Ofsted praise for school’s dyslexia work

By Kelly Eve Education reporter

Last updated 05:29, Friday, 20 June 2008

LIME House School has once again been recognised for the help it gives children with dyslexia.

Support: Beverley Thompson, learning support teacher at Lime House School near Carlisle, takes a class with dyslexic pupils Daniel Richardson, 12, left, Josh Marley, 12 and Michael Spittle, 12. Sixteen of the school’s 35 dyslexic pupils receive lessons in a dedicated unit. There are 231 pupils in all at Lime House

It has been re-inspected and will once again appear on the national register of schools offering specific support and provision.

The school, near Dalston, was recently visited by CReSTeD – the Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic pupils. It was originally CReSTeD-registered in 2005, which remains valid for three years.

Sixteen of the school’s 35 dyslexic pupils receive lessons in a dedicated unit. There are 231 pupils in all at Lime House. The school was found to have “high quality and well prepared lessons” as well as good relationships between staff and pupils. Teachers are also supported by well-trained assistants.

Parents surveyed said they were pleased with “increased confidence and self-esteem” their children had developed with help from the school.

Headteacher Nigel Rice said: “The department and the school are very pleased with the report and inspection. All of our children come in and get an individual education plan that is based around them and we review it every term, modify it and have targets set for next time. One of the good things is to see the feedback from parents. It is also good when you have a third party in and they confirm that what you are doing is good or excellent. We’re proud of that.

“It is reassuring to know that you are doing things well and it instils confidence among the staff. It helps them to take their work on to the next level.”

Bernadette McDermott, from CReSTeD, concluded in her report: “Lime House School is an attractive pleasant school with a relaxed but purposeful atmosphere.

“The dyslexic pupils benefit from high quality tuition, geared to their individual need, in the learning support centre.

“There is a broad well-balanced curriculum taught in small groups delivered by staff with a good understanding of dyslexia and support staff in all English, maths and science lessons.”

Mr Rice is now increasing the number of support staff who will assist specially-trained teachers from September.

Initiatives at the school used to help dyslexic pupils include additional one-to-one support in class or taking them from unsuitable lessons such as German to focus on other areas in a specialist learning unit.

Also, those with dyslexia finish their classes five minutes earlier than fellow pupils. This gives them more time to sit down with a member of staff to discuss and note what homework or further tasks have been set in the lesson. The school’s work has also been praised by the North Cumbria Dyslexia Association, which visited Lime House for the first time recently.

The association’s chairman Jennie Cross said: “It was good to hear that all students don’t follow the same particular reading scheme, but one designed to meet their individual needs. The provision for one-to-one and small group teaching is impressive.”

CReSTeD’s work is supported nationally by the British Dyslexia Association and Dyslexia Action.