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The King's School

The King's School Founded 1545

Achievement for All

Skills for Learning

Mrs P Farrand
 Head of Skills for Learning
All students learn in a variety of ways, and have different areas of strengths and difficulties. Within the Skills for Learning department we aim to support students to ensure that they have the necessary skills to access the curriculum at an appropriate level, across the spectrum from those with additional learning needs to those who are gifted or able in specific areas.

Firstly, if we identify your child as needing additional support, please do not worry. Many students will benefit from our support at some point in their school career. Some may need a very short term intervention to remediate a specific difficulty; others may need a longer term more intensive type of support.

Whatever your child’s learning needs, we aim to keep you informed, so that you can help us in supporting them. If you feel worried or concerned about your child’s learning needs, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss the ways in which we can help.

The department is made up of two teachers, together with a dedicated and very highly experienced team of Teaching Assistants, who work both in-class or in the Skills for Learning department, where they deliver specific interventions. Our aim is to support students to access the curriculum at a level which is appropriate to them, and to encourage them to become independent learners.

Students who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will be assigned a keyworker TA who will regularly meet the student set regular short term targets and liaise with both parents/carers and teaching staff.

Assessment and identification

In the summer term of year 6, a member of the Skills team visits the feeder primary schools to gather information about students who have additional needs. In induction week and in the first half of the autumn term the students carry out a range of assessments including cognitive, reading and spelling tests. This information, together with KS2 SATs allows us to build up a learning profile of the students and  to identify both strengths and weaknesses. We also assess reading and spelling annually throughout KS3.

How can we help?

This list is not exhaustive, but will give you an idea of some of the types of difficulties we support

  • Literacy difficulties
  • Specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia, dyspraxia, organisational difficulties)
  • Social, communication and interaction difficulties
  • Study skills

We provide support by

  • In-class support
  • 1:1 teaching
  • Small group work
  • Coursework support
  • Social skills group
  • Short courses
  • Alternative curriculum