Learning Support

The SEND department is a broad team of dedicated and hardworking staff; at every level we co-ordinate our resources to support over 362 children with additional learning needs and disabilities. The mainstream team is led by two SENCo's who remain classroom-based teachers; they work closely with their Age Phase Leaders who are office based. Our three subject specialist Learning Support Assistants support within core subjects only (Mathematics, English and Science); in contrast to the Learning Mentors who work in a team of three to offer targeted support in KS3 or KS4/5 to students on the SEND register. This means our staffing ratios for EHCP and SEND register students fluctuates across the day and our team is dynamic as we visit over 450 lessons per week. We do not offer 1:1 LSA support; we believe outstanding teaching and pastoral care underpin the success of all SJB students.

We invest in our professional development at every level in SJB; They might prompt, check understanding, scaffold or adapt work to ensure the students fully engage in the learning; however, they will never lower the expectations or sit and do the work for them! It is important that all of our students access the full curriculum.