Learning Support Department Vision

For all students with SEND to make progress academically, socially and emotionally. To achieve progress students will be supported through quality first teaching and specific intervention suitable for their needs.  Student level of need will be gauged through testing for literacy, numeracy and based on previous information from primary settings and parents.
Simon Backhouse
SENDCO

All of our students have a right to a broad, balanced and relevant education regardless of their levels of attainment, whether they're from minority, ethnic and faith groups, have physical disabilities or have other learning, social or emotional need.

Inclusion is core to our learning support. Students learn more from an expert subject teacher, in the classroom, with their peers. Therefore, most of the Learning Support takes place in lessons through quality first teaching. In addition to this, some students may receive additional help from a Teaching Assistant in the classroom. The Teaching Assistant’s role is to support with reading, writing, organisation and understanding at the direction of the teacher. 

If students require additional provision or support, a separate session will be timetabled. These sessions are usually designed to support with a specific learning need, for example reading skills. These sessions take place in our Learning Support Department which has a suite of rooms that are designed to allow staff to work individually or complete group work with children in a calm and purposeful environment. 

The Learning Support Unit is made up of an experienced team of Teaching Assistants and each member of staff has a specialty. They are focused on enabling our students to become independent learners and part of the mainstream classroom. Our specialties include:

  • Literacy support

  • Numeracy support

  • Social skills support

  • Emotional support

Take a look at the Local Offer for Special Educational Needs at The Thomas Alleyne Academy.

The Hertfordshire Autism Quality Offer aligns with the SEND Quality Offer - Hertfordshire’s statement on high quality provision and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The Autism Quality Offer describes the special educational provision that settings are encouraged to have available for children and young people who have autism or social communication needs and includes links to resources and training available to settings across Hertfordshire.