Neale-Wade Academy, a large secondary school and sixth form in Cambridgeshire is dedicated to working alongside parents and carers to support and enrich the lives of its students. The school also recognises the importance of supporting children with special educational needs.
Tutor Doctor was approached by the Assistant SENDCo at the school for help with three Year 7 students who had specific and individual educational needs. Having already worked with the school in the past, we were confident that we could offer the SEND tutoring the school required and deliver a successful programme of tuition.
Enhancing Engagement and Encouraging Reintegration
The three Year 7 students that we were called in to help all faced different challenges, such as low attendance, negative thoughts about school, and difficulty managing in a bustling school environment. Tutor Doctor recognised how important an engaging and comfortable environment would be for the success of the programme, and recommended off-site tutoring.
We carefully selected a SEND tutor to work in collaboration with the school’s Assistant SENDCo and to deliver a programme of English, Maths, and Science sessions. A visit was arranged with each student to better understand their needs and to build trust and rapport. Forming strong connections early on is so important to our tutors and helps students to get the most out of our programmes. In doing so, we can encourage better engagement with the ultimate goal being reintegration into school life and learning.
The Perfect Partner: Young People March (YPM)
Helping the children in other areas of their lives was also important to us and the school. That’s why we chose to partner with Young People March (YPM). This charitable organisation focuses on helping young people to develop independence, confidence, and self-esteem. YPM’s facilities were the perfect setting for blending our academic tutoring services with practical skills, such as cooking, sports, and DIY projects. Each tutoring session was two hours long and held on weekday afternoons at the YPM centre. The students really excelled in this stimulating and enjoyable environment.
A Remarkable Transformation
We are so pleased to say that our personalised SEND tutoring programme had impressive results. Student One, who was initially disengaged, now actively participates in academic subjects, has improved focus, and is more considerate of the feelings of others.
Prior to tutoring, Student One initially “refused to engage in any academic work. He was unable to stay focused on anything that did not involve football. He was considered too demanding, and unable to follow classroom rules and boundaries. Persistent failure to conform meant that he had, experienced many fixed-term exclusions.
“Since being at Tutor Doctor, Student One is engaged in academic subjects, and remains focused and engaged in his work. He is now able to consider other people when issuing his demands and is willing to discuss and consider their opinions and feelings. With Tutor Doctor’s support, Student One has had no exclusions and is enjoying his learning. He will support other students when needed and is happy to allow others to be the centre of attention.”
Student Two, who previously had negative opinions about school had a positive shift in attitude, improved attendance, and challenged the status quo much less.
Student Two was observed having “a very negative opinion regarding school” with low attendance and engagement, “often spending more time outside the classroom, refusing to go in.”
Through working with Tutor Doctor, Student Two “is now engaged and enjoying his learning. His views and opinions will now allow him to consider others and disagreements are minimal. Attendance and attainment have improved greatly. He is enjoying attending Tutor Doctor and has an improved outlook, where once used to be very negative.”
Student Three, who struggled with attendance and communication now enjoys learning, participates regularly, and shows increased self-esteem.
Student Three rarely attended school and engaged with lessons, often unable to communicate. Our tutoring has allowed the student to learn to enjoy education. “He is still very quiet, but he will try in most subjects, even discarding his phone to play air hockey in his free time. “His attendance has improved as has his participation, openly engaging in conversations with staff and students. Parents report that his confidence and self-esteem have improved immensely.”
Through our support, one of the students now feels comfortable in attending a special school in the next academic year, and the other two students are now in a position to rejoin Neale-Wade Academy full-time in September.
“His attendance has improved as has his participation, openly engaging in conversations with staff and students. Parents report that his confidence and self-esteem have improved immensely.”
– Kelly Wilshire, SENDCo at Neale-Wade Academy
Thanks to Tutor Doctor’s support, one of the students is now comfortable attending a school for children with special education needs, while the other two students are set to rejoin Neale-Wade Academy full-time in September. We are so pleased that our SEND tutoring programme empowered these students to overcome their challenges and develop the skills they needed to succeed academically and socially.
Discover How SEND Tutoring Can Help Your Students to Succeed
Experience the transformative impact of Tutor Doctor’s tutoring services within your school. Whether you need SEND tutoring or help with other educational support, we offer tutoring services tailored to your needs. Speak to us today about school tuition support and the broad spectrum of needs and challenges that our services can address. Get in touch with your local office today to get started.
