At Hampstead School we endeavour to support our students and their families in every way we can. Below you will find information about the different support we provide and services that you can access. If something you're looking for isn't included, or you have further questions, please do get in touch.
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| Achievement Support (SEND) | Bilingual Support |
| Free School Meals | Parent Consultations |
| PARENTs, TEACHERs, & FRIENDS | PUPIL PREMIUM |
| SAFEGUARDING | STUDENT SUPPORT |
| SENDIASS | Wellbeing |
It is our aim to support students to develop the skills necessary to become active members of the wider community. We will provide expert support and resources for students with additional needs (AN) to fulfil their potential. All of our interventions are outcome-focussed, measurable and comparable.
All of our literacy interventions are based on the foundation skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Writing skills, speaking and listening skills, confidence development, ambition and motivation levels are fundamental considerations when planning schemes of work.
Targeted Specialist level of intervention |
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Word recognition Turn taking Extending vocabulary Appropriate verbal language Analysing descriptive language Active listening Language for analysis Following classroom routines Appropriate body language Task maintenance Task completion Writing in full sentences Writing for meaning and purpose Inference and comprehension Map work – visual spatial awareness Collating and summarising information Interpreting statistical information Critical evaluation Decision making Problem solving Creative thinking Public speaking Identifying bias Self-esteem and confidence Emotional intelligence Mental well-being |
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Targeted Group Level interventions |
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Universal Level Support |
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Useful References:
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Bilingual Support
Head of Dept:
Ms Joanna DeRegibus
Ethnic minorities make up about 50% of the school roll and 70 different languages are spoken by the school’s students and staff. The Bilingual Support team at Hampstead School ensures that students whose first language is not English have full access to the Curriculum and achieve to the best of their ability. The team caters for the needs of complete beginners as well as more advanced EAL students, providing regular in class support and teaching English in withdrawal classes. UK born bilingual students have an opportunity to improve their literacy skills as well as speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. English as an Additional Language (EAL) students who have been in the UK for less than 2 years and are at an early stage of language acquisition, must attend the Induction Programme lessons where they are introduced to key skills and key concepts in different subject areas.
The Bilingual Support team works with a large number of asylum seeking or refugee students and their families, providing support in and out of lessons, working closely with Heads of Year, tutors and external agencies to ensure these vulnerable students achieve the best support and feel safe in the school. The team believes in strong, active partnership with ethnic minority parents as the best way of increasing motivation and developing relevant learning experiences. The Somali Home-School Link worker organises annual meetings for Somali parents to inform them about the pastoral system, assessments, extra-curricular support, bilingual support and regularly liaises with Somali parents regarding the issues of behaviour, academic progress, attendance and punctuality.
The Bilingual Support team runs a variety of extra-curricular activities, both at lunch time and after school. They operate an open door policy for all bilingual students who wish to get help with homework, projects or assignments. All EAL students are encouraged to take GCSE exams in their mother tongue.
Every year the Bilingual Support team organises a huge celebration of the school’s cultural diversity. The International Festival attracts lots of students, their families and the local community. Students run stalls from many different countries, selling food and artefacts. A performance of international music, dance and poetry is organised in the school hall. No bilingual student feels that they should cast off their home language or the culture of their country when they cross the threshold of the school. Hampstead School values the students’ cultural backgrounds and celebrates the ethnic and linguistic ethos of the school.
To receive Free School Meals, you will need to apply online through Camden Council. While you will receive your result quickly, it can take the school several days to receive confirmation from Camden. Please be patient and provide your child with a packed lunch, or speak with your child's Head of Year for support until we have heard from them.
Free school meals are only available at lunchtime. If your child would like to purchase a snack at breaktime please ensure that there is money in your ParentPay account.
If your child ever has trouble accessing food, please encourage them to speak with their Head of Year.
Some councils will give food vouchers to families via the child's school during the holidays, however Camden Council will send these directly to you. If you do not receive this or if you have any questions, please contact the Council.
Parent Consultation Evenings
Our Parent Consultation Evenings (PCEs) are an opportunity for you and you child to discuss their progress with their class teachers.
They are a face to face event and take place after school from 16:30 - 19:00.
Please make a separate appointment for each teachers you wish to meet.
Parent, Teacher, and Friends Association
Hampstead School's PTFA is a great way to bring parents, teachers, and our local community together. We aim to raise funds in order to support the school to provide the best opportunities for our students, meeting other members of the school and local community in the process.
Here are some things we will be fundraising for: student laptops to close the digital divide; external shelter on the school grounds; school trips; additional resources that cannot be funded through the school budget, etc.
We are looking for parents who would be willing to join us in attending and organising events to build our community and raise money for the school.
If you are interested in being involved in any way, please email: s.rodger@hampsteadschool.org.uk or enquiries@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Pupil Premium
Pupil Premium and Catch Up - Raising Attainment and Closing the Gap
At Hampstead School we have the highest expectations for all of our students and will support every student to ensure that they reach their full potential, both academically and socially.
In 2011-12, the Government launched its Pupil Premium funding, to help schools to support vulnerable pupils at risk of under achievement and address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers, by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.
The amount of funding the school receives is based upon the number students who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’) children who have been looked after continuously for more than 6 months and children of service personnel.
The information in this section, details how Hampstead School has spent the money in previous years and its impact, as well as proposals for future spending.
The school has also received additional funding to support the Catch Up from Covid-19 and have included information on how we have begun to and intend to continue spending these funds to support our students.
Pupil Premium Strategy - 2022-2025
Pupil Premium Catch Up STATEMENt
Hampstead School is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the children and young people in our care. The school recognises the vital contribution staff, volunteers and governors make to ensure that this commitment is met. We will strive to make sure that every child and young person in the school is well cared for, and able to reach their full potential. For more information on our approach, check out our School Policies.
We work hard to reduce all the kinds of harm that children can suffer, including abuse, bullying, discrimination, radicalisation and avoidable injuries. If you have any concerns at all about the safety or welfare of a child please do not hesitate to contact us.
Information Advice and Support Services (IASS) provide free impartial, confidential, and accurate information, advice and support about education, health and social care for children, young people and their parent/carers, on matters relating to special educational needs and disability.
SEND INFORMATION, ADVICE & SUPPORT SERVICES
The law requires all local authorities to provide children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents/carers with information, advice and support.
Information Advice and Support (IAS) Services are confidential, free and operate at arms-length from your local council.
Student Support Faculty
Inclusion is concerned with raising the standards of achievement in all students irrespective of background, heritage, class, gender or ability. Balancing the needs of the few against the needs of the many is our challenge. Our fundamental aim is to encourage all students to realise their potential
The Student Support Faculty is a key part of Hampstead School’s inclusion strategy. We have a broad remit and its aim is to promote equal access and opportunity to all.
The well-being of the student whether it is physical, mental, emotional, moral or spiritual is fundamental to their ability to access education, whether it is informal or formal. The faculty incorporates the Student Support Centre and the Internal Exclusion Unit.
Primary Aims
- To raise the attainment levels of students
- To remove barriers to learning thus enabling students to reach their full potential
- To raise standards of underachieving groups
- To promote the successful transition between Key Stages (especially KS2 to KS3)
- To assist students in improving their attendance and punctuality
- To reduce fixed term and permanent exclusions with targeted cohort
- To identify and work with students where their emotional health and well-being is a barrier to learning; including working in partnership with the Special Needs team to deliver the Education Health Care Plan.
- To strengthen whole school Behaviour for Learning policy and practices.
- To offer alternative educational programmes within school and external educational agencies
- To raise the levels of interpersonal skills amongst students, which will enable them to make informed, mature decisions affecting their lives
- To develop strategies relating to mental and sexual health, racism, violence, drugs and other forms of vulnerability.
- To facilitate students who have been internally excluded from their normal lessons.
Secondary Aims
- To develop a sense of security for troubled children in a safe, supportive learning environment using positive reinforcement and motivation
- To provide support service to the parents/carers of students attending the a SSC
- To raise students' self-esteem, confidence and resilience. Enabling them to reach their potential and enjoy success.
Different Approaches to achieving the aims:
- Counselling including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Mentoring
- Working with parents/carers
- Working with LA agencies
- Primary/Secondary transition
- Working with external educational establishments
- Peer Buddying
- Work with external agencies
- The Duke of Edinburgh
Wellbeing
At Hampstead School we do not just teach, we shape and mould young people into the happy, stable and successful adults of the future. We are proud to be the first secondary school in London to have received the Wellbeing Award (April 2020). We are also a trailblazer school in our work on Trauma Informed Practice.
We strive to build growth mindsets within our young people, this equips them with a problem-solving outlook and the confidence to make mistakes.
We invest heavily in staff training to allow our staff to become experts in barriers to learning, learning differences, mental health, and modelling positive, pro-social interactions.
We develop our staff so that they can develop your children.