Scoil Bhride Tullamore

Learning support policy
2008

Scoil Bhríde

Tullamore

18524k




This policy has been reviewed in 2008 by the Learning support team. This follows on from the last policy review which took place in September ’06.The ’06 review was conducted by C. Guilfoyle(RTT), D. Sheridan (RTT) and J. Healy (LST).

This review(Aug/Sep ’08) was conducted by J. Healy (LST), C. Guilfoyle R.T.T. and M. Buckley(LS Teacher).



Situation.

Scoil Bhríde is a senior, urban boys primary school. We cater for boys from 2nd to 6th class. We currently have two special needs classes and we cater for boys from many varied backgrounds and cultures, including recent immigrants and members of the travelling community. As of September ’08, we have noticed a surge in enrolments, which has resulted in a number of large mainstream classes. In formulating our school plan, we intend to take cognisance of these factors and it is our intent to provide the highest quality learning opportunities, taking into account these and other factors.
Aims of Learning Support.
The principal aim of learning support is to optimise the teaching and learning process in order to enable pupils with learning difficulties to achieve adequate levels of proficiency in literacy and numeracy before leaving primary school.

The following subsidiary aims relating to the provision of learning support services for pupils with low achievement and/or learning difficulties arise from the principle aim of learning support.
• to enable these pupils to participate in the full curriculum for their class level;
• to develop positive self esteem and positive attitudes about school and learning in these pupils;
• to enable these pupils to monitor their own learning and become independent learners;
• to provide supplementary teaching and additional support and resources for these pupils in English or Maths;
• to involve parents in supporting their children’s learning through effective parent-support programmes;
• to promote collaboration among teachers in the implementation of whole-school policies on learning support for these pupils;
• to prevent/reduce difficulties in learning.






Staff Roles and Responsibilities.


Role of the Board of Management.

The Board of Management has an important role in developing, supporting and monitoring school policy on learning support and special needs.
The Board of Management should:
• oversee the development, implementation and review of school policy on learning support;

• oversee the development, implementation and review of school policy on special needs services in general;


• ensure that adequate classroom accommodation and teaching resources are provided for the learning support teacher;

• provide a secure facility for storage of records relating to pupils in receipt of special needs and learning support services.




Role of Principal.

The principal has overall responsibility for the schools learning support programme and for the operation of services for children with special educational needs. This also involves ensuring that the teachers and parents of pupils who are selected for diagnostic assessment and supplementary teaching are enabled to fulfil their roles as outlined in the school plan
The principal will:
• assume overall responsibility for the development and implementation of the school’s policies on learning support and special needs;

• work with teachers and parents in the development of the school plan on learning support and special needs and consult with class teachers on how they can contribute to the implementation of the school plan on learning-support;

• establish school policies which enable parents and other members of the community to become involved in contributing to the learning-support programme for example, by inviting them to participate in activities such as paired reading , story telling and library time


• monitor the implementation of the school plan on learning support and special needs on an on-going basis;

• monitor the selection of pupils for supplementary teaching, ensuring that this service is focused on the pupils with very low achievement;


• assume direct responsibility for co-ordinating learning-support and special needs services or identify a teacher to perform this role;

• oversee the implementation of a whole school assessment and screening programme to identify pupils with very low achievement and/or learning difficulties so that these pupils can be provided with the support they need;

• keep teachers informed about the external assessment services that are available and the procedures to be followed in initiating referrals;

• help teachers to increase their knowledge and skills in the area of learning-support teaching by encouraging teachers to avail of relevant in-career development and encouraging them to attend courses on matters relating to learning-support and creating an environment where the learning-support teacher can share knowledge and skills with other teachers;

• ensure that class teachers are centrally involved in planning and directing the appropriate learning activities and implementing recommendations in the IPLP of each pupil in their class in receipt of supplementary teaching;

• develop an awareness among class teachers of the characteristics and effects of learning disabilities , the support services that are available and the arrangements that need to be made to meet the needs of these pupils;

• facilitate communication between class teachers and parents of pupils;




Role of Class Teacher.

The class teacher has primary responsibility for all children in his /her class including those selected for supplementary teaching. The class teacher should try to create a classroom where learning difficulties are prevented or at least alleviated. The class teacher should also contribute to each pupil’s IPLP. When supplementary teaching cannot be provided or is being phased out, the class teacher will need to develop a programme for the pupil in question.
The class teacher should:

• implement teaching programmes to optimise the learning of all pupils and prevent the emergence of learning difficulties;

• implement the school policies on screening and selecting pupils for supplementary teaching by administering and scoring appropriate screening measures and by discussing outcomes with the learning support teacher

• collaborate with the learning support teacher in developing an IPLP for each pupil by identifying targets and organising classroom activities to achieve those targets;

• implement appropriate learning activities, especially those outlined in the IPLP, review the pupils progress and contribute to the Weekly Planning and Progress Record;


• adjust the class programme in line with the agreed learning targets and maintain a record of pupils progress towards achieving those learning targets;

• differentiate the class curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils

• participate with LS teacher in a review of each pupils progress at the end of each term and at the end of the school year.


Role of the Class Teacher in collaborating with parents of pupils in receipt of supplementary teaching
• make parents aware of the concerns of the school about their child’s progress;
• outline the school’s practices regarding the administration of diagnostic tests by the learning-support teacher and seek the approval of the parents to proceed with the assessment;
• outline the support available in the school for the pupil;
• indicate to the parents that a meeting with the LS teacher will follow the assessment;
• after the assessment, attend the meeting between the parents and the LS teacher and indicate how the pupil’s class programme will be modified in order to reach the targets set out in the IPLP.
The class teacher should maintain contact with parents and keep them informed of progress. When supplementary teaching is being withdrawn or discontinued, the class teacher should indicate to the parents the arrangements in the mainstream classroom that will continue to support their child’s learning needs.






Role of Learning-Support/ Resource Teacher.

The main focus of the learning support teachers work will be the provision of supplementary teaching to pupils, either in the pupil’s own classroom or in a learning support room .As of September ’08 we have decided at school level to use the ‘One class, one support ‘ Teacher model. We concur with the assertion in the LSG 2000 that the LS teachers’ room cannot be regarded as the most suitable setting for all supplementary teaching. We are giving much consideration to in- class support in an inclusive model. Therefore ,as of Sep. ’08, each mainstream class has been allocated a support teacher to assist pupils with SEN. This Teacher will employ a variety of strategies, including peer coaching, parallel teaching, station teaching and withdrawl, both in groups and individually. This teacher, it is envisaged, will address all SEN, including the areas of literacy, numeracy and language in that particular class. There may be many instances where a strategy may be taught, and an opportunity will be given to show the pupil how it can apply across the curriculum.

The support team will also:

• Assist in the implementation of a broad range of whole-school strategies designed to enhance early learning and to prevent learning difficulties.

• Develop an Individual Profile and Learning Programme for each pupil who is selected for supplementary teaching, in consultation with class teachers and parents.


• Maintain a weekly planning and progress record, or equivalent, for each individual or group of pupils in receipt of learning support.



• Co-ordinate the implementation of whole-school procedures for the selection of pupils for supplementary teaching, giving due consideration to:
? The selection criteria specified in this Learning-Support Policy
? Teachers’ professional observations
? Input from parents

• Contribute to the development of policy on Learning-Support at the whole school level.
• Contribute at the school level to decision making regarding the purchase of learning resources, books and materials to be made available to pupils in their mainstream classrooms and in the learning-support teacher’s room.
• Liaise with external agencies such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists etc… to arrange assessments and special provision for pupils with special needs.
• Collaborate with the principal teacher and meet with him / her at least once each school term to discuss issues relating to the development and implementation of the school plan on learning-support, and to the provision of Learning-Support.
• In addition to providing supplementary teaching to pupils, the learning-support teacher is involved in administering a range of formal and informal assessments and in maintaining records of the outcomes of those assessments. The learning-support teacher may:
? Conduct an initial diagnostic assessment of each pupil who has been identified as having low achievement and / or a learning difficulty, based on results of an appropriate screening measure and record the findings of the assessment in the pupil’s Individual Profile and Learning Programme.
? Monitor the ongoing progress of each pupil in receipt of supplementary teaching in relation to the attainment of agreed learning targets and short-term objectives that arise from them, and record the observations in the Weekly Planning and Progress Record, or equivalent.
? Review the progress of each pupil at the end of an instructional term and record it on the pupil’s Individual Profile and Learning Programme.









Special Needs Assistants
Their duties are assigned by the Principal Teacher in accordance with Circular 10/76:
"Duties and responsibilities of Principal Teachers" and sanctioned by the Board of
Management. Their work should be supervised either by the Principal or by a class teacher.
Those duties involve tasks of a non-teaching nature such as:
• Preparation and tidying up of classroom(s) in which the pupil(s) with special needs is/are being taught.
• Special assistance as necessary for pupils with particular difficulties e.g. helping physically disabled pupils with typing or writing.
• Accompanying individuals or small groups who may have to be withdrawn temporarily from the classroom.
• General assistance to the class teachers, with duties of a non-teaching nature.







Prevention Strategies & Parental Involvement.
Our strategies for preventing learning difficulties include:
? The development of agreed approaches