Inclusion at DESC

Our aim as an Inclusion Team is to equip students with the learning tools they need to succeed in College and beyond. We foster independence and encourage student autonomy.

The Inclusion Team at DESC is made up of a mixture of highly skilled LSAs and specialist teachers. All members of the team undergo regular CPD to ensure they are always up to date with the latest research surrounding Inclusion.

Student Support

The first level of any support at DESC is quality first teaching. All teachers at DESC are highly skilled in making their classes neurodiverse friendly. Teachers receive guidance from the Student’s Profile as to the reasonable adjustments that need to be considered to ensure their lessons are accessible to all students. Our CPD program at DESC contains ongoing evidence-based training in how best to support students with diverse needs. At DESC we anticipate and appreciate that everyone learns in different ways, which is why teachers always incorporate a range of different learning opportunities within their lesson.

Some students may also receive time-limited intervention through in class support, assistive technology training, study skills and/or subject intervention. This is monitored very closely to ensure we are supporting all students, but also to ensure that we are encouraging student independence.

Fostering Independence

Our job is to teach students lifelong skills that they can use in further education and employment. We have invested heavily in ensuring students are able to use technology to remove their own barriers and self-scaffold. We deliver training on how to touch type, use text to speech software and speech recognition technology in order to encourage student independence.

Student Voice

Where appropriate we always include the student when creating the Student Profile. It is really important to us that the student is involved so they can explain firsthand as to what works for them in lessons.

Alternative Curriculum and Pathways

We are very lucky to have such a wide range of subjects’ students can choose from for their GCSEs and Post 16. It is vital that students are able to find their niche and identify the pathways that suit and compliment their way of learning. We also have a bespoke project-based curriculum for those students who follow a reduced timetable at KS3, which focuses on problem solving, communication skills, literacy, numeracy and wellbeing.

Exam Access Arrangements

Access arrangements are ‘reasonable adjustments’ for students who have a disability or a special educational need that significantly affects them in exams. Access arrangements do not change the skills or knowledge being tested and must not give an unfair advantage but do give a level playing field so students can show their knowledge.

There are a variety of access arrangements that can be provided, including:

Support for reading (e.g., text to speech technology)
Support for writing (e.g., a word processor or speech to text technology)
Support for working to time (e.g., 25% extra time, rest breaks)

We will always encourage students to use exam access arrangements that promote student independence.

All access arrangements must be agreed by the Head of Inclusion before any assessment takes place. We have a working relationship with a few external agencies in Dubai, and if additional testing is required to determine eligibility, we will organise it through the College. We do not accept privately commissioned reports.

External Agencies

DESC may seek the support and guidance from the following external agencies.

We also work with the following clinics when seeking advice and support for Social Emotional or Mental Health concerns.