Special Needs Provision

Our names are Helen Tomlinson and Mark Langston. We are Mentors and work within the Maths Department. We teach Year 7 – Year 11 numeracy that helps supplement and boost the progress of the students who need it in their maths lessons. We also play maths games in the lesson which helps pupils learn in a fun, engaging way. Students are encouraged to work with each other, sharing their knowledge and methods.We are also involved in a Maths intervention programme called First Class which is a supplement to their weekly maths lessons and aims to help Year 7 students to make faster progress and catch up with their peers.

We support in some lessons in Maths where we work alongside the class teacher. Here we have the opportunity to work closely with students who may need support. We may break the work down so that the student can access the work. We may question the student to assess their knowledge. We may read or scribe. At all times we encourage confidence within each student by asking them to have a go regardless of right or wrong.

We are also keyworkers to pupils. We review their targets on new data collections, setting targets for them which can be achieved and measurable. Keyworker time gives the student the time to have a chat about their data and discuss ways in which they can personally improve and achieve in subjects, effort, time keeping and CFP’s or reducing CFC’s. As keyworkers we supply a copy of targets to parents and speak to some parents on a regular basis.

My name is Anna Whyke and I work as a Teaching Assistant and one to one EAL/Languages tutor at Rawmarsh. I am the main Languages TA at present, and I absolutely love helping in that area.

I also work in the English department, helping students with their spelling, punctuation and grammar. I helped my last EAL learner gain a D in English GCSE and he had only been living in the UK 18 months.

My name is Mrs Kent and I work as a teaching assistant here at RCS. My main role is to support pupils throughout school in various English and Literacy classes. In class my role of support varies to enable each pupil to achieve their full potential. Areas I focus on are; checking understanding,encouraging independence, help with punctuation and grammar and boosting confidence.

I also help deliver targeted reading support,running morning breakfast reading groups specifically aimed to encourage reluctant readers.

Students know that I am always available at both breaks to help with homework or any other problems they may face.

My name is Bev Jones, I am a Teaching Assistant whose main role is to support and care for the needs of our physically less able students. This includes managing physiotherapy sessions, overseeing any personal care, assessing any specialist equipment needs such as; pens, scissors, height adjustable chairs and cooking equipment. The aim is to enable and include all students to have equal access to written and practical learning tasks.

I lead a Craft club in Curriculum Support on a Wednesday after school until 4pm which gives students a chance to try different crafts in a relaxed, social environment and a bit of a chill out after studying hard in their lessons.

As a teaching assistant, my role is to work with students who need extra support in order for them to reach their full educational potential. I provide help to students with learning tasks; promote independent learning and feedback to the class teacher regarding pupil progress. I strongly believe in the importance of encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning and promote development of self-esteem.

In addition, I support both Maths and Science breakfast clubs and key work 3 children. Within my key worker role I review data collections, which include details of pupil progress, effort levels and attendance. I meet regularly with my students, set realistic and achievable targets in order for them to achieve the full potential.

My name is Abby Rhodes, I am a Literacy Intervention Mentor at RCS. I teach Literacy to small groups of students ranging from Y7 – Y9. Literacy is provided to enhance and assist students’ Literacy skills, therefore allowing their confidence and ability to flourish, as I aim to address and remove any barriers they are facing with reading and writing. Students’ Spelling Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) is a main focus in Literacy, and equipping students with the capability to correctly use this in their writing enables them to thrive in not just English lessons, but across the curriculum too.

Additionally, I also have small groups of students from KS3 for one tutor period a week to do extra Literacy intervention. These groups are smaller than the Literacy classes; I find this extra support for students really allows me to focus on those students who need my help and attention the most. Sessions in a morning aim to recap skills we have covered in Literacy and check for students’ understanding and competence when applying them. These groups also allow students to raise any worries or concerns they may have regarding Literacy, so that they can continue to become independent and positive when it comes to approaching tasks they may have previously avoided.

I am proud of each and every individual student that I work with, they continue to strive for the best and I always instill that they can do anything they put their mind to.