Supporting Need

Every child has the right to the very best education, and yet no two children are the same. This week at school, teachers have been starting the process of getting to know each individual in their class, including their strengths, challenges and ways of learning.

Difference is both inevitable and deeply valuable. At BNIS, we believe and know that children learn best alongside and from one another. If teachers or parents feel like a child has additional education needs (AEN), the Inclusion Team’s first step is to check in with the High Quality Teaching (HQT) strategies used in the classroom. If we can meet the needs of the child as close to the learning point as possible (ie. in the classroom alongside peers) then we are setting all children up to be confident, resilient and independent learners.

HQT is about implementing a wide range of teaching strategies that can be implemented according to the needs of the individuals in the class. These strategies are plentiful, some common ones include breaking learning into smaller steps, using visuals, or allowing extra thinking time. We often find when we implement a strategy for certain children, many other children in the class benefit from the same strategy.

If we feel a child still is not making the progress that we would expect, the Inclusion Team may then implement some short, targeted sessions to work on specific skills or concepts. The Inclusion Team works alongside class teachers, teaching assistants and specialist inclusion assistants to make sure that when children do get extra support sessions, the aim is always to build independence and confidence, rather than create separation. It is also important to note that extra support is flexible - it may be needed at some stages and not at others in your child’s learning journey.

We keep a close eye on every child’s progress in the school. Teachers are doing this on a daily basis, and there are also three points in the year where the Senior Leadership Team, the Inclusion Team and class teachers meet to review the progress in reading, writing and Maths of every child. If we find a child needs more support, we follow a clear cycle where we assess what the child needs, make a plan, implement the plan and then review it.

If, after giving your child time to settle into their new class, you have any questions about helping your child thrive, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.