1. education
2. school

International School Riyadh
Student Services Department
2013-2014
A Guide for Teachers, Parents and Students
British International School Riyadh (BISR)
Vision and Mission Statement
We, the students, parents, teachers and community of BISR, provide a caring, safe and
stimulating environment where we strive to make every student feel valued, happy and
successful.
We are an innovative school that has a long tradition of providing a British style education
with an international perspective. We are committed to excellence through a wide variety of
activities both in and out of the classroom. Responsibility, enthusiasm, integrity and
participation are expected.
Our community accepts, embraces and celebrates cultural diversity, while promoting the
values of respect, honesty, compassion and kindness. We appreciate ourselves and others
as individuals with rights and responsibilities, acting as conscientious global citizens. We are
a community of life-long learners who can contribute to making our world a better place.
We challenge students to explore and question, seek solutions, make informed decisions,
solve problems, demonstrate tenacity and express themselves confidently. We empower
students to take responsibility for their learning and be recognised as young independent
leaders.
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STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Learning
Support
Student
Services
Department
English as an
Additional
Language
(EAL)
Counselling
The Student Services Department’s main role is to support students in their education
through providing Learning Support, English as an Additional Language Support and
Counselling.
We aim to:
•
Create a learning environment in which all students are able to and desire to learn.
•
Work cooperatively with all members of staff and parents.
•
Facilitate on-going staff development and training which focuses on the needs of the
current students.
•
Serve as resource centre by providing information, guidance and referrals to assist
families, students, and teachers in addressing each student’s specific needs.
•
Assess and evaluate those students having academic or social difficulties.
•
Provide support for those students requiring assistance within our staffing
capabilities.
•
Monitor students’ progress in order to modify instruction and provision as needed.
•
Maintain confidentiality when dealing with student data and records.
•
Be advocates for students across all sections of the school to promote a positive
learning environment.
Student Services Development Plan
•
A copy of the Student Services Development Plan is available on the VLE.
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LEARNING SUPPORT DEPARTMENT
Definition of Special Educational Needs
Students have special educational needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty, which calls
for special educational provision to be made for them.
Students have a learning difficulty if they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning
than the majority of students of the same age.
Students have a learning difficulty if they have a disability, which prevents or hinders them
from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for students of the
same age.
Student must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or
form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.
(SEN Code of Practice, UK DfES/581/2001)
At BISR we aim to:

Support students academically, emotionally and physically with-in the capabilities of
the staffing resources available.

Make decisions based on what is in the best interest of the student.

Focus on each student as a unique individual.

Work collaboratively with teaching staff to meet students' needs.

Support students to access the curriculum.
Learning Support Policy
A copy of the Learning Support Policy is available on the VLE.
Location
Learning Support rooms are located on the ground floor in the A section of the School.
A5 Kathryn Smith, Director of Student Services office
A6 Dawn Walters and Learning Support Staff workroom
A7 Phil Danbury and Senior School workroom
A4 LS Multipurpose Room (examination and teaching room)
Phone Number
248-2387 ext 131
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Supporting students with Special Educational Needs
Special Educational Needs covers a spectrum that includes social, emotional, academic and
physical needs. The following groupings are included here to provide an overview of
terminology that is commonly used.
Cognitive and Learning
Specific Learning Difficulties such as:

Dyslexia (reading and writing)

Dyscalculia (maths)

Dyspraxia (co-ordination)

Dysgraphia (writing)

Mild Learning Difficulties
Behaviour, Emotional and Social Development Needs (BESD)

Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

Speech and Language Difficulties

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Aspergers
Sensory or Physical Needs

Visual Impairment

Hearing Impairment

Multi Sensory Impairment
Physical and Medical Conditions/Syndromes

Epilepsy, Asthma, Diabetes & Anaphylaxis

Syndromes e.g. Down’s Syndrome

Mental Health Issues
Able, Gifted &Talented
Able, Gifted & Talented (A, G&T) is a term used in schools to describe students who have
the potential to develop significantly beyond what is expected for their age. Gifted refers to a
student who has abilities in one or more academic subjects, such as English or maths.
Talented refers to a student who has skills in a practical area such as music, sport or art.
The LS department includes A, G&T as an indicator when assessing and offers some
support provision however the main support across the school is through differentiation by
the class/subject teacher. Students who are A, G&T may also have other special needs that
impact on their learning.
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Prospective Students
New families should contact the Director of Student Services prior to making any application
if they believe their son/daughter requires additional or learning support services. BISR will
not accept children with significant learning needs or emotional and behavioural difficulties
into the School because it is not in their interests to attend a school where they cannot
receive the specialist help they require. If parents feel that there is doubt about whether or
not the School can cope with their child and his or her needs, they should consult with the
School before they make arrangements to move out to Saudi Arabia.
Before admission to BISR the Director of Student Services and the Registrar examine new
student’s applications, previous school records, and reports such as speech and language,
hearing assessments, IEPs or psycho-educational assessments. If the student received
learning support in the past or may benefit from additional support while attending BISR we
will first determine if the school has the resources to fully support the student based on the
information provided and discussion with parents. If the student is currently in KSA they may
be assessed as usual in consultation with the Student Services Department to determine if
the School is able to meet the needs of the student. If the student is accepted, the initial
levels of support may change throughout the year depending on the student’s performance
within our educational setting, which may differ from the student’s previous school.
Current Students and Referral Procedures
The most common way for a student to receive Learning Support is through referral by a
teacher or parent. The referral forms are available on the VLE, on the T drive or by emailing
the Learning Support staff. The student’s parent/s are notified by the class teacher prior to a
referral being sent to the Learning Support department. Once the referral has been received
the Learning Support staff meets to discuss the best way to assess the student. The BISR
referral process is described in the following flowcharts and possible outcomes are indicated
on the accompanying Action Charts.
After assessment if required the Learning Support staff will create an action plan record that
is recorded on the student profile. This profile is shared with all relevant teachers. Details of
the student will be recorded on SIMs for immediate and future reference. The Learning
Support team are not in a position to determine if a student has specific learning difficulties
and referral to an educational psychologist may be required. Although BISR will provide
details of external services, parents will are responsible for appointments and any costs
involved.
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BISR Primary
Learning Support
Referral Process
Referral forms
available on the Tdrive, VLE or via email
from the LS
department.
Referral sent to
Learning Support by
teacher or parent.
LS team meet to
discuss the action
required using the LS
checklist of
assessments.
Referral is logged on
SIMs and in referral
folder.
Email confirmation sent
to acknowledge receipt.
LS staff notify teacher
as to assessement
arrangements (e.g. inclass observations or
assessment in LS).
LS staff complete
observation and
asssessments.
LS staff discuss the
results with the DoSS or
SEN teacher.
Meet with teacher and
parent to advise the
course of action.
LS staff complete the
feedback proforma.
Action
(see expanded LS
Referral Action )
Change the SIMs status
File meeting notes and
feedback proforma.
If needed plan a review
date .
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Referral forms
available on the Tdrive, VLE or via
email from the LS
department.
Referral sent to Learning
Support by teacher or
parent.
LS team meet to discuss
the action required using
the LS checklist of
assessments.
Referral is logged on SIMs
and in referral folder.
Email confirmation sent to
acknowledge receipt.
Email sent to student's
teachers asking for
progress report.
LS staff notify teacher as
to assessement
arrangements (e.g. inclass observations or
assessment in LS).
Complete observation and
asssessments
Parent contacted
SEN teacher completes
assessment & reviews all
information including
observations and
teacher's comments.
BISR Senior
Learning Support
Referral Process
Action
(see expanded LS Referral
Action )
Change the SIMs status
File meeting notes and
feedback proforma.
If needed plan a review
date .
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Primary Learning Support
Referral Actions
Monitor
Student
Intervention
Programme
EAL not LS
IEP
Specialist
Assessment
Suggested
ISA
No LS
required at
this stage
Social/Emotion
al Behavioural
Support
Writing inclass
support
Reading inclass
support
Maths inclass
support
Hearing and
Vision
Class teacher
to support
through
differentiation
LS in-class
support
1:1 pullout
sessions
Phonics or 5
Minute
Springboards
Speech and
Language
School
Counsellor
intervention
Handwriting
Group
Guided
Reading
Extension
Maths
Educational
Psychologist
TA to
provide
support
Senior Learning Support
Referral Actions
Monitor
Student
No LS
required at
this stage
Class teacher
to support
through
differentiation
LSA to
provide
support
EAL not LS.
Access
Arrangements
possible Write a
Student Profile
Change SIMs
status
Intervention
Programmes
Social
Emotional
Behavioura
l Support
LSA
in-class
support
School
Counsellor
interventio
n
Student
withdrawn
from some
classes to
attend LS.
May include
dropping
some
subjects.
Timetable
change
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LSA
support
in some
classes
IEP
ISA
Exam Access
Arrangement
provided
Specialist
Assessment
Suggested
Hearing and
Vision
Speech and
Language
Educational
Psychologist
Staff Roles and Responsibilities
Complete Job Descriptions are available on the VLE.
Director of Student Services
Kathryn Smith is the Director of Student Services and she is responsible for the coordination of services and staff within the Student Services Department.
Senior School SEN Teacher
Phil Danbury is the ACL and co-ordinates supports specifically for students in the Senior
School. This includes supporting students academically and pastorally, assessment linked to
the referral process, meeting with parents and teachers and keeping student data. The
Senior SEN teacher is responsible for the application and processing of Access
Arrangements.
Primary School SEN Teacher
Dawn Walters teaches students 1:1 specifically in the areas of reading and writing. She
processes referrals from assessment through to meeting and planning with parents and
teachers. She works closely with the LSAs and ISAs providing guidance and strategies to
support individual student’s programs and IEPs.
Learning Support Assistants (LSAs)
LSAs provide additional support for students in the classroom, in small groups or 1:1 if
necessary. Each LSA is timetabled to a year group or key stage and works collaboratively
with the Director of Student Services, SEN teacher and the class/subject teacher. LSAs also
complete routine assessments and observations of students for evaluation purposes. In
addition they are able to act as a scribe or reader for students if required.
Individual Support Assistants (ISAs)
In a small number of cases where a student is enrolled at the School and has needs that
cannot be met by the Learning Support department, the school will provide an ISA. They are
employed on a termly supply basis. The cost of the ISA is additional to school fees and is
paid for by the student’s parents. In KSA there are significant difficulties in securing a
continuous supply of specifically trained ISAs and therefore the school is limited in the
number of ISAs that it is able to employ. Please see policy on ISA Provision at BISR.
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Provision Options
In class support
Support provision for students at BISR will be delivered in the regular classroom as often as
possible. It is important for students to be educated in an inclusive environment that provides
access to the regular curriculum and opportunity for success. Where a student needs
additional support the SEN teacher or the Learning Support Assistant (LSA) will support in
the classroom.
Small group instruction
Selected students may need to have lessons in small groups. These sessions could be
Springboard maths, a handwriting group, guided reading sessions, vocabulary/spelling group
or revision of concepts. These sessions are designed to support the individual needs of the
student. Either the SEN teacher or a LSA provides this level of support.
Individual instruction
Some students need individual instruction to support their learning needs for specific targets
or subject areas. The SEN teacher, LSA or an Individual Support Assistant (ISA), provides
this level of support.
Learning Support List (Register)
The School uses SIMs to record information and data about LS students and this information
is maintained on a Learning Support List. The current status categories used are: Special
Educational Needs, Supported student, Monitored student, No longer requires support or
Child of Concern. Teachers can access SIMs to locate Student Profiles, IEPs, level of
support provision and the student’s LS history.
Student Profiles
Student profiles are designed to be a one page document that class/subject teachers can
use to find out additional details about the student. The student profile document contains
student specific information, strategies that the teacher can utilise to support the student and
other specifics such Access Arrangement that the student is entitled to use. You will find the
student profile under linked documents on SIMs
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Sample Student Profile located on SIMs
Name: Student
Date of profile: 1st Jan 2013
Date of Entry: 1st Jan 2010
Reviewed: 11th Nov 2013
Date of birth: 1st Jan 2001
Other information:
Student joined BISR in year 6. He has an Educational Psychology report (Mar 2010) that details a
Specific Learning Difficulty regarding spelling and mentions that Student writes more slowly and
tires easily when writing. The main concerns of the report were spelling, writing and focused
attention. The report also states that “completion of written tasks is a source of significant
frustration for him at school”. Student is very capable regarding reading and comprehension and
has good general intellectual ability so the writing and spelling show a significant discrepancy and
will risk underachievement for Student particularly when the assessment is written as so many are
in school. The report identified weakness in working memory and processing speed. Student has a
great strength in reading; he reads quickly and accurately and has good reading comprehension.
Student also has an Occupational Therapy report which identified weakness in manual dexterity and
balance. At the time Student was finding PE very difficult. Student has clearly made a lot of
progress in this area and now reports PE as a favourite subject and his PE teacher reports above
average performance
Allow extra time for tests if necessary and provide evidence to Learning Support for Exam Access
Arrangements.
Staff are asked to:
Sit Student near the board and teacher and make frequent checks on his understanding.
Keep instructions clear and sequential, Student may have difficulties following a series of
instructions e.g. Copy the learning objective, draw a results table with 3 columns and then collect
the equipment. Student has organisational difficulties please ensure homework is clearly written in
with a due date. Student tries hard with homework tasks but may not always complete them.
Student’s difficulty with time may cause him to misunderstand timescales and get confused with
hand in dates. Mark content of work rather than comment on spelling. Keep spelling corrections to
key words. Be aware of writing difficulties. These include a physical difficulty as well as the
difficulty caused by Student being unsure of spellings and letter formation. Student’s work
contains many transposed letters. Limit copying of information, provide print outs as an option.
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Exam Access Arrangements
These are arrangements made for students in exams to give them a fair chance of showing
what they know in a subject. The arrangements are an attempt to ‘level the playing field’ for
students with disabilities.
For example a student who reads more slowly than other students may be allowed extra
time in his exams to read information and questions carefully as the exams are testing
subject knowledge and the ability to apply it rather than testing reading speed. This
arrangement would not be allowed in an English Reading paper as this is specifically testing
reading ability.
The table below shows some common exam access arrangements, this is not an exhaustive
list but the arrangements listed below have been used at BISR.
Exam Access Arrangement
What for?
25% Extra Time
Slow reading, writing or processing.
Reader
Very low reading ability.
Scribe
Very slow and/or illegible handwriting. Pain when
handwriting.
Transcript
Handwriting that is very difficult to read.
Enlarged/modified Papers
Visual difficulties.
Photocopy on coloured paper
Visual difficulties.
Use of a word processor (without Slow and/or illegible handwriting. Pain when
grammar or spell check)
handwriting.
Use of a bi-lingual dictionary
Joined English speaking education system recently.
The best fit of the above must be found for the student. If their handwriting is very poor they
may be able to avoid using a scribe by having extra time so they can take more care and
write more slowly. They may be able to word process instead or have a transcript made after
the exam. Whatever arrangement is made for a student it should be their ‘normal way of
working’.
The Learning Support Department will hold evidence to support the arrangement which will
have been approved by the exam board. This evidence will have been collected by the
Learning Support Department in collaboration with that student’s teachers. It will include:
standardised tests such as reading and spelling tests; unfinished exam papers; papers that
have been finished in extra time; reports, notes and emails from teachers detailing the
difficulty that the student has in class.
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External Support Agencies
There are limited resources that the School can consistently call upon for support here in
KSA.
When available the Learning Support Department will provide contact details for
external support agencies such as: speech therapists, occupational therapists and
educational psychologists. The School Clinic will provide details of medical services such
as: pediatricians, hearing and speech test centers and psychiatrists. Therefore it is important
to be aware that external support services in Riyadh for most of the time are very limited.
Professional Development
Continuing professional development is vital in the providing students with current Learning
Support provision and specific programs. BISR encourages the LS staff to maintain and
develop their skills. LS staff have regular training sessions in assessment tools, strategy
development and new initiatives. New teachers and TAs to BISR are provided inset
opportunities in relation to LS department and IEP development.
Technology and Learning Support
BISR offers a variety of technology to support students with specific learning needs. Some
examples of this provision include:

Speech to Text software

Screen reading software

Exam papers can be converted to read out loud the information to students.

iPads and laptops for word processing.

Nessy fingers touch typing course.

iPads used in different ways to support learning e.g. recording play dialogue;
videoing cooking or science demonstrations; apps for spelling, maths operations,
vocabulary or revision; or photographing geography projects.

Word shark, Number shark, Number Gym, Nessy Learning Programme, Memory
Booster, Comprehension Booster and Mindview are all computer based programmes
used in Student Services and around the school.

Audio books.
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SCHOOL COUNSELLING
Counselling is a way of helping our students, teachers and parents through a process of
talking, listening and empowerment.
Parent
consultations
Transition
programs for
new and
leaving
students
Staff
counselling
Parent and
teacher
consultations
Drop-in service
at break times
for all
students.
Counselling
Services
Assisting the
development
and teaching of
SEAL delivered
through Circle
Time.
Small focus
groups (eg
friendship,
grief, selfesteem)
Conflict
mediation
using the
restorative
method.
School Counsellor
The School Counselling service is not a substitute for the existing pastoral care systems
which operate in the School. Rather it is a service which compliments that which is already
taking place in school. The counselling service is independent, confidential and child/young
person centered. Independence is an important aspect of this service, particularly when
dealing with those students who may feel alienated from the school. This does not prevent
the service from being seen as a supportive part of the school community. Successful
counselling is based on trust, self-motivation and commitment. It must be a voluntary activity
and is therefore not part of the disciplinary procedures of the school.
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Counselling can:

help us to understand our relationships better and improve them

help us to increase our level of self awareness

help us to explore our feelings, and understand and manage them better

help us to recognise unhelpful thought patterns and adopt new ones

help us to improve our communication skills

offer a place to talk openly, without being judged.
Through counselling, students, parents and teachers are provided with a safe place to
express their feelings and thoughts about what they perceive to be an issue in their life.
Counselling can help a person to understand themselves and their situation better. It can
give them new ways of coping with issues that cause them upset, and for our students this
will result in increased capacity for learning.
When children are experiencing difficulties at home or in school their concentration and the
way they behave can be adversely effected. A school based service brings counselling to
children and young people in a place that is familiar, safe and secure. By providing
emotional support and enabling children to ‘off load’ feelings and anxieties, counselling can
help a student to concentrate more in class, feel better about themselves and build their selfconfidence. Counselling is a process which offers support and guidance when things feel
particularly difficult.
Children and young people face many challenges whilst growing up, and may find at times
that they need someone to talk to external to either home or school.
Counselling for children and young people may be about developmental issues, resolving
problems, improving relationships, making choices, coping with changes, gaining insight and
understanding, growing as a person.
Individual 1:1 counselling sessions for issues such as:
•
Bullying
•
Confusion
•
Academic pressure
•
Loss and grief
•
Peer pressure
•
Confusion
•
Drugs and/or alcohol
•
Self harm
•
Family relationships
•
Eating disorders
•
Anxiety and depression
•
Body image
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Counselling Referrals
Referrals to the school counsellor can be made by the teacher, parents, or the student
themselves.
Students will be informed of the purpose of the counselling service and how to access it
using leaflets and posters placed around the school.
Parents are reminded of the availability of the counselling service at the beginning of every
term, through the school newsletter.
School staff wishing to consider a referral must in the first instance discuss this with the
young person involved. Referrals made by a member of staff must be accompanied by a
completed referral form before an appointment is made. The referral form can be found
within the School Counsellor section of the Staff Resources file on the T drive.
The current school Counsellor is Kate Richardson. Her office is J21 and she can be
contacted via email: [email protected]
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ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
(EAL)
EAL students at BISR are defined as pupils who have a home language other than English
and who are in the process of learning to use English as an additional academic language
through immersion in our British-style curriculum and the broader life of the school.
At BISR the EAL staff aim to:

Enable EAL students to achieve their potential by supporting their acquisition of the
English language and developing their learning skills.

Carry out initial assessments and ensuring that the outcome is shared with
class/subject teachers.

Work with the mainstream teachers to support their professional development of EAL
issues and through teacher participation in the “ESL in the Mainstream” PD course.

Work collaboratively with class or subject teachers to provide EAL support for the
curriculum development and to improve both learner attainment and teacher
expectation.

Encourage the involvement of parents in children’s education by providing
opportunities for parents to be empowered with the necessary skills to support their
children at home.
EAL Policy and Handbook
A copy of the EAL Policy and the EAL Handbook are available on the VLE.
Identification of EAL students

At admissions the identification of EAL students is indicated on the admissions form.
Once accepted into BISR the student will complete the BISR Language Survey and
these details are recorded on SIMs.

Teachers can refer students to the EAL staff for assessment using the referral form
located on the T drive.

Assessment is via data collected from the teacher and specific grammar and
language assessments.

Assessment is linked to the National Curriculum framework as it provides a reference
point for all learners.
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EAL Staff

The EAL department consists of the Director of Student Services who provides
overall management of the EAL staff and program including the delivery of the “ESL
in the Mainstream” PD course.

In the Primary School students are supported by a LSA who works with students in
Foundation, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

Senior School students are able to be assessed by the EAL teacher however there
are minimal opportunities for direct support. EAL provision and differentiation is the
responsibility of the subject teacher. The school is aware of this concern and aims to
improve this provision in the next school year.
Primary School Provision Options
In both the following options, close communication between the EAL teacher and the
classroom teacher is essential to establishing a content-based curriculum appropriate to
each group, and to determine individual students’ needs.
In class support
EAL provision for students at BISR will be delivered in the regular classroom as often as
possible. The LSA will provide support in collaboration with the class teacher focusing on
language development via the four modes of language (listening, speaking, reading and
writing) that are taught as an integrated whole and not in isolation.
Small group instruction
For specific language development it may be necessary for pull-out sessions to be delivered
in small groups. These sessions are not in isolation but linked to the classroom curriculum.
Senior School Provision Options
The EAL teacher will provide support in assessment and strategy support for subject
teachers.
Access arrangements for examinations may be applicable if a student has not been
educated in English prior to arriving at BISR. Contact Phil Danbury for specific details.
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STUDENT SERVICES STAFF DIRECTORY
Position
Name
Location
Email
Director of Student Services
Kathryn Smith
A5
[email protected]
ACL Learning Support
Senior School SEN Teacher
Primary School SEN teacher
Phil Danbury
A7
[email protected]
Dawn Walters
A6
[email protected]
Learning Support Assistant
Lisa Green
A6
[email protected]
Learning Support Assistant
Transition Years 6-7
Learning Support Assistant
Tracy McGuire
A6
[email protected]
Fatima Bahelmi
A6
[email protected]
Learning Support Assistant
Karen Wilson
A6
[email protected]
Learning Support Assistant
Susan Clarke
A6
[email protected]
Learning Support Assistant
Nazli Suerli
A6
[email protected]
Learning Support Assistant
EAL
Senior School EAL Teacher
Maher Hamid
A6
[email protected]
Jonathan Wright
J25
[email protected]
School Counsellor
Kate Richardson
J
[email protected]
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