Support for Learning  

Mission statement 

The role of Support for learning is to ensure that every learner, regardless of barriers to learning, has a meaningful education at Calderhead by ensuring that relevant provisions are put in place for them as and when necessary. We are guided by local and national policy such as Getting it Right for Every Child (Girfec)and North Lanarkshire Council’s own Staged Intervention Model, both of which are underpinned by the Additional Support for Learning Act, The Equalities Act and The Education Act (Scotland 2016). Through these articles, we are compelled by law to make the reasonable adjustments necessary to make our physical school environment and our curricular experiences accessible to our young people. By doing this we create an ethos of belonging and nurture that applies equally to all our young people. 

Stephen O’Donnell 

Principal Teacher of Support for Learning 

SHANARRI

SHANARRI stands for Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, and Included. It provides a checklist of indicators that the SfL team uses to assess a young person’s wellbeing.

The SfL team uses SHANARRI indicators to identify areas where a young person may need additional support and works with other services and professionals to provide that support. The framework emphasizes the importance of involving young people and their home supports in decisions that affect their wellbeing, and of providing support that is tailored to the individual needs of each young person.

GIRFEC (Getting It Right for Every Child)

GIRFEC is a Scottish policy and practice framework used to improve outcomes for young people. The approach is designed to ensure that every young person is safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible, and included.

 

At Calderhead, GIRFEC is focused on the well-being of young people and is committed to working together to provide the right support at the right time. The approach emphasises early intervention and prevention, which means services work together to identify and address any issues that may affect a young person’s wellbeing as early as possible. This can help prevent more serious problems from developing later on.

There are eight core components of the GIRFEC approach that are relevant to Calderhead:

1. Wellbeing: The focus is on the young person’s overall wellbeing, including physical, mental, and emotional health.
2. Involvement: Young persons should be involved in decisions that affect them and their well-being.
3. Collaboration: Different services and professionals should work together to provide coordinated support to the young persons.
4. Family support: Families should be supported to provide the best possible care for their children.
5. Coordinated support: Support should be coordinated and tailored to the individual needs of the young person.
6. Early intervention: Issues should be identified and addressed as early as possible to prevent more serious problems from developing.
7. Timely support: Support should be provided when it is needed, and not delayed or denied.
8. Continuity: Support should be consistent and ongoing, and should continue even as the young person moves between different stages of their school life.

The GIRFEC approach is implemented here at Calderhead through the guidance and support provided by the Scottish Government. The approach is designed to promote, support and safeguard the well-being of all young persons. It is an essential tool to help identify and address any well-being issues and ensure that every young person is given the best possible opportunity to succeed.

GIRFme review checkpoints occur in September, December, and May.

Transition for the ASN young person

P7 Enhanced Transition

In Support for Learning, Enhanced Transition from cluster primary schools to Calderhead begins at in P6 for young people identified as having Additional Support Needs. Research shows early familiarisation with key stakeholders is fundamental in achieving a positive transition experience. During the P6 visit, young people learn what the transition experience will look like in  P7. Throughout the P7 year, young people identified with ASNs are invited to participate in extended opportunities that may include extra visits to Calderhead and bespoke transition arrangements. Additionally, the SfL team regularly visit the primaries to further promote relationship building.  SfL has strong links with cluster primaries to ensure a smooth transition.

Assessment Arrangements  (AA’s)

Research suggests that as many as 1 in 5 young people will have an additional support need at some point throughout their school experience. The SfL team works closely with all departments, the SQA, and wider professional assessment pathways to ensure young people with ASNs have access to meaningful and robust arrangements to support them.  AAAs, ‘Alternative Assessment Arrangements’, are bespoke accommodations that match assessment accommodations to learn needs.  Collaboration begins with cluster primaries and extends through post-high-school positive destinations.  Profiles of ASN young people are closely monitored and are continually adapted throughout their time in Calderhead.  This ensures that our ASN young people are included in all opportunities and appropriately supported during classroom assessment/exams to reach their learning goals and ambitions for the future.