Learning Support (LS)

ISB has a dedicated team of LS teachers in Junior and Middle Schools who seek to:

• enable each individual student to learn and progress to his or her potential, academically, emotionally and socially
• assist the student to participate fully in the school programme
• support the class/subject teachers in the structuring, production and delivery of resources and teaching materials.

Learning support is not offered in High School. Very limited Academic Support is offered to students requiring help with basic study and organisational skills.

New Admissions

ISB is able to offer Learning Support to students with mild learning difficulties. In order to be accepted into ISB, a student must be able to learn and progress academically, emotionally and socially from the mainstream classes on offer.

If prior reports or assessment indicate learning difficulties, a Learning Support teacher will interview and/or formally assess the student and advise whether ISB is the correct placement for the student and whether the School can adequately support the student's needs.

A probationary period may be offered before a student can be formally admitted to ISB.

Please note: if any additional support is required other than what is offered by ISB, it is the financial responsibility of the parents.

Please contact us if you have any queries about admissions.

Highly Able and Talented

Identification of the highly able and talented is certainly important, and it is the responsibility of the classroom teachers in Junior School and the subject teachers in consultation with the subject Head of Department in Middle and High Schools. Teaching strategies such as appropriately differentiated instruction to extend the regular curriculum provide learning opportunities that challenge the highly able student.

In addition there is a comprehensive programme of after school activities which helps meet some the needs of students who are highly able or have a special talent in a particular area.

The Learning Support Process

Broadly, the LS process can be summarised as follows:

• Concern about a student could be raised by a teacher or parent. Leads to information gathering by LS teacher, meetings and discussions between School and parent/student.
• School-based assessment will be conducted to identify students’ strengths, weaknesses and a provision is recommended. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is developed and students with similar learning needs may receive special assistance in small group sessions, or in class support, as necessary. Agreement will be sought with the parents, student (if appropriate) and relevant teachers.
• A review will take place and if necessary, external assessment will be recommended. This is usually the financial responsibility of the parents.
• A new IEP will be developed and implemented based on the new recommendations.
• Another review will take place and should the student be in a situation where he/she continues to be less than successful in their education progress and the School to be unable to meet the specific learning needs of the student , a decision will then need to be made if the student should be withdrawn from ISB.

Withdrawal from ISB

In exceptional cases, the School may not be in a position to meet the needs of a student who requires specific learning support which is outside of the scope of ISB. This may result in ISB not being able to continue the education of a student where that student continually fails to thrive and the educational progress of that student is at risk.

As learning and/or behavioural difficulties may not always become apparent during assessment or may arise after a student has been attending ISB, the Director reserves the right to advise parents/guardians that the student must be withdrawn from ISB.

A decision to withdraw a student from ISB would follow regular consultation with the parents/guardians and a thorough review of all the educational interventions that had been attempted and documented.