We recently had an interesting conversation with tuition experts Mentor Education. They wanted to know if we placed students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), having struggled to find education consultants that provided this service in the past. The answer is yes. Finding a school that fits the child and their individual needs is all part of the journey that we take with every parent.

And here’s the thing. One size doesn’t fit all. Every child has different needs. One of the great strengths of the British education system is the recognition that all children learn differently. Inclusion and being able to engage in a full curriculum are viewed as entitlements for all children, regardless of their ability or pace of learning. Our area of expertise is to ensure that international families also benefit from this system.

SpLD support in UK Boarding Schools

All the schools that offer SpLD support provide teaching through a range of formats including targeted small group sessions and in-class assistance; utilising the experience of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and team. All teaching is tailored to each child’s needs with help such as speech & language therapy, occupational therapy and assistive technology. Pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia are often withdrawn from non-core subjects to focus on identified areas of difficulty such as reading, writing and maths. Learning Support Departments assist those who need guidance with organisation and study skills, including examination technique and revision strategies. In addition, the emotional welfare of each child is always closely monitored through house staff, dedicated wellbeing and support coaches and school councillors. Reassuring to know for parents of students who will be a long way from home.

Our starting point is to refer to the child’s school reports, current Learning Support teacher and any SEN assessments that have been carried out.

Our trusted approach

At Panoba, once we’ve had initial discussions with a family our starting point is to refer to the child’s school reports, current Learning Support teacher and any SEN assessments that have been carried out. We work with a network of SEN specialists including Educational Psychologists and Occupational Therapists so are able to refer families to these specialists where further diagnostic assessments are necessary. It’s crucial that any school we approach can be given a complete picture of each student, thereby ensuring the school can offer the correct level of support. We then might look at the latest advice and recommendations from trusted organisations such as The Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils (CReSTeD). CReSTeD maintains an up-to-date register of boarding schools and teaching centres which meet their own criteria for the teaching of pupils with dyslexia and other SpLD such as dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyscalculia and dysgraphia.

Boarding schools for international families with specialist SEN support

We work with groups of schools who can offer boarding places to international families in addition to specialist SEN support. These are schools which have a Tier 4 sponsor licence and can therefore accept applications from non-British passport holders as well as home students. Face to face teaching hasn’t been possible for many students at the schools in recent months but the recent announcement about schools reopening has been welcome news as one-to-one teaching is critical for children with learning difficulties.

We’re so glad that Mentor Education brought this matter to our attention. Please contact us if you’d like to discuss placing your child in one of the leading UK Schools that offer SpLD support.