Learning Support

The Learning Support Team (LST)

The Learning Support Team (LST) forms a component of our Local Offer, providing advice and support to children, and schools across Leicestershire.

A central part of the LST role is to offer free Cognition and Learning (Cand L) Surgeries to schools and FE providers to support them in meeting the needs of pupils who have persistent literacy and maths difficulties, including dyslexia and dyscalculia. Schools are provided with support from specialist advisory teachers who are qualified and experienced in assessing and teaching pupils with specific learning difficulties.

The LST also have a costed training offer that compliments C and L surgeries.

How to get our support

The LST provides support to schools and FE providers only. LST do not work directly with parents and pupils.

Every school/FE provider is entitled to 2x 1 hour C and L surgeries per academic year as a minimum.

To find out about what LST currently have on offer, and to book a C and L surgery or training, please go to our dates, please go to our Eventbrite page or contact LSSCoreOffer@leics.gov.uk

How we work

C and L surgeries are online and are intended for SENCOs and Inclusion managers who may wish to also invite a class teacher or support staff to join them. They are bespoke and usually pupil needs led, however, the discussion can focus on an area of need rather than a specific pupil, if this is preferred.

Discussions are likely to be focussed on needs linked to literacy and/or maths development including dyslexia and dyscalculia. They might include advice on identification of needs, monitoring, adjustments to high quality teaching, intervention to develop reading, spelling, and /or maths and sign posting to other areas of support. Advice is linked to current SEND practice supporting the assess, plan, do, review model.

Impact of additional needs on learning and mental health and advice to build learning profiles for students who may be disengaging with learning and may have yet unidentified learning needs is a focus at KS3/4.

The LST training offer includes the following packages which are delivered 2x annually as a minimum. Over the academic year there are choices of face to face or online training for each package.

• Two identification packages:
  • Early identification of risk factors linked to persistent literacy difficulties (KS1)
  • Identify and monitor persistent literacy difficulties (KS1/2)  
• Two intervention focussed packages: 
  • Top Triangle Reading Intervention – for phonic non-responders
  • Spelling with your Ears Spelling with your Eyes
• Maths Learning Difficulties and Dyscalculia 
• Dyslexia Aware

Working with others

The LST works with schools, FE providers, units attached to schools that provide more intensive support, and other teams within the Specialist Teaching Service.

Useful resources

The following resources focus on key areas to help you support and understand children and young people with persistent learning difficulties like dyslexia.