Supporting SEND students to high academic outcomes and personal success

Zoë Spilberg, Principal of Greene’s Tutorial College in Oxford, on preparing students to succeed in life...

For over 50 years, the ethos of Greene’s Tutorial College has centred on treating each student as an individual. More than just an abstract principle, this is put into practice with the use of the tutorial method across all subjects and levels of study; students are taught either individually or in groups of 2-3 per tutor.

In the last decade, many studies have explored the unique learning benefits of the tutorial method. Whilst all students can benefit from such a focused approach, this highly-adaptable method truly comes into its own when teaching students with learning difficulties, disabilities, or chronic illnesses, or those who have had difficult experiences in mainstream education. With the benefit of individualised education and a dedicated Personal Tutor, Greene’s students are supported in ways that are not possible in a typical school. With individual attention, children who have previously flown under the radar in a large classroom can have their teaching adapted to their strengths and abilities. Personal Tutors and subject tutors at Greene’s work closely with our SENCo to ensure that students are not left to fail due to lack of appropriate support.

In addition to learning disabilities, there are many students with chronic illnesses and physical disabilities, and an increasing number of students with mental health conditions that can get in the way of success at school. For many students, the high-pressure and impersonal environment of a traditional school can have a significant impact on their health, sometimes to the point of hospitalisation. In these situations, students and their parents can feel they have missed the boat when it comes to education, however our Principal and Director of Studies work with the students’ tutors to create a seamless support network and give the students the best possible chance at re-entering and completing their studies. With the right attention and preparation, we have seen students achieve both their academic and health goals and reach top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, where they continue to thrive. A recent student, now at university, says of Greene’s: “I feel so lucky to have come across Greene’s, it gave me so many opportunities and kept me on the right track, and I don’t think I’d have been able to [stay on track] anywhere else.”

As part of ongoing efforts to provide a positive and supportive learning environment for all students, Greene’s recently appointed an in-house Counsellor and Mental Health Lead, who meets with any student who would like to have an assessment and makes recommendations for how Greene’s can help them in their studies, in addition to further clinical intervention if needed. The key advantage of an internal specialist is that, given the usual consent, they can confer directly with the students’ tutors to advise of any accommodations that need to be made. In a small college like Greene’s, with only a few full-time members of staff, there are additional advantages. Debbie, our current Mental Health Lead, says: “In a small staff team, you’re more likely to have important conversations with each other,” which prevents any concerns from slipping through the cracks.

Addressing disabilities and health conditions in an educational environment also means understanding that issues such as procrastination or poor attendance - frequently written off as ‘laziness’ - can be symptomatic of an underlying problem. In a typical school, SEND students are often overwhelmed or exhausted from the process of fitting into the classroom to the point where they are unable to process and manage the demands of their workload, and therefore fall behind in their work. Supporting high-performing SEND students can be difficult if they appear to be achieving above average grades, and in larger classes can only be discovered when a crisis causes a noticeable change in performance or behaviour. In a tutorial environment, on the other hand, it is almost impossible to miss early warning signs, and staff can intervene very quickly.

Greene’s is proud of the flexibility we are able to offer students who come to us on EHCPs; for example, some students require exclusively one-to-one tuition, have needs that are frequently changing, or are unable to leave their homes, even for examinations. Due to our close work with both Oxfordshire County Council and the examining bodies, these students are still able to access the same academic opportunities as their peers. Exams can be a particular source of stress for SEND students, however our programme of frequent trial exams and our experience with a wide variety of access arrangements ensures these become second nature, and students are better able to demonstrate their true abilities.

Although non-selective, Greene’s is an outcomes-driven college and we believe in helping each student achieve their best. This is of course not just about GCSE and A level grades; we are primarily committed to preparing young adults to succeed in life, and this should not be negatively affected by disability or illness. Greene’s wants to support students academically and crucially also to stay well both physically and mentally during the process.

This article first appeared in the 2020 edition of Which School. You can read the e-guide here: