Special NeedsSt Andrew's caters for all mainstream school children whatever their level of ability. Systems are in place to identify and assess the needs of all pupils, including those with individual learning disabilities, whose needs are met by working as individuals in a small group in addition to their classroom activities. A small group of the more able children may also be offered the opportunity for accelerated and challenging additional work, including homework, in order to reach their full potential. The Language Provision The aims of St Andrew's Language Provision is to ensure that children, for whom language is a barrier to their learning, experience the fullest education available for their needs, speeds and learning wellbeing. These children will have a Statement detailing their learning needs. St Andrew's works with pupils from the Biggleswade area and also with pupils who are transported to the school from outside the regular catchment area. St Andrew's offers a flexible provision meeting a range of language needs such as receptive language disorders, expressive language disorders, verbal dyspraxia, disordered phonology, word finding difficulties and many more. Children are supported by a Speech and Language Therapist, who they meet with regularly, and who advises the Special Needs Staff and teachers. Work is carried out in a range of ways to best suit each individual child. They may have withdrawn sessions in a group or by themselves, have support within the classroom, support when joining in play times and they may participate in supported booster groups. For all of the children who have a Statement for Language Provision, their curriculum entitlement is planned by the Special Needs team in liaison with the teaching staff. Individual plans for their education needs are devised with the involvement of parents, the SENCo, the teachers, and the support staff. Weekly tracking sheets are kept to monitor the plans that are in place and targets are modified half termly, to ensure they are adjusted to reflect a child's changing needs. The Language Provision is very much part of the whole school, and children, whilst they can be taken out of their classes, are withdrawn as little as possible to ensure that their self-esteem, learning ethic and relationships are maintained on as high a level as possible. Staff from the Language Provision go into classrooms also, to aid the development of the learning environment to suit individual children.
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