Additional Educational Needs

Additional Educational Needs

All children are valued, respected and welcomed to the school whatever their additional educational need. We will support their learning and ensure they are fully included in all school activities, making full use of externally provided facilities where appropriate.

St. Thomas’ Catholic Primary School has been awarded the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark. Staff are regularly trained to ensure they are meeting the needs of the children. You can read more about dyslexia by clicking on the link below.

 

Gifted and Talented

We aim to ensure that children who display exceptional gifts and talents are provided for. Every year, the children with exceptional gifts and talents are identified by members of staff as well as their families. This process enables the school to ensure that provision is in place to challenge and enrich the learning of this group of children. The school works to offer a variety of enrichment opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom, and aims to harness and develop the gifts and talents that our children display.

 

Speech and Language
Individualised programmes submitted by a Speech Therapist assigned to this school which is delivered by our teaching assistants. These are for children who have been referred, by the school or by a medical professional, to be assessed by the Speech and Language Therapy Service. These programmes can include speech sound production, language development and social skills, depending on the child’s needs.

 

EAL - English as an Additional Language
This is for children who have a first language other than English and may need further intervention with their English language understanding in order to aid their academic development..

 

SLS – Specific Literacy Support
This is a small group intervention program that focuses on phonics, spelling, handwriting and further speech and language development. These multi-sensory sessions are led by Mrs Bentley and Mrs. Apsey and are based on specially written teaching material.

 

Wordshark and Numbershark
These are computer based programmes which help reinforce spellings and maths skills. Wordshark is a complimentary programme to SLS which is tailored to a child’s individual reeds. Children included in SLS support will also be accessing Wordshark.

 

Toe by Toe
This is a highly structured multi-sensory individual reading programme which is specially designed for children diagnosed as having specific learning difficulties.

 

Emotional support
This intervention is accessible to all pupils who may be experiencing difficulty with some aspects of home/school life e.g. a family bereavement which may impact on their school life.

 

Fine motor skills
Fine motor skills are vital to the development of many competencies in young children. Activities are divided into sections focusing on warming up, hand and finger strength, manipulation and eye-hand co-ordination. Clever Fingers and Take Ten programmes are used together with scissor skill activities and fun and games which are delivered.