Learning Support

One of the reasons that pupils make such good strides at Long Close is that we work hard to anticipate and meet their particular educational needs. This process begins even before your child starts at the Prep School - whether they are joining us in Reception, Year 1 or later. We take time to assess their strengths and weaknesses - especially in literacy and numeracy - so that we are immediately ready to give them the support they need to develop and thrive.

This individualised approach continues throughout the school. We create an Individual Education Plan for each child that needs one, continually monitoring their progress, identifying areas where they need additional support and setting out specific plans to address them. All of this is carried out in close consultation with parents and we rely on regular discussion and communication with home to make sure that each child′s programme of learning support is achieving the right results.

It is through this continuous, comprehensive attention to detail that we help our pupils form such a positive attitude to learning - the key driver of their academic success.

Every child who joins Long Close is observed and assessed by our highly trained staff - and will continue to be closely monitored throughout their time at the school. If our staff has any concerns, they will discuss them with the child′s parents and with our special educational needs coordinator. Then we will all work together to come up with an Individual Education Plan, tailored to help the child make good progress. Sometimes this might involve help from a specialist outside agency, whose advice we are happy to seek. Sometimes it might mean calling on our own Learning Support Assistant, who can give individual help to children with specific learning difficulties. In every case, the plan will be reviewed and adjusted every six to eight weeks.

The key to all of this is the individualised approach to learning that we apply to every child at the school. All of them have their own strengths and weaknesses, all of them need different types of support, and we make sure all of them receive it.