ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMMES
Staff at Gulf Harbour School value inclusion. Teachers plan for a wide variety of learning needs within their classroom programmes. However a student may be indentified as requiring additional support. Such support could be adapted programmes or learning environments, specialised equipment or materials or extra adult help. Children can be identified as needing additional help in a number of ways – through teacher observation/assessment, parents’ information and specialist assessments.
For children experiencing serious, on-going difficulty at school. A referral can be submitted to a range of outside agencies. (See the link below)
If you suspect your child may have special learning needs, please speak to your child’s teacher or our SENCO for information and advice. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) at Gulf Harbour School is Jacki Harrison – she can be contacted by email j.harrison@ghs.school.nz
All additional programmes at Gulf Harbour School are responsive to the current needs of our students. Below is a selection of some of the additional programmes currently offered at Gulf Harbour School.
STEPS to Literacy
Steps is an assisted, computer-based literacy program which is used to support student’s who are showing signs of difficulty developing reading fluency. It is particularly useful for children with Dyslexia or Dyslexic tendencies. Steps develops all aspects of literacy, including vocabulary, comprehension and verbal reasoning. It is based on the latest research into literacy acquisition and how the brain works. Students using STEPS work through levels of reading skill development in addition to their regular classroom lessons.
This programme is used with students from Year 2 - 6.
Early Words
The Early Words programme teaches children, one to one, in a short daily fun lesson where basic sight vocabulary is learnt. Teachers report that children who have undertaken the Early Words programme are more likely to be focused on and understand many conventions of print and work with more fluency when compared with children who have not had the programme.
PMP - Perceptual Motor Programme
The Perceptual Motor Programme is a language based, developmental programme catering for the needs of Year 1 and 2 children. It is also offered to older children on a needs basis.
The programme develops student’s gross and fine motor skills, fitness, balance, eye/foot coordination, locomotion, eye/hand coordination, as well as perceptions like body image and control, rhythm, directionality, space awareness and laterality.
The skills that students’ gain or improve on while involved in this programme, will help them physically and mentally, across the various school curriculum areas.
