Special Educational Needs
At Our Lady and Saint Peter RC Primary School we aim to offer excellence and choice to all our children, whatever their ability or need.
We have high expectations of all children and ensure they are included in all school activities.
However at some point in a child’s education they may require extra support to ensure they achieve to their full potential.
Below is some brief information about the various additional programmes we deliver to support all learners, where appropriate.
Speech and Language
This is an individualised programme planned by the schools allocated Speech Therapist which is delivered by one of our teaching assistants. The programme is for children who have been assessed by the Speech and Language Therapy Service and can include speech sound production, language development and social skills depending on the particular children’s needs.
EAL (English as an Additional Language)
This is for children who have a first language other than English. The programme may target vocabulary or understanding relevant to the child’s age and allow them to be fully included in the school environment.
Toe by Toe
This is a highly structured multi-sensory individual reading programme which is specially designed for children diagnosed as having specific learning difficulties.
RM Maths
RM Maths is a computer programme than gives pupils 15 minutes of individualised Maths support a day. As the programme can be set at different levels it can be exactly matched to a child’s ability meaning it is suitable for those children requiring extra support to achieve the desired level or for those children identified as gifted and talented.
Amber Room
Amber Room sessions are based on Emotional Literacy strategies and are designed to help children understand their feelings and why they behave as they do. The sessions are also designed to teach the vocabulary to express themselves in different situations and deal with negative emotions. The sessions are carried out by two specially trained Teaching Assistants.
Teaching Children Talking
This programme is designed to complement the work of the Speech and Language Therapy Service and is designed to raise standards in speaking and listening in Early Years and Year 1.
Early Literacy Support
This is a programme designed to support those children in Year 1 who require a more individual targeted approach in reading, spelling and writing to achieve the appropriate attainment at the end of Year One. The programme is run in partnership by the Year 1 Teacher and Teaching Assistant .
Additional Literacy Support
This programme is designed for those children in Year Three who need to revisit key objectives from Years 2. The aim of the intervention is to accelerate the progress of children who need additional support beyond the literacy lesson. The programme covers spelling, reading and writing and has a strong focus on developing independence.
Lexia Reading and Spelling Programme
This is a computer based programme that allows children to acquire the essential reading skills needed to succeed in school and in life. The programme can be tailored to meet the individual children’s needs and allows them to reinforce spelling and reading strategies.
One to One Tuition
This is a government-funded initiative to help children gain more confidence and understanding in English or mathematics. It is designed for the pupils who would benefit the most, it complements classroom teaching by addressing barriers to learning that are personal and particular to each child meaning each programme is tailored to meet each individuals targets and requirements.
Circle of Friends
Circle of friends is an approach to enhancing the inclusion, of any young person (known as ‘the focus child’), who is experiencing difficulties in school because of a disability, personal crisis or because of their challenging behaviour towards others.
The ‘circle of friends’ approach works by mobilising the young person’s peers to provide support and engage in problem solving with the person in difficulty.