We welcome any child who meets our entry requirements. New pupils with any learning difficulties are not seen as a barrier to bright children attending Ephsol Education. Even though we are unable to provide screening to applicants on entry, we do our possible best to assess all new candidates during enrolment. The outcome gives us a value insight to their ability which enables us to place them on the right learning group.
The results obtained from applicant’s initial assessment also provide us with a 'Pupil Profile' that outlines their strengths and areas for improvement as well as suggesting strategies to apply to ensure effective pastoral care.
Pupils are taught in a structured, cumulative and multi-sensory way that builds on existing knowledge and provides revision and reinforcement of new learning. Strategies to support independent learning are taught and pupils are encouraged to discover their own most effective ways of learning.
Pupils are assessed regularly. Tutors monitor pupils’ attendance records, academic progress and involvement in other school activities. They also advise pupils in conjunction with parents, on subject options, secondary school applications and give parental guidance with the selection process.
Pupils who have been identified as having special educational need are offered support according to their level of need. We provide a Learning Support Assistant who will work on a one-to-one or small group basis with ‘at risk’ pupils.
Our consultation with parents during enrolment focuses mainly on the various monitoring systems designed to help pupils to succeed through regular homework, periodic assessments and review processes in place to ensure early intervention.
Ephsol Education we believe that homework is intended to be done at home. Nonetheless, it forms an integral part of our student’s study with us to enhance learning, improve achievement and develop their study skills.
Homework is set of a high quality and challenging which students are required to do outside of lesson on their own, with peer group study or with parents. We therefore recommend that a specific time is set aside for study and to make this into a daily routine.
One of our co-curricular is to enhance pupil’s research and the Art of Public Speaking. As such pupils in Key Stage 3 are periodically set homework which may involve using a computer for extensive research work. Parents are advised to take steps to ensure that time spent on the computer is directed towards the set task. Pupils will also need a suitable space in which to do the work, preferably free of distractions such as TV or computer games. Homework is set to enable our students to:
We have carefully and appropriately designed our own Homework Log Sheets and Progress Chart for recording and monitoring assignments set and individual progress respectively. The log sheet is essential for parents or carers to know exactly the type of homework given, due date, frequency and quality of output expected. It is not possible for parents to supervise the entire homework session closely, but it is important to take an interest in what your child is doing; the occasional oversight of his or her work and question about what your child has learnt will be very helpful.
You can check the details of the tasks set in your child's homework log. There may also be messages from your child's tutor on the current page. Please sign the log weekly to confirm that you have read it and are satisfied that your child has done his or her best to complete the work.
Some clever pupils may claim to have finished their homework with minimal help or within the shortest possible time. This may well be true from time to time, but it should not become a regular occurrence.
If you are unsure or in doubt of your child’s weekly homework, that is the more reason why we have designed the homework log with you in mind. You can also use the planner to note your comments and this should be picked up within a week by your child’s tutor.
Collaborative work with parents or carers is very vital to ensure effect monitoring and signing off the Homework Log sheets. The process enables our tutors to measure individual’s progress as well as to flag up any issues or concerns for early intervention.
Partnership with parents is an important element of pastoral care as are sound policies and guidelines. Parents wishing to contact the School about their child will normally contact the tutor in the first instance. Requests for absence of less than a day should be addressed to the tutor; requests for absence of a day or longer should go directly to the Head.
When a child is absent for genuine reasonse, the tutor responsible for the individual concern will co-ordinate the delivery of extra work as well as organising substitute lessons to ensure that the student keep up with their peers. They will exercise an overall supervision of the welfare, morale, conduct and academic progress of the pupil, as well as arranging regular meetings with the parent and taking an active and particular interest in the pupil’s extra-curricular activities.
In order to ensure continuous improvement and retention of our students, it is mandatory that every pupil participates in the End of Term examination. Since tuition is held in a small environment, the termly examination is held in a mainstream assembly hall. The practise is to prepare our pupils as young as Key Stage 1 pupils up to Key Stage 4. Not only does it help us a school to measure pupil’s progress and reflect on what they have learned throughout their studies with us but most importantly to instil confidence in our students and also to give them the opportunity to experience a real life examination situation.
constructive feedback report is sent to all parents and carers. Obviously, the results are meant to provide parents with an overview of their child’s ability in comparison to the average results achieved by other children of the same age.
On the other hand, it enables me as the Head to highlight any areas for improvement as well as acknowledging pupils who have achieved the expected grade. These matters are raised at PTA meetings which are held at least twice each year.
PTA Meetings are generally informative and held in a relaxed atmosphere. When you attend the meeting, you show your child that you care about what happens during his or her studies with us. You also become familiar with the Head of School and have a better understanding of the school’s processes. Your involvement in discussions is the best way to obtain clear and concise answers to any questions that you might have about your child's progress and performance. It gives parents the opportunity to raise any issues or concerns that they may have with regards to their child’ future aspirations.
The meetings also gives attendees first hand access to future events, rule changes and any unfinished business that is pertinent to the school’s operation which may affect your child’s academic life is raised to keep you well informed.