Cognition and Learning Needs

Cognition and learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs and abilities. Cognition and learning difficulties may affect all areas of the curriculum, as with pupils with Moderate Learning Difficulties or Severe Learning Difficulties. However, cognition and learning difficulties may only impact on specific areas such as reading, writing, spelling and/or numeracy.

Universal Support

Every school, health setting, social worker and community support worker will:

• Consider the broad context of a child’s circumstances when they are identified as having difficulties with cognition and learning.
• Consider the social and emotional factors which may also play a part in learning difficulties, alongside underlying cognition
• Focus on the importance of early language/reading with parents and provide training, workshops, and materials to refer to at home regarding phonics, schemes and reading expectations
• Provide appropriate reading materials to all children
• Provide access to the outreach service from Mayfield School which can be accessed through the differentiated approach (i.e., there is no need to have a plan)
• Involve parents, discuss barriers to learning and share strategies/training for parents to understand cognition and learning skills and how to develop these.
• Provide holistic assessments including home, mental health, wellbeing etc.
• Undertake baseline (starting) assessments so we know where we are starting
  from.

SEND support strategies or interventions

Here are some ways that teachers and other school staff can help students learn
and succeed in the classroom:

• Make learning fun through play: Playing with blocks, for example, can help
  children develop spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Provide materials to support learning such as coloured overlays and pencil grips.
• Use technology to enhance learning: Ensure students can access technology
  and apps to help them learn and provide a recommended list of resources.
• Adjust the learning environment: Organise the classroom to minimise
  distractions and maximise engagement, use multimedia resources to enhance
  learning, and display pictures or posters to help students remember important
  information.
• Provide alternative ways to record work: Students can use word processing
  programs, presentation software, or educational apps to create and submit work.
  They can also create visual representations of their learning, such as posters or
  diagrams.
• Use manipulatives and a consistent approach across schools: The "Concrete –
  Pictorial – Abstract" approach can help students learn.
• Use visuals: Visual aids like photographs, graphs, charts, and diagrams can help
  students understand complex information.
• Make tasks manageable: Shortening tasks and providing additional time to
  complete them can reduce stress and improve performance.
• Break down tasks: Chunking information into smaller, more manageable pieces
  can improve learning and memory.
• Use repetition: Repeating information, such as reciting multiplication tables or
  spelling words, can help students memorise information and improve their recall
  and confidence.
• Use experiential learning: Hands-on experiences like science experiments or
  field trips can make learning more engaging and memorable.
• Play games: Interactive games can be used to reinforce skills and knowledge.
• Use precision teaching: Breaking down complex skills or behaviours into smaller
  components and tracking progress through repeated measurements.
• Use paired reading: Two people, usually a more skilled reader and a less skilled
  reader, read a text together and support each other to improve their reading
  skills.
• Look at interventions already in school and adapt teaching strategies: Small
  group support within the classroom can be used with the adaptations above, and
  all teaching staff can use whole class strategies.
• Pre-teach material: Introducing material before it is taught in the classroom can build confidence, reduce anxiety, and increase understanding.
• See specific toolkits for Slower Paced Learners, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Specific Learning Difficulties, Complex Learning Difficulties, Early Years and Post 16 learners.

Suggestions for the SENCO

• Observe - allows the SENCo to gather information about the young person's abilities, strengths, and areas of difficulty in different contexts and activities. The SENCo can identify patterns and make informed decisions about supporting young people's learning and development.
• Consider other factors impacting learning:
  • Safeguarding - a young person may struggle to concentrate or feel anxious in school. A young person may also be absent from school due to safeguarding concerns. Additionally, the emotional and psychological impact of safeguarding concerns can affect a young person's mental health and wellbeing, impacting their ability to learn and succeed in school.
  • A temporary change in the home situation can affect a young person's learning by causing stress, anxiety, disruption to their routine and access to resources.
  • Underlying health issues.
  • Mental health issues can affect a young person's learning by causing attention, concentration, memory, motivation, and emotional regulation difficulties.
  • Sensory needs can affect a young person's learning by either under or overstimulating their senses, leading to difficulties with attention, processing information, and regulating emotions.
• Seek training opportunities (e.g., through the Educational Psychology service).
• Conduct assessments (e.g., Dyslexia screener or British Picture Vocabulary Scale).
• Work with staff on how progress is being assessed and recorded.
• Provide and organise training for staff on specific topics if required (e.g. specific learning difficulties, memory etc.).
• If needed, keep evidence for Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) processes and get further advice/assessment.

Resources

• NASEN Whole School SEND document
• Greg Brooks – What works for literacy difficulties
• John Hattie – Visible learning

Specific Toolkits for SENDCos

Please find some additional toolkits for SENDCos

Assessment tools

• Dyslexia screener tools
• Reading/spelling measures
• British Picture Vocabulary Scales (BPVS)
• Boxall
• School's assessment system

Service offer or referral pathway

• The Educational Psychology service can offer a consultation to discuss what this means and the alternative ways to move forward.
• Continuing Professional Development for staff