SEND Provision

Social competency in English takes about 2 years to develop in newly arrived EAL students. However, academic language proficiency takes between 5 and 7 years to catch up with their native speaker peers. For this reason, we offer a 6 week academic writing course. This covers the main strands of writing skills needed for cross curricular success. Writing to: inform, explain, describe, argue and persuade. Further to this High Quality Teaching methods are used to differentiate the curriculum according to need. 

'We are learning how to write in different styles.’

'I have learned lots of new words, and can use connectives to develop my writing.'

At The Hurlingham Academy we are huge believers in the power of reading to changes students’ lives. In order to gain the maximum benefits from reading, students must be masters of decoding and comprehension. Our Fresh Start reading course is a daily reading programme for students to ensure that their reading skills quickly get up to scratch.

Over one million children in the UK have some kind of speech language and communication needs. We do extensive work with our students in this area. We are now screening students who show some of the signs of this form of need. We will then run individual, tailored interventions in the following areas: 

• Vocabulary Enrichment Programme
• Narrative Intervention Programme
• Reading Between the Lines: Teaching Children to Understand Inference

The programmes we use have been recommended to us by Paul Mann, the lead Speech and Language therapist for Hammersmith and Fulham. Paul also works with us regularly as our local specialist Speech and Language Therapist.

If you suspect your child has speech and language delay take a look at the following link:

http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/

You will be asked a number of questions about your child which will giving you a guide as to whether further investigation is needed.

There are many students who struggle with their handwriting, and for many reasons. This can impact heavily on their achievement, as they find writing physically difficult, or perhaps their teachers and ultimately examiners cannot read it.

This year we are extending the reach of our interventions to run 6 week handwriting sessions, using Morrells Handwriting workbooks. These books are graded from Level 1 to Level 7.

 Some reasons for handwriting difficulties are:

• Learning  new script
• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia
• Dysgraphia

We have a dedicated team provide support for students in their mainstream classes for those with Additional Educational Needs. We are all graduates and between us, and between us are experts in most areas of the curriculum.

While they are attached to classes with students who have an EHCP, they are there to support all students with Additional Educational Needs.

'I get help in lots of subjects. It really helps me to focus and get my work done.'

'The help I get gives me confidence, and helps me to improve my levels.'

'The support I get helps me to concentrate in lessons, and sometimes when I don’t hear instructions the first time they explain it to me. It keeps me out of trouble because I know what to do.'

We recruit highly academic Learning Support Assistants who want to develop their skills in education, and eventually move on to become teachers. They bring with them energy, enthusiasm and a real desire to make a difference for our young people.

Our dedicated LSAs also provide a homework support club for our EAL and SEND students to ensure they do they know exactly what to do. They help students to understand the tasks, decode any difficult language 

'It gives me the confidence I need to be more independent doing my homework. It also helps me to understand what to do.'

'When I don’t understand my homework I can ask.'

'It helps me to organise doing my homework, and to get it in on time'

Students with Special Educational Needs are assessed to see if they can have Special Exam Access Arrangements in line with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations. There are a number of assessments, and possible outcomes. These outcomes need to be the student’s regular way of working across the school. 

• 25% extra time
• A reader pen
• A reader
• A scribe
• A lap-top 

Franklin Scholars is a fantastic social enterprise that helps schools create mentor programmes that allow their pupils to grow and flourish.14-15 year olds are paired with 11-12 year olds to help support the learning of these bright young stars. We helped to revamp their brand, create worksheets, workshop cards and a booklet to help the mentees record their learning outcomes and journey throughout the process.

The Hurlingham Academy has only been part of the enterprise since Sept 2015, but it has already proven highly successful are settling our Year 7s, and giving our Year 10s a forum for helping improve outcomes for their younger peers.

'Franklin Scholars have helped me a lot. My behaviour has been better. I really like my mentor, he helps me a lot and I have learnt a lot.
Year 7'

'Franklin Scholars is fun and helps me communicate with other people. My mentor likes working hard and I do too!’
Year 7 '

'Franklin Scholars is teaching me how to teach others and how to make use of my knowledge. Because of the programme, I have developed my communication skills and I have learnt that I find happiness in helping others.
Year 10'

'Franklin Scholars has made me feel mature and realise that I can control my future.
Year 10'

For lots more detail about the work of Franklin scholars please visit: http://www.franklinscholars.org/

Students with Additional Educational Needs, who are not making expected levels of progress due to either academic or pastoral reasons are often attributed a key worker to acts as mentor. Students meet with their mentor regularly to look at areas of strength and discuss their difficulties. The mentor seeks feedback from teachers, and goes through assessment feedback, offering advice about what to do and how to improve. 

'I like having a mentor. I can talk to her about my lessons and improve my work.'

'When I make mistakes I can talk it through with my mentor. I have learned a lot about how to get on better with my teachers and what to do to stop myself getting in trouble.'

'I get more one to one time, and more information about 6th Form and advice about what to do.'

Circle of Friends is an 8 week course run during tutor time. Through group discussion, role play and written and drawing activities, the students acquire skills and knowledge in the following areas: 

• What is a good friend?
• Why are friends important?
• How do I make friends?
• What activities can friends do together?
• Friendship problems and solutions
• My friendship action plan

The supportive and nurturing environment works especially well for Year 7 students and often, at the end of the course, the students have formed strong friendships. 

'It has helped my become more confident.'

'I liked being part of the group as I made new friends'

'I know what to do now when I fall out with people.'

We are looking to extend the intervention to support students who are having problems with friendship groups, and or their learning and progress, by providing a supportive network of friends for them within their year group.

This is one of our newest groups, run over 8 weeks during tutor time. In today’s world it is very important that young people know how to stay safe, keep healthy and be happy. Madam Bryan works through lots of different scenarios with students, who then use discussion, role play and written activities to acquire knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• Identifying risk
• Being safe
• Understanding emotions
• Healthy body, healthy mind
• Positive relationships
• Being assertive 

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is important if students are to make good progress. Some students struggle with the boundaries imposed by the school to ensure that classrooms are safe places for all of our students to learn; and that the focus is on making progress. As a result, our Key Stage Coordinators run interventions aimed at nurturing the following:

• Self-esteem
• Emotional self-regulation
• Use of appropriate register
• Making positive choices

Our students’ emotional wellbeing is very important to us. We have recently made a link with the Tavistock and Portman Foundation, who provide a counselling service one day per week.

Students are revered to counselling for a number of reasons including

• Bereavement & loss
• Trauma
• Relationship difficulties
• Depression

We are hoping to extend the service with further counselling provision as time moves on, and look forward to student and parental feedback about the service.

If the need is substantial, we refer the student to the Child and Adolescent, Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for more rigorous assessment and consequent treatment.