Learning Support

At Abbot’s Hill, we believe every child has their own unique talents and potential waiting to be unlocked. Whether your child is naturally confident in the classroom or needs a little extra encouragement, our aim is the same: to inspire their love of learning and help them achieve things they never thought possible.

We know that one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why we carefully tailor our teaching to meet each child exactly where they are – gently stretching those who are ready to soar further, whilst building confidence in those who need more support. It’s this thoughtful, individualized approach that allows every pupil to make wonderful progress and discover the joy of learning for its own sake.

Our goal isn’t simply academic success, though we’re rightly proud when our pupils excel. It’s about nurturing genuine curiosity, resilience and a lifelong love of discovery – qualities that will serve your child well beyond their school years. When children feel truly seen and supported in their learning journey, that’s when they truly flourish.

Abbot’s Hill is an inclusive school that unlocks, develops and celebrates the strengths of the individual child. We deliver an innovative, relevant and ambitious curriculum for all, with a personalised, tailored approach to learning.

As a staff, we believe that learning support is the responsibility of every teacher and assistant. The school operates a ‘whole-pupil, whole-school’ approach to the identification, management and provision of support for special educational needs.

The Senior School Learning Support Department, known as The Rose Garden offers a warm and welcoming environment, with an open door policy, to pupils, staff and parents. Our experienced team of specialist teachers and two Level 7 qualified specialist assessors deliver regular training to all staff, providing strategies and techniques to support individual learning in class. This allows us to support our pupil-centred approach to learning support.

Learning support has been extended into the Prep School, which offers an inclusive learning space for Prep pupils and staff to use for small group sessions, 1:1 interventions and as an open resource for all pupils to access during break time. This space can be used for quiet reflection, asking specific questions regarding their learning or accessing peer on peer support.

We aim to enable all pupils to achieve their full potential in all aspects of school life, and recognise that some are challenged by specific learning differences. We cater for mild needs and make reasonable adjustments to cater for those needs. Whilst not a specialist school, we work with conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, Attention Hyperactivity Deficit Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), collaborating with external agencies including speech therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists as appropriate. The Rose Garden also offers support to all pupils with other areas of learning such as organisation, examination technique and revision skills.

The Admissions Process

We can support a limited number of children with mild learning difficulties each year. During the application process, we will ask you for additional information about any known or suspected difficulties or diagnoses relating to your child’s health, wellbeing or learning abilities – such as a formal Educational Psychologist, Medical or Specialist Teacher’s report – and will seek an informal conversation with your child’s current school. This information will help us see if we could reasonably meet your child’s needs so that they can benefit from everything the school has to offer and be able to contribute in full to the life of the school.

If you have any questions relating to this aspect of the Admissions process, please contact Admissions@abbotshill.herts.sch.uk.

We pride ourselves on creating a warm, nurturing community where every child is truly known, valued and encouraged to flourish. At the heart of our approach is a simple but profound belief: that a diagnosis or learning difference should never stand in the way of a child reaching their full potential.

We work closely with each pupil and their family to understand their unique strengths and needs, ensuring they feel confident, capable and genuinely included in every aspect of school life. Through specialist support, tailored teaching and a culture of understanding, we help all our pupils to thrive – academically, socially and personally.

Every child deserves to succeed, and we are committed to making that happen.

Prep School

In our Prep School, we aim to identify children who require learning support as early as possible, enabling us to design a tailored educational programme from day one.

Through Individual Pupil Passports, we provide targeted support, teaching strategies, and referrals to ensure that every child receives the help they need promptly and effectively. These plans are developed collaboratively, involving parents, teachers, external specialists, and the child themselves, ensuring a holistic approach to learning.

Support is delivered in a way that best suits each child — whether through individual tuition, paired or small-group work, or liaison with outside agencies when appropriate. Our Learning Support team consists of highly qualified, dedicated specialists committed to helping every child achieve their full potential.

While Monkton Prep does not require an entrance qualification, we do assess all prospective pupils to ensure we can provide the individualised education they need to thrive.

Senior School

In the Senior School, Abbot’s Hill’s Learning Support Department embodies the school’s ethos of individual care and support, helping every pupil to thrive. Situated in welcoming rooms at the heart of the school, the department is staffed by three qualified teachers who provide targeted support for pupils with additional learning needs, including dyslexia and dyspraxia, through weekly individual sessions.

Our lessons focus on metacognitive learning strategies, helping pupils become self-aware learners who can select the strategies that work best for a task and reflect on their effectiveness. This approach is embedded across all Learning Support sessions, fostering independence and confidence, with technology also used to support autonomous learning.

All Year 9 pupils undergo initial skills screening soon after entry, with further assessments conducted where difficulties are identified. The Head of Department carries out in-depth assessments as needed, particularly for pupils requiring exam access arrangements.

Information about pupils’ needs is shared with teaching staff, and where specific strategies are required, Individual Learner Profiles (ILPs) are created to ensure all staff can support each child effectively. The department also manages the assessment and implementation of exam arrangements in collaboration with the exams office, ensuring all pupils have access to appropriate support during public examinations.

The Head of Learning Support is available to meet prospective parents during school visits and Open Mornings to discuss how the department can support their child’s learning journey.

Visit Us

There are many ways to get a taste of life at Abbot’s Hill – whatever you choose, you can be sure of a warm welcome. We are very proud of everything that goes on each day in our classrooms, outside in the 76 acres of parkland and through our extensive co-curricular programme, and our pupils are always keen to meet prospective families and chat about their experiences at school. We know that our pupils are our very best ambassadors!

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