How we meet Additional Learning Needs

Meeting Additional Learning Needs

St Matthias and Dr Bell's Primary School was one of the first schools in Bristol to win the prestigious Bristol Inclusion Standard award.  We are committed to inclusion and will make every reasonable adjustment we can to meet the needs of a child.

The individual needs of all children will normally be catered for within the classroom situation by the class teacher. On occasions, however, some children may have a learning difficulty that requires extra support. This may be a learning difficulty in general or in one area of the curriculum, for example, Maths. When such a situation arises the teacher responsible for Additional Learning Needs throughout the school will advise and support the class teacher in providing a thorough programme of work, which will lead that child through his/her difficulties. Sometimes this may be a short-term measure and other times throughout the child's school career.

Additional Adult Support

We are particularly fortunate in our school to be able to have teaching assistants in each year group.  Teaching assistants work for mornings only and sometimes work with individuals or small groups.  It will often be a teaching assistant who provides additional support to children who are experiencing a problem with learning.

If we feel unable to adequately provide for a child with additional learning needs we can readily call upon the services of the Bristol Local Education Authority, Special Needs Department. Teachers in this department can advise on other teaching and learning strategies and behaviour management.