Outstanding Education

Learning Support & Individual Needs at Island School

Island School's Individual Needs & Learning Support Department aims to provide all students with equal access to the curriculum and every aspect of school life; to support them so that they can achieve their full potential academically. The main focus of the department’s work is to ensure that students become as independent as possible in their learning and less reliant on the intervention of other adults. A second major theme of the department’s work is to raise literacy standards, in particular those in writing, spelling and reading, which are crucial to long-term success.

Island School accepts students with a wide range of abilities, some of whom have special educational needs (SEN). The Individual Needs Department is responsible for identifying these students, and supporting them both directly and through collaborative work with mainstream teachers. Our approach to meeting the special educational needs of our students is loosely based on the ESF wave model. Students’ special educational needs are identified using information passed on from primary schools, from school-based standardised assessments, and from concerns raised by parents, students, staff or other relevant bodies.

A range of strategies are employed to ensure that the school meets the needs of these students. These include:

• In-class support from educational assistants in Maths, Science, and the Humanities.

• Social thinking sessions for those with autism and other students with marked difficulties with social communication in Years 7-10.

• The PEERS programme, for students in Years 9 to 11, for those with Autism and other students with marked difficulties with social communication, on a biannual basis.

• Liaison between Individual Needs & Learning Support staff and mainstream staff (on academic and pastoral issues). Best practices for UDL (Universal Design Learning) are shared with the remaining faculties for Tier 1 support in the classrooms.

• Special examination arrangements (such as extra time or use of a laptop) for some students.

• For those considering the USA as a potential university destination, it is important to make the school’s Head of Individual Needs aware of any learning difficulties in regard to applying for SAT or Advanced Placement (AP) exam accommodations.

• The dissemination of relevant information to staff through regular updates to the Individual Needs Register of Involvement. 

• The provision of advice and training to staff on a variety of learning needs/strategies.

• Meetings with parents to discuss intervention strategies, Individualised Education Plans (IEPs) and Student Support Plans (SSPs) where necessary.

• Although a limited resource, referrals can be made to the Educational Psychologist when necessary

When a student is identified as having special educational needs, his or her name is placed on the school’s Individual Needs Register of Involvement in one of the following categories:

• Level of Adjustment 1 (LoA 1): Subject teacher is responsible for ensuring student progress through differentiation of materials and assessments.

• Level of Adjustment 2 (LoA 2): Subject teachers and Individual Needs teachers liaise to establish appropriate programmes of intervention.

The school’s Individual Needs Register of Involvement is not a fixed entity – students may enter, leave, or move between stages according to their particular circumstances.

The school also has provision for those students who are at Levels of Adjustment 3-4 (LoA 3-4), they are assigned to our Learning Support faculty. Where significant modification to the mainstream curriculum is required, typically entailing withdrawal from a range of mainstream subject lessons. Admission to this level of Learning Support provision is controlled through ESF’s central AR (Admission and Review) process, and places are strictly limited.

Learning Technology

Digital Literacy

At Island School, we are committed to being a forward-thinking learning community that harnesses technology to equip our members with the skills needed to be media-savvy digital citizens. Our goal is to empower them to make a meaningful difference in an increasingly intricate and interconnected global landscape.

To be digitally literate is to discern when and why to use digital technologies effectively, while also recognizing situations where they might not be the best choice. It involves critical evaluation of the various opportunities and challenges presented by digital tools, from social networking sites to different types of electronic devices.

The ability of students to define their information needs, generate and evaluate information sources, extract what they need and create new meaning using digital tools is central to what we try to develop in students, and it is our belief that students need to learn both through and about technology in order to achieve these aims. Digital Literacy is taught to students in Years 7 -11. These lessons include the appropriate application of technology to all areas of the curriculum.

Years 7 & 8
The curriculum in Years 7 and 8 is underpinned by the International Education Award. Students reflect on ideas such as the reliability of information, development and interpretation of media messages and the relationship between society and technology for an important part of the assessment approach.

Years 9-11
Students complete the IE Award in Applied ICT. Students evidence their work through the development of an e-portfolio which forms the basis of the assessment.

Island School 1:1 Laptop Programme

Island School has one-to-one lap top programme, requiring all students to have a laptop. Laptops are used to enrich learning experiences in and outside of the classroom, improve communication with your teachers and classmates and offer direct access to educational resources. As you use your laptop, you will build vital skills.

Laptop Guidance

• We recommend that you bring your laptop to class the first week. Your teacher will explain how frequently you will need it in class.
• Your teacher will discuss the use of laptops within your classes. In general, avoid distracting other students by turning off instant messaging, email, games and other unnecessary applications before class begins
• We strongly recommend that you avoid downloading unnecessary programmes and games on your laptop. These programmes can create problems with other software on your computer. It is best to keep your computer clean
• When using laptops and other computers, be aware of the Digital Technologies Responsible Use Agreement. This agreement outlines the school’s roles and responsibilities in supporting safe digital learning, as well as the expected behaviors of our students when using digital or online spaces
• Check out Digital Technologies Responsible Use Agreement

Laptop Requirements

All students are required to have a laptop computer for use in classes and other academic activities. Desktop computers, Chromebook and iPad do NOT meet this requirement.

• Check out What kind of Laptop and Software does my child need?

Laptop Purchase

• You may purchase any laptop brand that you wish and from any reseller but Island School students can take advantage of some discounts from Apple.
• ESF has teamed up with Senco to offer you the benefit of participating in the Island School Laptop Purchase Programme.
• Check out Senco Online Shop – Laptop Ordering (User Guide at the link below)
• Check out Senco Online Shop – User Guide
• If you have any questions regarding this programme, please call : 2511-5760 or email: eduoffer@sencohk.com

Laptop Support

• We provide assistance for students utilizing school resources. Help is available to assist students in connecting to the school WiFi network, printing & copying, Adobe CC etc.
• The Helpdesk is available during the school day. Students can visit the ICT office to request help as well. Students can email help-desk@online.island.edu.hk to create a ticket and ask for assistance with ICT related issues.
• If you have questions about purchasing a laptop, please email your questions to help-desk@online.island.edu.hk along with contact information so that we can call you if necessary
• Beyond that students need to take responsibility for their own devices for problem solving or troubleshooting.
• Unfortunately, repairs or warranty are not available on campus. If necessary you will need to refer to a technician or to the supplier where you bought the device.

Laptop Theft

Take the following precautions:

• Secure your laptop with a laptop lock
• Record your laptop’s serial number
• Do not leave your laptop unattended
• Be sure that your laptop is covered under your homeowners insurance
• Consider purchasing a laptop insurance from an insurance agent
• Optional…
  Laptop Computer All Risks Insurance Plan Factsheet By Zurich 
  Laptop Computer All Risks Insurance Plan Enrolment Form By Zurich 
  If you have questions about a new or existing policy, please call: 2903-9300 or email: enquiry@hk.zurich.com

Play & Well-being

Students’ wellbeing is at the core of our comprehensive Thrive programme. We consider wellbeing through four lenses: social, emotional, physical and cognitive, and we provide opportunities for students to develop essential skills in each area.

Please click here to view the Thrive Handbook.

Our Thrive programme aims to:

1. To ensure the safety of young people and give them the emotional intellect to protect themselves.
2. To raise awareness and provide a range of wellbeing ideas to cater for the whole community. 
3. To provide leadership opportunities for our student Ambassador team who collaborate in the development of the Wellbeing and Thrive curriculum. 
4. To promote students’ skill development and provide young people with essential lifelong skills.

The IS Thrive Lenses

To ensure a well-rounded curriculum IS embraces the four elements of wellbeing:

Wellbeing at Island School

Wellbeing at IS is an integral part of school life. 

We aim to capture wellbeing for all stakeholders; the students, parents, staff and wider community. Wellbeing at Island School is considered in four ways:  

• Mindful aims to promote our Social Wellbeing. Mindful of ourselves, each other and the world around us. 
• Positivity aims to promote our emotional wellbeing. To support students in managing their emotions using positive education whilst demonstrating empathy and compassion.
• Health aims to promote our physical wellbeing. To embrace a healthy lifestyle and develop self care practices related to fitness, diet and sleep.
• Purpose aims to promote our cognitive wellbeing. To challenge students in how they think, to develop resilience and a growth mindset. To encourage engagement, setting productive goals and a sense of achievement.

Raising Awareness About Wellbeing 

The monthly wellbeing promotes the IS four Thrive lenses to raise the awareness about wellbeing and is shared with our whole community. A copy of this will be shared in the weekly newsletter. This celebrates the students leadership opportunities and is facilitated by our ambassadors.

Positive Education

The Positive Schools programme is an initiative whereby staff who have been trained help deliver and engage positive education in schools. Within lessons the positive learning tools have been used to help reduce anxiety and help students manage their emotional wellbeing. The initiatives at IS include the murals project, creating a colourful and creative environment at school. The welcome committee whereby students meet and greet students and staff as they enter the school each morning. 

The Thrive Ambassadors

The importance of a student voice is paramount to the success of our wellbeing initiatives. We have ambassadors across all phases who support the development of the monthly wellbeing newsletter and school events. This collaboration aims to promote the awareness of wellbeing at school but also provide opportunities in extra curricular activities and leadership.