How we adapt the curriculum and learning environment for children & young people with SEN

At Aycliffe Village Primary and Nursery School our teaching and curriculum is tailored to meet individual pupils’ needs. If appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented and adaptation made. Children may benefit from the following to support their needs:

• Quality First Teaching

• Visual Timetables

• A variety of teaching and learning styles

• Differentiated learning materials and resources

• Access to Technology

• Active Learning Techniques

• Additional support throughout the school day

• Support through – one to one interaction, group activities or whole class work

• Quality Interventions

• Emotional Well Being Programmes

• Support from the School Nurse

• A broad range of extra-curricular activities, including a variety of after-school clubs, one to one support and booster sessions

• Work with external agencies – CAMHS, Speech & Language, Occupational Therapy, School Councillor, Educational Psychologist, EAL Team, EWEL Team.

• Assessment procedures to ensure children are monitored and given the appropriate support where needed.

We can also adapt the curriculum and learning environment for pupils with SEN by:

Some pupils with SEN work with outside agencies to support their special educational need in addition to the support they receive in the classroom. Children with SEN can often work in smaller groups with the teacher or teaching assistant to give them a more concentrated level of support.

When completing work independently, tasks can often be broken down into shorter, more manageable tasks to allow the children to be successful and feel like they can achieve. Where possible we use a more practical approach to learning for those children who have learning difficulties. Laptops can be used in lessons for children who have problems with motor skills and recording and sometimes in English lessons for longer pieces of writing.

Teachers ensure they use a variety of approaches to their teaching. This can include accessing information through animations, video and pictorial sources as well as the written word.

Displays and key words are used in the classroom and referred to in teaching so that children who need this support in lessons know that they are there and this can encourage their independence when completing tasks.

Where necessary, children are given learning aids to improve their independence and learning. We have had children benefit from the use of word banks, coloured overlays when reading; ear defenders to help with concentration; specialist cushions and enlarged print as well as breaks in a session to refocus attention.

More details on how we adapt information, our environment and curriculum can be found in the Accessibility Plan which you ca find in the School Policies section of our website.