St Edmund's
Learning Enhancement department
St Edmund’s School aims to enrich and extend the learning of all pupils in accordance with the SEND code of practice and recent JCQ legislation.
Learning Enhancement Department reflects the ethos of the school in its care for individual pupils. The Department is a highly trained, dedicated, friendly and caring team of specialists who work closely with subject teachers. We provide a learning environment and structure that supports the abilities of each individual pupil, encouraging their strengths or areas of interest and supporting any specific learning needs.
An enhanced learning profile is created for every pupil that joins us. When necessary, pupils are assessed and our specialist team puts support into place. We identify pupils with learning needs at an early stage and support them in a way that builds their confidence and self-esteem. With the right intervention at the right time, we know that all pupils can enjoy the rigours of academic life.
Support
Pupils with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, are taught in weekly individual sessions. We provide support to pupils over and above that which is provided on a day-to-day basis in the classroom by the teacher. The need for support may arise from a learning difficulty and/or disability, from academic under-achievement, or from literacy, numeracy, attentional, language or emotional support requirements.
We use a graduated approach using the four-part cycle: assess, plan, do and review. This involves carefully identifying a pupil’s needs and working with pupils, parents and staff. We then monitor the effectiveness and impact of support.
We offer:
· Small group or 1:1 English skills
· Small group or 1:1 maths skills
· Small group or 1:1 study skills
· Organisation Club
· Social skills
· Mentoring
· Study skills workshops
· Screening tests and Access Arrangements (AA) assessments
· Access to specific adapted materials and equipment
Able, Gifted and Talented
St Edmund’s School has extensive provision for Able, Gifted and Talented (AGT). This begins with identification. The status and profile of all AGT pupils is shared with staff, pupils and their parents. This forms the beginning of an ongoing, supportive dialogue between parents, pupil and school.
We firmly believe that challenge is the driving force of teaching. Only by giving pupils plenty of opportunities to stretch, challenge and express themselves will we be able to fuel an appetite for knowledge or inspire deeper study.
Many varied learning opportunities are available for AGT through our academic enrichment and co-curricular programmes. The progress of our AGT pupils and cohorts is monitored closely, including at termly pupil progress meetings.
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for making my A-level experience and exams enjoyable and something to look forward to (which I never thought I’d say!) I definitely do not think I would have done so well or been so happy to show up if it wasn’t for your relaxed and calm nature about my exams. You really helped me and supported me with your help, advice and confidence in me. You are leagues beyond any other special needs help department I’ve been involved with! I will definitely miss all the encouragement at university. Upper 6th pupil
Teacher Profiles
Miss K. Howard
Miss K. Howard
Specialist Dyscalculia Teacher and Individual Learning Coordinator
As a specialist in Maths interventions, Katherine is a force to be reckoned with in the classroom. She is well known for being able to scaffold tricky topics into small steps, and has an excellent record in boosting pupils’ confidence. Katherine’s role includes working in an intervention capacity with underachieving Lower and Middle Fifth pupils.
Katherine says” My teaching is focused solely on individual learning, and I ensure there are several activities appropriate to each learning style. I try to relate Maths topics to real-life scenarios. For example, the other day I turned the Maths classroom into a supermarket so the students could calculate the best buys for each item.”
Ms A. E. Bensberg
Ms A. E. Bensberg
I have been part of St Edmund’s School since September 2013 when I joined as Head of Additional Needs. I haven’t always been a teacher. I have a Politics degree from the London School of Economics and I worked as a political lobbyist before making a career switch in 2005. After teacher training, I completed a postgraduate qualification in dyslexia teaching and assessment and a Master’s degree in Education at Canterbury Christchurch University.
I am motivated every day by seeing our pupils respond to the possibilities that come from learning, and working with teachers who inspire through intense passion for their academic subjects. I am particularly interested in learning styles and metacognition. Our young people are individuals; teachers who inspire know that teaching a class is like cultivating a garden. When pupils are supported to learn to be the best, and believe in themselves, they can truly reach for the stars!