Support for Children

Our Most Able Students

Like all comprehensives we have the full range of ability amongst our students. We cater for their various needs by providing a range of different teaching approaches, using a variety of teaching materials and setting in some subjects. Each year we have students who achieve the highest grades at GCSE level. Many go on to university after college or 6th form courses. We have a well developed entitlement for our most able students that provides additional opportunities within and outside the curriculum.

The school currently makes provision for the most able students through:

Access to our own independent 6th Form, Longley Park

The Early Outreach Scheme at Sheffield University
University engineering and medical science outreach courses
Links with other Universities including Sheffield Hallam
Targeting and mentoring support
Study Skills aimed at GCSE’s and beyond
Additional GCSE’s
Setting in some subjects
Learning Conferences
After school classes
Extension activities and special projects for example in Music, Art, Technology, Drama, Dance, as well as other subjects
On-line learning

We also offer a programme of extra-curricular activities for students of all abilities including the very successful Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. This is the largest and most successful of its kind in Sheffield.

Children with Special Needs

We believe that all children will have ‘special needs’ because all children are individual, but some children need more help than others with certain kinds of work. We have a team of specialist teachers with the resources to help individual children with their reading, writing and number work. There is also a special course for those children who have some reading difficulties.

The school has rightly gained a good reputation for its work with students who have difficulty in learning.

The school keeps close links with the Education Psychological Service, special needs support teachers and special schools to make available a comprehensive and expert support for students and parents.

The Code of Practice implemented by the Department for Education states that “the needs of all students who may have special educational needs either throughout, or at any time during their schools, must be addressed. These children require the greatest possible access to a broad and balanced education, including the National Curriculum.”

In the majority of cases these needs will be met by the subject teacher in consultation with the special needs area, in providing carefully differentiated teaching within his or her normal classroom.

However, there may be students who at some stage of their education may need to be withdrawn from their mainstream teaching group and receive specialist help from the special needs staff. At Stage 2 of the Code of Practice, a student may receive help in Corrective Reading, Spelling Mastery, Basic Number Work. Students with special needs will have an Individual Education Plan that is designed to address their particular needs.