Additional Support for Learning Department

The Support for Learning staff, primary transition specialist teacher and school support assistants, play a very important role in the life of pupils and their parents and school staff.

Here are some of the ways in which we are involved:

Acting as consultant both formally and informally, to individual members of staff on all aspects of pupil learning, especially with regard to the appropriateness of the curriculum and assessment, the suitability of text materials, methodology and classroom organisation. 

Consultation is offered to:

• Pupils and parents
• Teachers and departments
• The Management team within the school.

This is where the subject teacher and the Support for Learning department works with a class of pupils.

The Support for Learning teacher can help promote a variety of learning experiences:

• Group work
• Paired Reading/Reciprocal Reading
• One-to-one

Subject teachers and the Support for Learning teacher work together to provide a "curriculum for all".

The Support for Learning teacher is a link between the school and other agencies offering information and help to individual pupils.

They liaise with:

• Educational Psychologist
• Speech and Language Specialist
• Hearing/Sight Impaired Specialist
• EAL Teacher
• Social Work

The Support for Learning Department works very closely with Behaviour Support and the Pupil Support Department within the school.

The Support for Learning Department, primarily the Primary Transition Specialist teacher are involved with Primary liaisons, where visits are made to feeder primaries all year. Primary profiles and attainment data are drawn up on identified pupils who are transferring to Hamilton Grammar School and how best to meet the needs of the new cohort of pupils.

The Support for learning teacher provides specialist support for pupils experiencing difficulty in mastering the early processes of language and numeracy.  This can take the form of a small group situation or one-to-one tuition.  Some of these pupils may have an Additional Support Plan.

Assisting in staff development of colleagues, eg Reciprocal Reading, Fresh Start, Give Us a Break, Literacy Pathway.

Any enquires for Additional Support for learning should be sent to Ms Walker at gw11walkercaroline@glow.sch.uk