Learning Support
Seaford is a mainstream school that provides for dyslexic students better than any other school of its type. It has a dedicated Learning Support Centre where students receive the latest tuition on a one-to-one basis, using the latest teaching methods.
Students invariably succeed beyond their wildest dreams, attain excellent grades and go on to further education, much the same as their peers.
The Learning Support Centre is situated in the centre of the campus in a brick and flint building called ‘The Cottage’. It is currently staffed by nine teachers, three of whom are full time, and all of whom are specialists in dyslexia.
The majority of students come to Learning Support for one lesson each week. A maximum of two lessons is sometimes offered to those students with greater needs. However, the Cottage is available to them if ever a problem arises.
Most of those students who visit learning support have dyslexia. Some also have dyspraxia, dyscalculia or other forms of Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD).
A current educational report is extremely useful in helping us assess whether we can offer all SpLD students sufficient support so that they can thrive and succeed in the wider school environment provided by Seaford College.
On arrival Screening tests are given to all students on arrival to check for any difficulties or possible signs of dyslexia. These tests assess each student’s skills in reading, comprehension, spelling and maths. Parents are not routinely contacted regarding the results unless there are any significant scores.
The results from these tests also help the Learning Support teachers to design a programme for each of the students they will teach. Again, a current educational psychologist’s report is invaluable and will also save time in creating a suitable support programme.
Communication with subject teachers is excellent. The Learning Support team produces a Pupil Profile each year, which contains a brief report on each student with known learning difficulties. All members of teaching staff have access to this document and it is the starting point for continued discussions on how best to support our students.
Long-term support - Learning Support students are given a wide variety of strategies to help them succeed in their studies. Dyslexia is not a barrier to exam success and most achieve excellent results at GCSE and at ‘A’ level. Seaford College offers a full range of core subjects. We also provide a great range of creative options at GCSE, and many pupils with dyslexia are extremely successful in these areas.
The support mechanism remains throughout their time at the College. If it is decided that a student no longer needs regular lessons, he or she can return if they encounter difficulties; and they are encouraged to drop into the Cottage for help.
N.B The teachers in Learning Support are all qualified dyslexia specialists. Pupils with Asperger’s Syndrome, ADD and ADHD are not specifically supported and will only be offered places in exceptional circumstances.