Senior School Learning Support

Monkton’s Learning Support Department reflects the ethos of the school in its care for individual pupils and supporting them to thrive.  The department is situated in pleasant rooms in the centre of the school and is staffed by three qualified teachers.  Pupils with additional learning needs, such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, are taught in weekly individual sessions.

During these lessons Our focus is on ‘metacognitive’ learning strategies, which is an approach that encourages pupils to become more self-aware learners that can choose useful strategies for a task and then reflect on what works best for them. This approach is a feature in all of our Learning Support lessons so that pupils with diverse needs can become more independent and confident learners. Alongside direct intervention, there is an emphasis on the use of technology to assist with independent learning.

The skills of all students in Year 9 are screened soon after entry and where the results of those tests suggest specific difficulty further screening will be carried out.  More in-depth assessments are then carried out by the Head of Department where necessary and particularly where exam access arrangements are required.

Information about pupils with additional needs is shared with teachers and where specific strategies are necessary Individual Learner Profiles (ILPs) are drawn up so that these strategies are accessible to all staff working with those pupils.

The Learning Support department manages assessment of exam arrangements for all pupils and works closely with the exams office to ensure these arrangements are available in all public exams.

The Head of Department is available to speak to prospective parents as they visit the school and also at Open Mornings.