At FIC, small class sizes mean teachers quickly get to know every student as an individual — their learning style, their pace, what challenges them and what supports them. Frequent tutorials let teaching adapt in real time, so every young person is stretched and supported at the right level.
Adaptation may take the form of modified work for different abilities, extra time or additional teacher input for some, and more challenging extension activities for others. Lessons weave together visual, auditory and kinaesthetic activities with open and closed questioning, and students work independently, with a thinking partner, or in small groups – partnerships that let students mentor and support one another while challenging the more able. Regular target setting after formative and summative assessment gives students time to reflect on their achievements and build on their prior learning.
A graduated response to every need.
From a short-term boost that closes a gap to specialist provision under an Education, Health and Care Plan, support is matched to the level of need — identified early, reviewed regularly, and delivered in partnership with parents.
Every child is entitled to be understood.
Felixstowe International College believes that all children are entitled to an education that helps them maximise their skills across every area of development – intellectual, physical, aesthetic, creative, emotional, spiritual and social. Every student has individual needs, which is why personalised learning sits at the heart of our teaching, and we are committed to supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as fully as our resources allow
How We Support SEN at FIC
Personalised learning is only as good as the information behind it. Ours combines early identification, individual targets and specialist assessment where needed — reviewed every term.
Identifying Needs
Early identification matters. Using information from previous schools and from parents, alongside classroom observation and appropriate screening, we identify needs as early as possible and monitor every student’s progress through termly assessment. Where a fuller picture is needed, a specialist assessment for specific learning difficulties can be arranged, covering areas such as cognitive ability, reading, spelling, numeracy, handwriting and phonological skills, with a written report always made available to parents.
Quality First Teaching
Support is matched to the level of need. At the first level it may involve monitoring, a change in teaching style or additional time in examinations; at the next, targeted intervention such as small-group or individual work and in-class support, with liaison with outside agencies where helpful. Teachers follow the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle, supported by the SENCo, and students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) receive support tailored to their identified needs.
SEN Profiles & Access Arrangements
Students identified as needing support have an SEN Profile, drawn up by the SENCo in consultation with teachers, students and parents, setting individual targets that are reviewed regularly. Our Exams Officer arranges appropriate access arrangements in school and external examinations – such as extra time, or the use of a reader, scribe or transcription – so that every student can show what they know.
Working in Partnership
Parents are equal partners in their child’s education, with a depth of knowledge no professional can match, and are involved throughout the planning, implementation and review of provision. Students, too, are central: their views shape their targets and they take a full part in setting and reviewing them. Our pastoral and boarding staff work closely with teachers and the SENCo, using their knowledge of each young person to build self-esteem, self-reliance and positive relationships.
The Graduated Response, at a Glance
Support is matched to the level of need, and grows more specialist as that need requires — always reviewed, and always shared with parents.
Universal
High-quality, inclusive teaching for every student: adapted tasks, monitoring of progress, flexible teaching styles and, where appropriate, additional time in examinations.
Targeted
Small-group or one-to-one intervention and in-class support, following the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle, with an SEN Profile setting individual targets that are reviewed regularly.
Specialist
Support tailored to the needs identified in a student’s Education, Health and Care Plan, with specialist assessment where needed and liaison with outside agencies.
Admissions & EHCPs
In line with the Equality Act 2010, every application receives full consideration, alongside any reasonable adjustment that would let a student with SEND access the curriculum. Any EHCP should be disclosed on application, and a place is offered once we have established that the school can meet the provision it specifies. Because FIC does not offer foundation-tier GCSE courses, students join our GCSE programmes at a starting point that reflects the higher-level curriculum, with an expected entry attainment of GCSE grade 4.
Occasionally, meeting a student’s needs requires additional support that carries a cost beyond reasonable adjustments, or which is not covered by an EHCP. In these cases fees may be adjusted — but never without prior discussion and agreement between the school and the family.
Contact the SENCo
Mrs Katherine Murphy
Email: katherinemurphy@ficedu.org
Telephone: +44 (01394) 282388
