (ISP) is produced to guide the teaching staff in the best teaching strategies and interventions to support a child. There is a weekly Pupil Meeting for teachers to talk through individual children and learning needs as they arise and also to review strategies that have been implemented on the ISPs.
A visit is warmly encouraged to get a feel for our provision, understanding of specific needs and the best fit for your child.
Learning Support Coordinator - Vanessa Whitehead