At QEMS we know that not all children succeed in the same way, so we strive to meet all learners’ needs and support them throughout their school experience. We have a highly experienced team who are dedicated to supporting pupils and encouraging them to achieve their full potential.

 

We offer support in the following ways:

 

Pupils who may struggle with the transition from Primary to Secondary school are identified by their Primary school teachers and join the ‘6 T 7’ programme. A group of 20/30 pupils are invited for their own induction morning, where they play games, have a tour round school and do other activities in order to familiarise them with their new school and hence make the transition from Primary to Secondary school as smooth as possible. The most vulnerable pupils will be assigned to a Teaching Assistant (TA) as their key contact so that any problems or anxieties they may have can be dealt with straight away.

 

TAs work closely with subject teachers to provide support for pupils (in years 7-11) within the classroom. The TAs are all highly qualified to meet pupils’ requirements in keeping with statement entitlements and their specific individual needs.

 

On entry, all year 7 pupils undergo a literacy assessment and from this we identify those who may benefit from intensive one-to-one or small group support, focusing on reading and spelling. These take place on a ‘withdrawal’ basis, usually twice a week.

 

This is a highly structured reading programme offered to priority pupils, mainly in year 7, which takes place 4 mornings a week during registration time and is delivered on a one-to-one basis by designated TAs. The programme can be adapted to target spelling skills.

This unit provides support for pupils who struggle in some subjects or need ‘Time Out’ for one reason or another. Behaviour workshops and social skills groups as well as coursework catch up sessions are delivered to help these pupils throughout their school life. This unit is also made available during break and lunch times for the most vulnerable pupils to use.

 

This is held in the P.S.U on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after school (until 4pm). It is supervised by TAs and pupils are able to drop into it as and when they think necessary.

 

At QEMS there are a growing number of pupils for whom English is an additional language. Support for these pupils is available in some classes or sometimes on a one-to-one basis with a TA who has particular knowledge in this area.

 

 

 

HLOs are the link between home and school. They are the first port of call if your child is experiencing general difficulties and they can be found in the ‘OASIS’ office in the main block. They work closely with Heads of House (HOH) in dealing with pastoral issues. When your child joins QEMS he/she will be assigned to a house and will be able to meet their HOH and HLO so that they are aware of who they are.