Images from Sunderland High to show students walking in the school grounds

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Sunderland High School Learning Support
Every person has an entitlement to personal and intellectual development and must be given an opportunity to achieve his or her potential in learning. We are all unique in terms of our characteristics, interests, abilities, motivation and learning needs.

Sunderland High School has a Learning Support programme and the aim of that is to support and enable pupils to fulfil their potential.

We also run a ‘Stretch’ programme, designed to challenge those pupils who will benefit from it by providing involvement in higher level learning opportunities. Please see our ‘Stretch’ policy for further details.

Junior School
In the Junior School, where appropriate an Individual Education Plan will be devised by the class teacher, in association with the child and the child's parents. Support will be related to the child's individual needs. This may take place in the classroom or as part of a withdrawal strategy on an individual or group basis.

The school employs a part-time Support Teacher and in addition to this a number of staff provide additional support within their timetable commitment.

Setting is used in literacy and numeracy to address children's support needs.

Senior School and Sixth Form
In the Senior School, we have a range of support strategies available, including:
  • Lessons with learning support teachers
  • Participation in the Paired Reading programme
  • Use of computer aided learning support ('Successmaker')
  • Special consideration in examinations
  • Pupil-specific differentiation by class teacher
  • Sensitive marking when appropriate
  • Reduced homework timetable
  • Targeted support from Form Teacher and/or Year Co-ordinator
  • Referral to Educational Psychologist
  • Personal Learning Plan
  • Support from Connexions

Please see our Learning Support policy for more details of the support strategies available in the Senior School.