Learning Enrichment

At Greenfield, we understand that some children have additional educational needs requiring specific and differentiated support. These needs may be due to a specific learning difficulty or to a particular gift or talent. Our aim is to make sure that all pupils fulfil their potential and that we identify and celebrate all abilities and talents. Our Learning Enrichment Department incorporates the areas of Able, Gifted and Talented (A, G&T), Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and English as an Additional Language (EAL). Each area is led by a qualified co-ordinator; we have skilled teachers and assistants and the whole department is overseen by our SENCo.

We encourage able pupils or those who have a particular talent to extend their learning through in-class extension, problem-solving activities and challenge clubs as well additional practice sessions to develop particular musical, artistic or sporting talents. We also direct parents to events and organisations beyond school which will further support their children’s learning or skills. Where appropriate, we encourage our pupils to apply for scholarships to senior schools, and we have an excellent record in this area.

It is just as important to support and nurture those pupils who find areas of the curriculum challenging. We offer multi-sensory and differentiated support to enable these children to access the curriculum, overcome difficulties and develop their personal skills. Where possible additional help is given within the classroom setting and our small class and group sizes facilitate this.

We support pupils for whom English is an additional language through informal, social clubs where they have the opportunity to speak and hear English in a play-based setting.  Pupils who need further support or who are new to being taught in English are supported both within the classroom and, where necessary, with 1:1 support.

At Greenfield, we pride ourselves on being innovative. For example, we helped trial the ABC (Agility-Balance-Coordination) stability and Physi fun programmes which are now being offered in many settings throughout the UK and Europe. Still part of the Greenfield Learning Enrichment Provision, our lively group sessions help pupils who may have physical difficulties or delay within a non-threatening and motivating environment. Moreover, these programmes provide children with the opportunity to participate and succeed in physical activity. During the sessions the children practise and perfect their gross motor skills.

We were delighted to be invited to participate in the STEP pilot study. STEP is a daily physical exercise programme suitable for children of 7+ years which aims to improve balance, coordination, eye tracking, focus and concentration, spatial awareness, processing of information and working memory through targeting the cerebellum. The pilot study has enabled the STEP team to collect empirical evidence to support the programme and all Greenfield pupils who took part made statistically significant improvements in the relevant areas. The programme is now being run with success in the USA and the UK and is used also by many sporting academies. The knowledge that we have gained through working with STEP has enabled us to support children with a wider range of challenges.

Close links between home and school are an essential part of the Learning Enrichment Department’s work, and we encourage parents to become involved in supporting individual learning programmes.

Our Learning Enrichment Department aims to ensure that support and intervention is consistent for all pupils with additional learning needs. We believe that pupil support is based upon collaborative practice. The relationship between pupils, parents, school staff and outside agencies is central to pupils becoming confident and enthusiastic life-long learners.

Currently, Greenfield does not make any additional charge for any additional in-house support.