Learning Enrichment Department
Learning Enrichment Policy
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June 2016
King’s College School
Learning Enrichment Policy
1) Introduction – Principles and Objectives
Learning Enrichment at King’s exists to help all pupils achieve their learning potential, whether or
not they have a specific learning difficulty or disability.
We believe that naming our learning support department Learning Enrichment, stresses the notion
that support must, and should, be available for all pupils during their time at King’s. The need for
support may be short-term, as a result of absence or a difficulty with a particular subject, or longterm for those with a disability, a specific learning difficulty or simply a less conventional learning
style.
In Learning Enrichment, we attempt to preserve and develop our pupils’ self-esteem and motivation.
We also aim to encourage a desire to learn by not simply responding to a learning difficulty in terms
of remedy, but by enhancing learning and using the pupils’ stronger skills to support and develop the
weaker skills.
Learning Enrichment helps staff to develop an awareness and understanding of specific learning
difficulties. It supports staff to gain an understanding of different learning styles and helps with the
implementation of differentiated teaching to maximise the learning potential of all pupils.
We believe that if all pupils are to achieve their full potential, they must have total access to
the curriculum.
The Learning Enrichment department operates with an “open door” policy for pupils, staff
and parents.
This Policy is intended to address the relevant recommendations of the Equality Act 2010, the new
SEN Code of Practice (2014), the Children and Families Act 2014 and related documents and
legislation, as well as the guidelines outlined in the School’s Accessibility Policy.
This policy is placed in the Staff Handbook, is available on KLP, the School’s website and sent to the
Chair of the Education Committee. It is reviewed annually.
2) Staff Responsibilities
The role and the names of the staff with specific responsibilities within the LE [Learning Enrichment]
department are:
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The Governing Body – The Education Committee
JS Deputy Head (Pastoral) – Mrs Hilary Morren (HJM)
SS Deputy Head (Pastoral) – Mr Rob Milne (RM)
Head of Learning Enrichment/LE Teacher/SENCo – Mrs Lies Goodchild (ELG)
LE Teacher/LE Co-ordinator – Mrs Anna Tingle (ACT)
LE Teacher – Mrs Lucinda Charlesworth (LC)
LE Support Assistant – Mrs Carolyn Hickey (C.Hickey)
3) Admissions
For detailed information please see the Admissions Policy on the King’s College School website.
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4) School Examinations
The Senior School prepares pupils to sit public examinations for the General Certificate of Secondary
Education [GCSE], the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE – iGCSE), General Certificate of Education
[GCE], the International Baccalaureate Diploma [IBD] and follows the regulations and guidance relating
to Candidates with Particular Requirements, as specified by the Joint Council for General Qualifications
[JCGQ] and the International Baccalaureate Organisation [IBO].
Examination concessions in Public Exams
As a recognised centre for public examinations, the School is obliged to provide historical evidence
of the candidate’s needs and will also be required to show how these needs have been recognised
and met throughout the pupil's school career.
Candidates, who have a disability, a specific learning difficulty or learning enrichment needs, may be
entitled to Access Arrangements or Special Considerations for public examinations following
consultation with the School’s SENCo (ELG) and the Head of Examinations [HoE].
Parents of candidates who may need such special arrangements will be required to agree to and
submit their son or daughter to a formal assessment by a recognised practitioner, whose
qualifications are recognised as valid for the purposes of the assessment by the JCGQ, the CIE and
the IBO. The written report must be made available to the School and be valid at the time of the
examination for which special arrangements are being claimed. Reports need to be submitted to the
LE teacher at least four months prior to the examination(s) taking place. Candidates studying for
the IB Diploma will need to have a valid report by the autumn term of the Lower Sixth Form.
It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that formal assessment reports are kept up to date,
however the LE department will endeavour to remind parents when a report needs to be updated.
For candidates with physical disabilities and/or medical needs special arrangements can only be put in
place if supporting evidence from a specialist consultant has been provided to the school.
Any candidate, who during the period leading up to exams or during the examination period
encounters a physical or emotional disability, may be awarded special arrangements after discussion
with the Head of Examinations, and in consultation with the appropriate Unitary Awarding Body
[UAB] or the IBO. A request for special considerations may also be made to the relevant UAB or
the IBO, by the school on behalf of the candidate, following the guidelines as set out by the Joint
Council JCGQ, CIE and the IBO.
The IBO, the JCGQ and CIE regularly update their guidelines and instructions regarding access
arrangements and special considerations. The Exams Office and Learning Enrichment (LE) will make
every effort to keep parents informed of these changes.
The LE Office can be contacted via email: ELG@kcs.org.uk and the Exams Office can be contacted
via email: Exams@kcs.org.uk
Internal exams
During the course of internal assessment of pupils, the School will seek to provide special
arrangements for pupils who have Learning Enrichment needs, which are similar to those required
for public examinations.
Pupils with Learning Enrichment needs write their internal exam papers in the Learning Enrichment
group, which is led and supervised by the LE department. Pupils will be given their individual exam
timetable and will be monitored very closely, to ensure that all needs are being met. Special exam
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laptops, or PCs, will be provided for those candidates who require word-processing facilities in their
examinations.
5) Exam-LE Laptop Policy
We acknowledge that the use of laptops is an integral part of learning. However, the use of
laptops/word-processing facilities in examinations requires the following:
1. A formal assessment by an educational/medical specialist (not a letter from a GP) of
an educational/medical need.
2. The use of a laptop/word-processor is the normal mode of working.
3. Formal approval of this exam arrangement by the School’s SENCo.
Regular use of a laptop or word-processing facility, without the SENCo’s approval, does not
constitute a “normal mode of working”. This Exam-LE laptop policy reflects current JCGQ
requirements with regards to the use of word-processing facilities in examinations.
6) Curriculum, Targets and Integration Strategies
In order that pupils with Learning Enrichment needs have full access to the curriculum, they follow a
fully integrated teaching programme. This means that pupils are supported to participate fully in the
class curriculum and the School’s pastoral system. In addition, where deemed appropriate, the LE
teacher will provide lessons on a one to one basis or in small groups. Support may also be given in
class.
Pupils are encouraged to explore and develop learning strategies and techniques which enable them
to fulfil their potential.
After consultation with the pupil, his, or her, parents and appropriate staff, the pupil will be given
appropriate strategies to support his or her specific learning styles and/or learning needs. These
strategies are recorded in the pupil’s lesson-plan. In addition, an individual pupil profile (IPP )is
prepared for each pupil and this is made available to all staff via the school’s data-base.
To ensure that the individual learning needs of our pupils are identified at the earliest opportunity,
the Learning Enrichment Department assesses all pupils when they first arrive in the school.
Feedback from assessments is communicated with Heads of House (Senior School) and the Heads of
Section (Senior and Junior Schools). In addition, subject staff carry out a number of timed
assessments during the course of the academic year to identify any pupils who struggle to
communicate their knowledge and ideas both in writing and orally, under time constraints. Concerns
are passed on through the normal channels of communication.
7) Education Committee
After liaison with HJM and RM, Learning Enrichment will write an annual report to the Education
Committee. At regular intervals, LE will deliver a presentation to update the committee on progress
and developments within the department.
8) Senior Management Team
In the Senior School, the Head of LE meets fortnightly with the Deputy Head – Pastoral, to discuss
any LE needs arising from causes for concerns which have been brought to the attention of the
Deputy Head – Pastoral. In addition, the Head of LE meets half-termly with the Heads of House (SS),
the Academic Deputy and the Head of IB and weekly with the Head of Middle School.
In the Junior School the LE teachers meet fortnightly with the Deputy Head – Pastoral and the
Heads of Year to discuss any causes for concern regarding Junior School pupils and weekly with the
Headmaster and the Deputy Head – Pastoral regarding pupils for whom there are significant pastoral
concerns.
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9) Parents
Parents are encouraged to work in close partnership with the Learning Enrichment Department. If a
parent has a concern about the academic progress of his/her child, the School encourages the parent
to make contact with the tutor in the Senior School or the form-teacher in the Junior School.
10) Pupils
All pupils are encouraged to approach the Learning Enrichment Department for help and advice via
the “open door” policy. In addition, our pupils are formally introduced to Learning Enrichment
through their screening programmes and Learning Enrichment’s participation in the School’s PHSEE
programme.
In the Senior School LE study- groups, for specific year groups, are scheduled before school.
When it is agreed that a pupil would benefit from some additional support outside the classroom,
the LE teacher, will arrange one to one support lessons, at a convenient day and time. In the Senior
School individual LE support lessons can only be scheduled outside the pupil’s timetabled lessons. In
the Junior School, individual LE support lessons are scheduled, on a rota basis, during non-examined
subject lessons or during assembly time.
It is a principle of the LE Department that a pupil is consulted at each stage of the decision making
process.
Attendance of all LE support is recorded on the School’s data-base, which is monitored very closely
by Heads of House and tutors (in the Senior School) or Form Teachers (in the Junior School).
11) Staff
Learning Enrichment informs and updates Tutors (SS), Form Teachers (JS), Heads of House (SS),
Heads of Year and Subject Teachers on an on-going basis via pupil files on KIM and face to face
meetings and twice termly LE-Update bulletins.
Learning Enrichment provides regular staff training through whole school Inset-training programmes
and the provision of LE training during individual subject departmental meetings.
Learning Enrichment participates actively in the Induction Programme for new staff. All new staff
have at least one training session allocated to LE, where they meet with the LE staff in the LE Office
and are introduced to the working of the LE Department. Great emphasis is given to the use of LE
information; the importance of security and confidentiality of all LE information, where and how this
information can be found and how this information should be communicated with parents, pupils,
colleagues and other professionals.
The Learning Enrichment Department has similar involvement in the support of the School’s trainee
teachers.
New staff in the Learning Enrichment Department participate in the whole school induction
programme and receive continuous support from the Head of Learning Enrichment on a day to day
basis and regular one to one training sessions.
12) Reporting
The Learning Enrichment Teachers maintain regular contact with the parents of pupils receiving
support from Learning Enrichment as and when appropriate, to discuss progress, evaluate specific
targets and to allow parents to share their concerns.
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Parents are also invited to attend an end-of-year review meeting with their son’s, or daughter’s, LE
teacher. A written report, or email, may also be sent to parents at the end of the academic year or
on completion of LE support.
13) Transfer
The Learning Enrichment teachers will closely liaise and co-operate with other schools or
universities, when pupils leave the School and transfer to other forms of education.
Confidential papers, such as Educational Psychology reports, will only be transferred with written –
a letter, not email – consent from the parents or the pupil (if over the age of eighteen).
Updated: August2016
ELG/ACT/LC/HJM/RM
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