Enrichment

Special Educational Needs Policy

The policy takes account of the current legislation relating to the revised Code of Practice (2002) and the Code of Practice on Disability.
The overall aims of the policy are to ensure that students’ needs are accurately identified and that appropriate support is put in place to enable all students to achieve their full potential. A high priority is put on close and effective working relationships with parents.
Responsibility for identifying students with special educational needs and overseeing provision for them rests with Special Educational Needs Coordinator, who manages the team of Teaching Assistants. These colleagues liaise closely with Heads of Department and Key Stage Leaders to make sure that students are taught in ways that help them to learn well. While students are generally taught in class alongside their peers, there may be occasions when students are withdrawn from lessons for particular types of support. Parents will always be informed when this is the case. The progress of all students, including those with special educational needs, is regularly reviewed and reported to parents.
Parents are welcome to contact the school with concerns or questions at any time.

Gifted and Talented

The purpose of the strategy for gifted and talented students at Cressex is to identify students who are particularly able in certain subjects and to ensure that they are challenged to achieve to the highest levels by their teachers and other specialist staff.
Provision is made for gifted and talented students both in their normal lessons and through additional activities, such as the Science Club and the summer school run in partnership with Wycombe Abbey School.
We liaise with other schools, for example John Hampden Grammar School, to offer additional courses to our able students. Through the Aim higher programme, able students are encouraged to set their sights high by working with specialist mentors and through the opportunity to visit universities and colleges. Cressex is delighted to be developing a partnership with Bucks New University through which we hope to be able to offer a range of additional high quality learning experiences to our students.

English Language Support

We are very fortunate to have a community of students and staff who come from many countries and who speak a range of languages. We welcome this linguistic diversity and the widely varying experiences that everybody brings to the school. At the same time we recognise the importance of all students being able to use English very well in order for them to be able to learn and thrive. Where a student needs to improve his or her knowledge of English in order to make the most of lessons and to play a full part in the school community, targeted support is provided by a specialist colleagues from the Enrichment Team. In addition, we expect teachers to ensure that lessons provide ample opportunities for all students to develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in English.