Students of all abilities are welcomed to Ealing Independent College, and we actively welcome students with Special Educational Needs. The only requirement for our students is that they are willing to work hard and try their best, and that they are able to access our curriculum of GCSE and A level qualifications.
A Welcoming Environment
The small and friendly nature of the College is the perfect environment in which all students can thrive.
Students come to us from many different educational backgrounds. For example, some students on the Autism Spectrum or who suffer from ADHD find that our relaxed yet purposeful atmosphere enables them to settle in and to achieve. Students who have previously been school refusers have also joined the College and started to enjoy education again. The atmosphere here in College is very special, and there is a real sense of calm both in classrooms and corridors. Relationships between teachers and students are strong, and incidents of even minor poor behaviour are very rare indeed. It is also very easy to find a quiet space in the College at break and lunchtime for a student who wants to collect their thoughts, and students of all ages are also allowed to leave the premises during these times if they choose to do so. Students at EIC are very tolerant of diversity.
Learning
Students can choose their own pathway at the College. We are flexible, and students who find academic work to be challenging are able to join us and only study a limited number of GCSEs if they would like to focus their efforts on the core subjects. We understand that one size does not fit all.
Students should be able to be comfortable in lessons and enjoy learning in lessons at their own pace and, with a maximum of twelve students in a class (with many classes being much smaller), this is possible to achieve. These small classes enable strong relationships and good communication between teacher and student. Likewise, students are encouraged to take part in extracurricular activities, but these are not forced.
Notes are uploaded to Google Classroom pre-lesson so that students can focus on the teaching rather than getting written notes down, and teachers are always available to revisit any sections of learning which were problematic.
All teachers at EIC are provided with detailed information about the needs of our SEND students to ensure that these needs are met in the classroom. Our teachers are kind and welcoming, and are always happy to help.
Identification and assessment
Close relationships between staff and students are a hallmark of the College, and these enable the ability for effective identification of candidates who need additional support academically. Parents, teachers or the students themselves can make a request to be assessed. A full analytical teacher questionnaire will build a profile of need, and then the student will undergo a range of tests, carried out by our independent assessor, with a diagnosis then reached.
This method has found success in ensuring that students who have previously not had access to the additional support which they have merited, in their previous schools, have been correctly supported with us.
Students on the SEND register will have regular reviews with the Vice Principal, who is also our SENCO. This ensures that the measures put in place for our SEND students are effective in helping them to achieve their potential.