Nicola Lovell, Headteacher of recently opened Burlington House Prep School on its mainstream approach to help children with specific learning differences to thrive
Burlington House Prep opened last September on Fulham High Street. The school takes pupils from 7 to thirteen (Years 3-8) and, most excitingly, is for children with a specific learning difference such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. The new prep school is an expansion of the current successful senior school, The Moat – now renamed Burlington House Senior – in Bishop’s Avenue. With the new prep school just a seven-minute walk away, the two schools are able to share outdoor space as well as a fabulous indoor sports hall.
One of my personal education heroes, Ken Robinson, once said: “Education needs to be transformed. The key to this transformation is not to standardise education, but to personalise it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions”. Burlington House aims to do just that, providing a unique, supportive learning environment where pupils with a specific learning difference can progress and flourish. Every child is respected as an individual, with their own valuable strengths and talents, alongside learning challenges.
Our schools are, as we describe them: ‘mainstream in structure but specialist in nature’. We recognise that our pupils may need additional support to help bridge the gap between their performance and their potential. Therefore, every aspect of the education provided at Burlington House is designed to support pupils as they meet the challenge of bridging this gap. Onsite provision for speech and language and occupational therapy are integrated within the curriculum and the small class sizes guarantee high levels of attention from empathetic staff.
Having taught in mainstream and independent primary schools, internationally and – more recently – in a specialist setting, I have witnessed the importance of a nurturing environment where a child feels understood and so ready to learn. Self-belief, confidence, the ability to reflect on mistakes, resilience and having a growth mindset are just some of the foundations of a child’s learning. I believe that such foundations need to be firmly in place so that a child can engage. They need a safe, happy environment so that they are motivated to learn.
“Every child at Burlington House Prep is respected as an individual, with their own valuable strengths and talents, alongside learning challenges”
Children with specific learning difficulties often have an incredible sense of creativity, as well as an aptitude for many school subjects, but they may also face difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, numeracy as well as organisational skills or speed of processing. I envisage every child to be on a journey at Burlington. Not every child will reach the same destination at the same time, but we will help them to discover their unique strengths at their own pace.
For some children, delays to literacy or numeracy development can lead to frustration, anger or a reluctance to learn and this can lead to false belief about their real ability which, down the line, will affect them socially and emotionally. Once a false belief is ‘set’, it can be difficult to reverse the process and that is why early intervention is key for an individual. At Burlington House, we are championing the individual.
Burlington House Prep burlingtonhouseschool.com
Further reading: A special education needs consultant discusses SEN concerns
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