Mount Hutt College is fortunate to have a full-time Learning Support Coordinator. This position was established to help students in our surrounding area with transition between schools and into the work-force. The Learning Support Action Plan (2019-2025) states that ‘One in five children and young people need some kind of learning support’. At Mount Hutt College our Learning Support team is committed to providing inclusive learning support to all students who need it. This looks different for students, based on their age, learning needs and circumstances. Or learning interventions include:
- Providing individual support through our structured reading support programme.
- Providing group support through a structured numeracy programme.
- Providing special assessment conditions which remove barriers to achievement.
- Using teacher aides as an integral part of support in class situations and to support groups within class settings.
- Using teacher aides to support teachers working with students who have behavioural challenges.
- Providing adaptations to learning programmes when needed.
- Helping students transition between schools and year groups.
- Liaising with outside agencies for students who have specialist needs.
At Mount Hutt College we aim to give all learners a high-quality, culturally responsive, seamless and inclusive education, from primary school, through secondary schooling, and into tertiary education, vocational training and employment by encouraging our students to work on strategies for overcoming barriers and move toward independence.
On a national level Learning Support is an area of education which has changed significantly. The general background to changes includes increased focus on Inclusive Education, Universal Design for Learning and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles.
More specifically changes result from documents such as Success for All (2010), Collaboration for Success (2011), NZC Update The Inclusion Principle (2012), Success for All Inclusive Practice in Secondary Schools (2014) and Inclusive practices for students with special needs in schools (2015 ERO publication). The recent ERO report on the use of Teacher Aides in inclusive environments is a clear example of schools changing from the older model of support which focused on withdrawal and mana diminishing practices, to the new model which focuses on inclusive, uplifting support. At Mount Hutt we use all these documents and more to guide our practices so that students in our community have the opportunity of a seamless education that builds mana and self-esteem.
If you have any further questions about the supports we can provide for your learner, please send an email to make an appointment with Mrs Judith Diedricks ([email protected])