Special Needs
SENCO Manager: Miss Claire McMahon
SENCO: Mrs Nicola Williamson
Assistant SENCO: Mrs Kathryn Doyle
Assistant SENCO: Mr Craig Burton
Learning Support Teachers: Mrs Emma Schofield & Mrs Helen Wright
St. Columbanus’ College recognises the needs of all young people who have Special Educational Needs. We aim to ensure that all young people have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. Every teacher in our college is a teacher of Special Educational Need.
Our tailored curriculum is geared towards improvement so that young people can overcome barriers to learning in order to achieve. We provide high quality whole class teaching and differentiated learning and teaching. We are truly an inclusive College and our work in Special Educational Needs follows our strong ethos whereby every young person is valued and cared for. We also work closely with our excellent Pastoral Care team to ensure young people are happy and successful individuals.
The SEN department works closely with outside agencies in order to seek and provide the best support for the young people in our care, for example, the Autism Advisory Service, Literacy Service, Sensory Service, SEN Inclusion Service, Language and Communication Service, Educational Psychology Service, Exceptional Teaching Arrangements, Intercultural Education Service, Education Welfare Service and the Post-Primary Behaviour Support and Provisions. We also share strategies and suitable resources with teaching staff and organise and provide training for teachers and classroom assistants.
In addition, we identify young people who are underachieving and those with additional educational needs, those who may require access arrangements for examinations based on a range of diagnostic and attitudinal testing, for example, CATS, Woodcock Johnston IV, PTE, PTM and PASS. We use this data to decide on the best support for each young person. We use Personal Learning Plans to set young people SMART targets and share reasonable adjustments with staff. These are reviewed by subject teachers in January and May of each year.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Mrs N Williamson (SENCO), Mrs K Doyle and Mr Burton (Assistant SENCO).
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