The Access and Achievement Faculty is based in a suite of rooms at the very heart of the school. It is the largest faculty in school and is comprised of over twenty five para-professionals. Julia Turrell is the Head of Faculty and the SEN Co-ordinator. Different teams in the Faculty work collaboratively with each other, other staff in the school, outside agencies and parents and carers to secure a co-ordinated approach to addressing the needs of individual pupils. The work centres around removing barriers to learning, which include learning, social, emotional, behavioural, and attendance issues, and may present short-term or long-term difficulties for pupils. The Faculty work with pupils across all year groups and across the full range of ability.

Teaching Assistants provide in-class support for pupils with Special Educational Needs, and also deliver small-group literacy sessions to raise the reading and spelling skills of pupils who require more intensive input.

Mentors are based in a large area called the Learning Zone. They work with pupils across the full range of ability including our Gifted and Talented pupils focussing on removing barriers to learning. They provide one-to-one support, small group sessions, and some in-class support for pupils on the Mentoring Programme.

The Learning Support Centre is next to the Learning Zone and is accessed by some of our most vulnerable pupils for a variety of reasons. Some may be at risk of exclusion, for others it is a way of integrating them gradually into the school environment. The LSC is staffed by the LSC Support worker and a number of teachers from a range of curriculum areas.

The Isolation Room is staffed by a behaviour mentor and provides on site provision for pupils who have been excluded from lessons due to behaviour.

Bilingual Outreach Workers work with minority ethnic pupils and their families to address issues related to attendance. They monitor targeted pupils closely, and provide mentoring and support for both pupils and families. They also work closely with the local communities.
A wide range of additional clubs are run by Faculty staff. These are open to all pupils and include: Breakfast Club, homework and coursework clubs at lunchtime and after school, and other clubs to meet the needs and interests of pupils.

Our friendly and welcoming Access and Achievement staff
Head of Faculty Julia Turrell
2nd in Faculty Julie Hilton
Learning Mentors Sara Cove, Karen Smith and Jennifer Milller
Behaviour Mentor Andrea Slessor
Learning Support Worker Collette Barrett
Bilingual workers Abdul Alam, Lubna Sadiq
Teaching Assistants Amanda Tweedale, Sarah Hoyle, Victoria Busfield, Catherine Maguire, Allia Qadir, Rehana Abass, Stefan Graham, Joyce Buckley, Farzana Begum, Linda Hesketh, Lynn Kershaw, Janet Carr, Catherine Rushton, Samantha Jameson. Michelle Quinn, Charlotte Nash and Sandra Law.