Learning Support

Learning Support at Queen Charlotte College

Supporting Learners in class, testing and Special Assessment Conditions

At Queen Charlotte College we endeavour to provide a personalised learning programme for all students, catering to their needs taking into account their learning style, ability and interest within the prescribed curriculum. We create learning opportunities which challenge and engage in a structured and supportive, safe environment.

The Learning Support Department supports teaching and learning. The team is made up of highly skilled and qualified staff. All of the Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) are experienced in both curriculum and pastoral needs.

Some students might need to access the curriculum in a different way to other students. They may need extra thinking time, repetition of instructions or LSA support. Early intervention and inclusive programmes provide for those with pastoral needs. These students will be identified in their teachers’ planning and accommodated with suitable, differentiated learning resources or activities. Students’ needs are addressed predominantly in class through appropriate provision and support, enabling them to be more independent learners.

We operate an extensive diagnostic testing programme so that students’ individual strengths and needs are recognised and met.

Adaptive expertise in Senior Curriculum

New Zealand Certificate in Skills for Living for Supported Learners. SPEC is designed to allow students working below level 1 to achieve an accredited NZQA certificate for work completed with support. Students can select topics, within a framework, and work at their own pace.

Assessment

Department baseline and diagnostic data is collated and informs our further testing of students to identify needs and provide individual learning programmes.

The York Assessment in Reading Comprehension (YARC) is used to identify students who have reading accuracy or comprehension more than two years below their chronological age and identify areas that we can support.

The Schonell Spelling Test is administered to identify students who struggle with phonological knowledge and could benefit from intervention programmes.

Specific Learning Difficulties

Dyslexia and dyscalculia screening is conducted using the Nessy Online Screening Test.

Tailor made ‘Works well when’ profiles of the student are in place so teachers and learning support staff are aware of students' strengths and where the student needs more support. These are then added to the Learning Support Register for staff to access. A comprehensive database has been created for all staff to access, sort and analyse data to inform differentiated planning.

The majority of senior student testing is for Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) applications.

Special Assessment Conditions (SACS)

These include: reader, separate accommodation, extra time, computer or writer, and rest breaks. Students who would benefit from SACS in the future are also identified in Year 9 and Year 10 and can now be tracked earlier and trial using SACS. Lucid tests (Lucid Exact, Lucid Ability and Lucid Recall). The information provided by Lucid reports provides information in a format that is accepted by NZQA and speeds up the time it takes to fill in SAC applications. The reports are also attached to the application. Lucid testing is like a psychologist's report.

Gifted and Talented at Queen Charlotte College

Concept, Characteristics, Identification Programmes and Self-review

Definition

The terms ”gifted” and “talented” are often used to express one concept. Giftedness is usually associated with high intelligence or academic aptitude, whereas talent is usually related to a high level of performance in such areas as music, art, craft, dance or sport.

Mission Statement

Queen Charlotte College has a unique school culture which recognises students with a diverse range of special abilities and qualities. We look for potential as well as demonstrated performance and take social, emotional, spiritual and motivational factors into account. In addition we understand that the concept of giftedness is holistic in nature and inextricably intertwined with other Maori concepts. It is not bound by social class, economic status, lineage or gender. In consultation with the community, including students, parents, whānau, community leaders, and church groups, we can gain an understanding of the behaviours and characteristics that are valued by different cultural groups.

Concept

Intellectual/Academic refers to students with exceptional abilities in one or more of the learning areas (i.e., English, the arts, health and physical education, learning languages, mathematics and statistics, science, social sciences, and technology).
Creativity refers to students with general creative abilities as evidenced in their abilities to problem-find and problem-solve, and their innovative thinking and productivity.
Expression through the visual and performing arts refers to music, dance, drama, and visual arts.
Social/Leadership refers to students with interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities and qualities which enable them to act in leadership roles.
Culture-specific abilities and qualities refers to those valued by the student’s cultural or ethnic group, including traditional arts and crafts, pride in cultural identity, language ability, and service to the culture.
Expression through physical/sport refers to students with excellent physical abilities and skills, as evidenced through sport and/or health and physical education programmes.

Identification

At Queen Charlotte College Gifted and Talented students possess, or have the potential to possess, exceptional abilities relative to most other students in their peer group. They have certain cognitive, creative and affective characteristics that give them the potential to achieve outstanding performance in one or more of the concepts.

Provision

Differentiated programmes for gifted and talented students in class and across school

The purpose of differentiation is to further develop students in three primary areas: content, process, and product. Differentiation transforms the learning environment. In a culturally responsive learning environment, teachers value and support cultural diversity and demonstrate this in the adaptations they make. A responsive learning environment approach, in which rich and stimulating learning experiences can take place, helps to challenge gifted and talented students and to ensure that their special abilities are nurtured, developed, and recognised. This reflects the importance of being responsive to the strengths and needs of all gifted and talented students, including those whose cultural background differs from the majority culture of the school. We utilise both enrichment and acceleration and offer a continuum of provisions for gifted and talented students by tailoring the options to meet individual students’ needs. At Queen Charlotte College this involves recognising that Gifted and Talented students have significant learning needs that often fall outside mainstream differentiation, and ensuring that our processes meet these needs with the aim of maximizing the potential of Gifted and Talented students at school.

Opportunities at Queen Charlotte College

Here are some examples of the provision for students in the 7 categories

In class differentiated programmes - teacher
Enrichment

Flexible groups - literacy

Independent inquiry - junior projects to prepare for senior pathways

EOTC - Spirit of Endeavour and leadership camps

Cultural responsiveness - Senior leaders and curriculum adaptations
Acceleration (early credits)
Personalised mentoring - Thursday P1
Personalised programmes - IEPs, ILPs, senior timetable
Clubs and extra-curricular activities (see table below)

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