Learning differences and difficulties are embraced at Cheam. Fostering children’s self esteem and happiness is our main aim. Our Learning Development Centre supports all children with a range of learning differences, enabling them to access the curriculum to ensure they reach their potential, to allow them to thrive. The centre is complemented by our wellbeing Nest and broad pastoral care.
Our small team of highly experienced, specialist teachers within the Learning Development Centre work with children offering 1:1, group and in class support, promoting self esteem, building confidence and developing independence.
If a pupil is not reaching their potential, discussions will be held with the parents and Form Tutor, and then the Learning Development Centre may well be involved. Formal assessments will be carried out to ascertain the area of difficulty. The results will then be discussed with the parents and all staff will be advised as to the individual needs of the pupil. Communication is key between the parents, teachers and the Learning Development teacher. Each pupil has an Individual Intervention Plan (IIP) devised to meet their needs.
Children have between 1 to 2 lessons per week. There is an additional charge for these lessons, please refer to the website for this information.
One of Cheam’s gems is the Learning Development Centre – our son has now been having learning support lessons for nearly 3 years. He has come on leaps and bounds – having struggled with reading, his average age as a reader is now 2 years ahead of his age. It is through and with the help of the LDC that our son now picks up a book on his own accord. LDC has also opened up his imaginative mind in creating stories. His ability to learn his spellings on his own is also down to ways he has been shown through LDC.
Cheam Parent 2023
There are circumstances where we might need to refer to external agencies- Educational Psychologist/Clinical Psychologist/Occupational Therapist/Speech and Language Therapist. Once the reports have been written, we ensure that all teachers are aware of the needs of individual pupils.
These are the areas that we offer support:
- Literacy – improving spelling, reading and handwriting using a structured, multisensory form of teaching. Comprehension, verbal reasoning and inference skills are also focused on.
- Numeracy – support of classroom mathematics.
- Organisational skills – day to day help with organisation as well as revision and exam techniques.
- Typing skills – developing touch typing, if it is going to be a pupil’s normal way of working.
- CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) – supporting a pupil’s well being, developing the ability to understand emotion and feelings, and how to behave appropriately with one’s peers.
- Study and thinking skills – to develop skills and tools for revision/exam techniques, building an understanding of how a pupil might learn (visual, Kinaesthetic, auditory)
Some of our children may be bilingual or learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). Where a need for extra support is identified, we offer lessons under the guidance of the specialist EAL teaching staff. Such support may include having timetabled EAL language lessons or receiving in-class support. It is vital that children with EAL can embrace school life to the full and access the curriculum to the best of their ability.
Our Learning Development Centre offers a nurturing environment, ensuring that each and every child is able to reach their own potential, having been armed with learning skills, confidence and happiness. We want all our pupils to leave Cheam being as independent as possible.
Pupils of all ages have extremely positive attitudes to their learning.
ISI Inspection 2023