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Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

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y Traveller Education Services who serve as mediators between the school and<br />

home, which is particularly important when the students who demonstrate<br />

challenging behaviour are put at risk of exclusion.<br />

The majority of the college’s students attend all classes and follow the National<br />

Curriculum 15 , achieve good grades and go on to further education. There are more<br />

than the average number of students with special needs and disabilities at the College<br />

largely due to the facilities and courses it offers. As well as its federated school which<br />

specialises in helping students with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties<br />

(described in 3.3), it has a designated unit for students with speech and language<br />

difficulties and hosts the county’s only hearing support unit for secondary-aged<br />

pupils.<br />

Hearing-impaired students at Cottenham Village College are well supported by a<br />

strong team of teaching assistants and two teachers of the deaf which is crucial for the<br />

student’s integration and access to the National Curriculum. In addition to offering<br />

academic support, staff often need to take on a pastoral role and deal with students’<br />

emotional needs. Encouraging students to be independent and take responsibility for<br />

their learning, assisting in lessons and even intervening in social situations, also<br />

creates a dichotomy which is difficult for the teaching assistant who is only too aware<br />

of the sensitivity of their role. This level of surveillance and protection can lead to the<br />

disempowerment of the supported student in developing their own independent<br />

learning strategies. It is also only normal that students work closely with their keyworkers<br />

and support staff, sharing issues as they arise. Part of the vision for music<br />

therapy within the hearing support service was to alleviate some of these pressures on<br />

staff by providing students with another place to express themselves and talk about<br />

feelings which are confusing or difficult.<br />

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />

15 The National Curriculum is the school curriculum authorised by the UK<br />

government for state primary and secondary schools in England, Wales and Northern<br />

Ireland.<br />

! &#!

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