Director of Inclusive Learning and Alternative Provision
The Rise of Online Education for Students with ALN
The rise of online education has brought both challenges and opportunities for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). I have been extremely fortunate to have been a previous SENCO in a traditional school and now work as the Director of Inclusive Learning and Alternative Provision at Sophia High School, which in 2023 became the first UK Department for Education accredited online education provider.
Balancing Challenges and Opportunities in Online Learning
While digital learning platforms can present unique obstacles, they also offer innovative ways to support diverse learning requirements. I feel privileged to work with amazing staff and students at Sophia High School and feel that there are more opportunities at a fully online school to support students with additional learning needs.
Leadership and Systems for Supporting ALN at Sophia High School
The Board and Senior Leadership Team are extremely supportive and proactive in ensuring that needs from our diverse community of students are being met. We currently have more EHCPs (16.6% compared to the national average of 4.8%), and students who have SEN support without an EHCP (16.6% compared to 13.6 % national average) and because we have higher than national averages for ECHP and SEN support we have ensured that we have robust systems in place to support our learners with additional needs.
Proactive Differentiated Learning Opportunities
We have proactively created differentiated learning opportunities that meet the diverse needs of our learners, using digital tools and pedagogy which are not available in traditional classrooms. These strategies include welcome meetings and a significant onboarding programme, planning meetings and if a student needs a differentiated or reduced timetable, we ensure that is put in place.
Effective Communication with Parents
Parents have regular meetings with staff and myself to ensure that our provision is effective and all students make progress. I also believe that communication with parents is much easier to organise through online tools, such as Google Meet, rather than asking parents to meet in a physical school setting.
Flexible and Personalised Learning Pods
Every SEN student is different, with individual learning styles, challenges, and strengths. Online education requires a flexible and personalised approach that recognizes and accommodates these diverse needs. We use data and information from parents to ensure that students are placed in appropriate learning pods.
Most of the learning pods at Sophia High are smaller (6 or below on average) which is significantly lower than a traditional classroom. We ensure that staff know the students they teach and use information from reports and their Pupil Passports, which are specific for each student and created by the Additional Learning Needs team.
Customised Learning Pathways for ALN
We have the advantage of being flexible because we are constantly reflective about what works best for students, making adjustments to timetables, level of support and use of smaller pod sizes to ensure that students are in the correct learning pathway for the core subjects. If a student is gifted at Maths but struggles with English, we can meet their needs by placing them in a higher pod (sometimes a year above) for a subject whilst ensuring they receive the correct amount of support where they need it the most. This would not be possible in a mainstream school.
Equipping Teachers with Online Learning Tools
All of our teachers are equipped, skilled and certified with a range of effective online learning tools. This certainly has many advantages, as the pace of technological innovation and the challenge to stay ahead of the students is real. All of our lessons are recorded and posted in the learners’ online classrooms by the end of the day, and so there is no such thing as ‘missing a lesson’ at Sophia.
Maximising Student Engagement Through Online Strategies
We used multiple ways to engage with content either through flipped learning and extended independent learning activities to stretch, challenge and develop students’ analytical skills.
We also ensure that students have the technology they need, sending out tech packs to students after they join the school (if agreed by the council partners).
The Power of Assistive Technologies for ALN Learners
Technology can be a powerful tool for students with additional learning needs when implemented thoughtfully:
- Assistive technologies like text-to-speech software
- Interactive learning tools that support different learning styles
- Adaptive learning platforms that adjust difficulty levels
- Communication tools that facilitate different modes of interaction
Reintegrating Students Who Face Barriers to Education
Improving Attendance and Outcomes Through Collaboration
Holistic Support: Meeting Diverse Needs in Online Schools
Emotional and Social Support for ALN Students
