Special Educational and Additional Needs

Special Education is the education of students with special needs which may be learning, physical, social or emotional difficulties.  Our policies are designed to ensure that all students, irrespective of ability, gender, race or social grouping, are enabled to work to their full potential. This was recognised in the last ETI inspection which stated “Over the past three years, the pupils who require additional support with aspects of their learning have attained well at GCSE (including equivalents).”

All students, including those identified as having special educational needs, experience a curriculum relevant to their needs and ability which fulfils the requirements of the Northern Ireland Curriculum while having regard to the Code of Practice.

We do this by:

• the early identification of SEN
• one to one or small group interventions by a Support Teacher
• actively involving parents
• maintaining a special educational needs register and record keeping system
• providing training for staff, including a team of teaching assistants
• liaising closely with appropriate services to support our young people, for example the ASD Advisory Service
• providing a complementary programme for students who need an alternative to the GCSE curriculum which enables them to achieve results equivalent to five or more GCSEs

Blackwater Integrated College provides support for students with Additional and Special Needs in accordance with SENDO legislation. The College supports the principle of inclusion of students with moderate learning difficulties within the student body and across a range of curriculum subjects.