Students who are identified as having special needs are those students who need extra assistance, adapted programmes or learning environments, specialised equipment or materials in order to access the curriculum and develop to their full potential in a range of settings.
The Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO), Mrs Bridget Price works alongside the Deans, gathering information on students from contributing schools. We work to provide a seamless transition to high school, ensuring that we understand, and are prepared to provide for students as they enter Rathkeale.
Identified students are assessed and, where appropriate, an intervention is put into place. This intervention may include support in the classroom, individual withdrawal, Correspondence School courses, individual programmes etc. Close contact is maintained with staff and parents and the effectiveness of the intervention is regularly reviewed and modified as required. Records of the interventions are maintained.
In the junior school we have an option line StS (Study Skills). This is an option taken in place of a language. In this class students work with teachers in targeted areas of need. We have Literacy specific tutoring – working to develop essential literacy skills, a Numeracy teacher – working to build the numeracy skills needed, and we also work on developing skills for revision, study, computing and typing skills.
Where appropriate we investigate students for a SAC (Special Assessment Condition). As students enter their NCEA years we look towards providing them with the support they need to fairly demonstrate their abilities.
Referrals
More information on SAC can be found at this website:
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/assessment-and-moderation/managing-national-assessment-in-schools/special-assessment-conditions/info-for-parents-and-caregivers/what-are-sacs/