At the PECHS Girls’ School, we firmly believe that all children can learn. We recognize that some learn quickly while others take more time, each at their own pace and in their own way. We also recognize that many children face learning challenges in a regular classroom environment and the reasons for these struggles can vary greatly. At our school, we have established a comprehensive support system to provide additional learning assistance, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to overcome their hurdles in learning.
The learning support systems described below, are in place to provide opportunities to the children in our care to enable them to learn in an environment that is more conducive for their learning needs. Through our tailored support systems, we aim to address the individual needs of our pupils/students and develop basic foundational skills in Years 1-3 and progressively challenging concepts and skills in later years.
Academic Learning Support in the Primary Section
Years 1-3: There are three ways support is provided for Years 1-3. The details are given below.
1. In-Class Support
The primary support system is the Year Group Teacher (YGT), who employs various strategies to assist pupils. In each classroom, we have two YGTs working together to support the children. By breaking down skills into manageable steps, teachers provide individualised support within the classroom. This can involve working one-on-one with a pupil or getting together in a small group for focused instruction either inside or outside the classroom. The goal is to help children achieve their targets.
Maths Support: For pupils struggling with maths, we focus on building a strong foundation in numbers and number operations.
English Support: In English, our aim is to enhance listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Teachers often design Individual Education Plans (IEPs) tailored to each pupil’s needs, ensuring they receive the specific support required to strengthen their foundational skills.
2. Special Education Needs (SEN) Support
For pupils with learning differences, we have a SEN Teacher. This specialised teacher supports children with special education needs in the SEN Niche. Based on their specific needs, YGTs recommend pupil’s names to the SEN teacher. Please read about SEN in the Tab below.
Urdu Reading Support
If a pupil is struggling with reading in Urdu, they are referred to the Urdu Support Teacher. This teacher provides extra reading sessions outside the regular classroom, ensuring that pupils receive the targeted help they need to improve their Urdu literacy skills.
ELSS (Extra Learning Support Sessions) Year 3
In addition to the in-class support and SEN services, Year 3 pupils also have access to extra learning support sessions every Friday after school. These sessions offer more intensive, one-on-one assistance with a focus on writing skills in both English and Urdu, with set targets to achieve for which Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are designed to meet the needs of each pupil.
Years 4 & 5: InYears 4 & 5, Year Group Teachers (YGTs) provide one-on-one support in the classroom for those who are unable to work independently. Additionally, in Year 4, pupils undertake formal assessments for the first time. Therefore, when additional reinforcement of basic skills is necessary, pupils are recommended for Extra Learning Support Sessions (ELSS).
ELSS is conducted on Fridays for an hour, following an initial observation period of two months by their YGTs who identify pupils needing further assistance. These sessions focus on English, Urdu and Mathematics with a preference for Languages over Mathematics for pupils requiring support in multiple subjects.
Teachers are assigned on a rotational basis every 8 to 10 weeks to deliver personalized instruction in fundamental Language and Mathematics skills. Lesson plans are submitted a week in advance to ensure individualised support meets each pupil’s need.
Typically, the number of pupils in each session ranges from 2 to 10, with seating arranged in groups to foster inclusivity and ease of communication with teachers. Immediate feedback is provided to help pupils address their areas for improvement promptly.
Academic Learning Support in the Secondary Section
Years 6-10: At this level, we offer Specific Learning Tutorials (SLTs). The primary goal of SLT is to help students clarify a concept they are struggling to understand.
These tutorials focus on Core Curriculum subjects: English, Urdu, Mathematics and Science in Years 6-8 and Mathematics, Biology, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Business Studies, Economics and Accounting in Years 9- 10.
Students participate proactively by signing up for any tutorial session on the weekly sheets put up by their teachers in the classroom. This gives students agency as they make an informed decision about whether they want to attend a particular SLT or not. Teachers can guide them if required based on the self-assessment forms students fill in, identifying their own strengths and weaknesses in the core curriculum subjects.
Lead Teachers are assigned for SLTs and academically strong students are also present to support their peers. Peer-to-peer teaching and learning has proved to be mutually beneficial, for students who are teaching and for those who are being taught, as it strengthens concepts for both.
SLTs take place once a week for an hour during our Flex Hour within school timings. SLTs for each subject is conducted at a different venue. Students can attend more than one session a day if they choose to. This approach ensures that attendance is voluntary, flexible and tailored to individual requirements, thereby giving students the opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning. This ongoing initiative aims to address students’ academic needs effectively and foster a collaborative learning environment.