Menu

Learning Support (SEND)

In this section:

Our Approach

At Guildford County, we have equity at the centre of all that we do. We have ambition for all students to excel, no matter their starting point, background or needs. High Quality Teaching happens in every classroom, and reasonable adjustments are made by staff to accommodate individuals' needs. Information is regularly shared by the Learning Support team on individual students' strengths, needs, and way of working. Our team of Progress Coaches work collaboratively with teachers to ensure that adaptations are made to learning resources and environments where needed. Progress Coaches provide targeted, bespoke interventions that are outcome driven and personalised. Our Progress Coach team also contribute to an ambitious intervention programme which enables students to make the best possible progress, whilst maintaining a broad and ambitious curriculum. 

The Learning Support team is overseen by our Assistant Headteacher: Inclusion, Charlotte Barlow, and consists of:

  • SENDCo – Nathan Morris
  • Assistant SENDCo and Access Arrangements Co-ordinator – Anna Marshall
  • Intervention Leads – Parvathy Manohar and Carly Rivers
  • SEND Support Team Leader – Alison Taylor

They are supported by a team of Progress Coaches who have training in the following:

  •  Supporting students who have English as an Additional Language (EAL)
  •  Emotional Literacy Support
  •  Literacy for All
  •  Fresh Start Phonics
  •  ELKLAN Speech and Language
  •  Access Arrangements
  •  Supporting students in the classroom
  •  Understanding Autism
  •  Structured teaching strategies

Should you wish to contact the Learning Support team about your child, they can be contacted on learningsupport@guildfordcounty.co.uk

 

 

Learning Support at County

We are incredibly ambitious for all students who follow a broad and balanced mainstream curriculum.

The majority of students with additional needs make progress in their lessons through High Quality Teaching strategies. For those students requiring support additional to or different from their peers, a student passport will share strategies for teachers to implement in class, and the Learning Support processes identify those who may require an intervention for a defined period of time.

We support a large number of students across the school from Years 7 to 13 with a range of additional needs including:

  • Speech, Language and communication (including Autism)
  • Cognition and Learning (including dyslexia, dyscalcula)
  • Social Emotional and Mental Health (including ADHD)
  • Physical and Sensory

Our team of Progress Coaches mainly support students with an EHCP. We do not have support allocated to individuals or classes; our Progress Coaches work across the school, providing lesson check-ins, support where necessary, delivering interventions and coaching sessions.

For children with an EHCP, applications are made via the Local Authority. It is strongly recommended to visit the school prior to applying and having a conversation with a member of the Learning Support team about our provision and school environment.

To support as smooth a transition as possible, the Learning Support team work closely with primary schools to find out about any additional needs and support that may be required. Following this, further transition support may take place, including:

  • Transition meeting with families
  • Visits to primary schools
  • Targeted transition

Joining Guildford County – Students with an EHCP

If your child currently has an EHCP and is in Year 4 or 5, we recommend booking a tour so that we can show you the provision we offer at Guildford County.  Tours are deliberately kept small and usually last about an hour.  They cover all areas of the school, the Learning Support department and our Loft provision.  There is also the opportunity to ask questions.

Tours are scheduled throughout the year and must be booked in advance.  Please email learningsupport@guildfordcounty.co.uk  to book a space.

Upcoming School Tours

Day

Date

Time

Wednesday

16th September

9.30am

Wednesday

30th September

9.30am

Wednesday

11th November

9.30am
Wednesday 4th December 9.30am
Wednesday 20th January 9.30am
Wednesday 24th February 9.30am
Wednesday 17th March 9.30am
Wednesday 23rd April 9.30am
Wednesday 19th May 9.30am
Wednesday 16th June 9.30am
Wednesday 7th July 9.30am

We also recommend that you read our SEND policy and other documents, so you fully understand our offer if you are planning on naming us as your preferred school for Year 7.

Provision

Our provision map provides a comprehensive overview of the Learning Support available at  County. The majority of students will receive Wave 1 and certain Wave 2 interventions with a small number of students receiving Wave 3.

Provision Map

 

Access Arrangements

Access arrangements are an entitlement for certain students; their purpose is to ‘level the playing field’ not to offer advantage. Anna Marshall is the school’s Access Arrangement Administrator.

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has a stringent set of regulations that we must adhere to as a school. Access arrangements must be a student’s normal way of working for us to be able to apply. Unfortunately, we cannot accept privately commissioned reports for access arrangements.  Please contact Anna Marshall should you have any queries.

The Loft

The Loft is our purpose-built High Coin centre for those who have an EHCP with a primary diagnosis of autism or social communication difficulties.  Students should have the capability to achieve at least 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) and access learning within the mainstream classroom.

The Loft welcomed its first students in September 2025 with 5 spaces available in Year 7 and Year 8.  This will increase year on year to be 25 spaces once full. These are allocated by Surrey SEND after consultation with the school. 

Students placed within The Loft provision will spend the majority of their time in mainstream lessons, following the same curriculum as the rest of their year group.  Some core lessons may take place in small groups within The Loft and students will have access to Life Skills sessions, interventions, and a calm space that they can retreat to if the mainstream environment is overwhelming during social times.  

Admissions

If you are considering The Loft for your child, we recommend discussing suitability with your Primary School SENDCo and your Case Officer in the first instance. 

Places in The Loft are allocated by Surrey SEND in consultation with the school.

The expectation is that students will meet the following criteria:

  • A primary diagnosis of Autism
  • The cognitive ability to access the mainstream curriculum and achieve at least 5 GCSE’s
  • The capacity to benefit from a mainstream education 80% of the time, with targeted support
  • Evidence of being able to work alongside peers within a classroom environment
  • Does not pose a risk to themselves or other students

We strongly encourage you to visit the school if you are considering The Loft for your child. Tours are scheduled throughout the year and must be booked in advance.  Please email learningsupport@guildfordcounty.co.uk to book a space.

 

 

 

News

20th August 2026

GCSE Results 2026

Today has been a wonderful reminder of what makes County such a special community.  Our Particular thanks go to our Exams Team, whose considerable work behind the scenes ensured that this morning ran so smoothly and to our Sixth Form Team for managing the significant task of enrolment with such efficiency and care.  We also thank the many colleagues who came into school during their holiday to distribute results, speak with students and families, offer advice and, of course, to share in their celebrations.  Your presence matters enormously to our young people. Mr Steve Smith, Headteacher, commented that, ‘There will, rightly, be time for detailed analysis.  We will want to understand where outcomes have exceeded our expectations, where they have matched them and where they have fallen short.  That process is important because it helps us to become better at what we do.  What matters is that we approach it with the same openness and professional curiosity that colleagues have demonstrated today.’ He went on to say that, ‘Already, some really valuable conversations have begun about what we can learn from this year’s outcomes.  Our continued focus on the quality of classroom practice, the design and sequencing of our curriculum and strong partnerships with families, particularly when a child is beginning to fall behind, remains central to our work.  Alongside this, coaching gives us an increasingly powerful way to support one another in refining our craft.  It is through the disciplined, consistent application of these things that we will continue to improve outcomes for every child.  For the part that every one of you has played in these results, thank you.  GCSE outcomes may be published against individual subjects and students, but the education of a child is never the work of one teacher or one department.  It is a collective endeavour and today's successes belong to colleagues across the school.  And there are some exceptional individual successes to celebrate.’ Among a very strong set of performances, special recognition goes to the following students, each of whom achieved an average grade of at least 8 across their GCSEs: Alice Mala Feriel Grace Annabelle Alyssa Molly Daniel Edward Emilia Ada Liam Alice Jade Lauren We are also immensely proud of 13 students in Years 9 to 13 who achieved outstanding results in their Heritage Language examinations, including 3 out of the 6 taking a GCSE who gained a grade 9 and 5 out of the 7 taking an A level who gained an A* grade. Congratulations to them all. Mr Smith, concluded by saying, ‘While these headline successes deserve particular recognition, I am equally conscious that there will be many students whose names do not appear above but for whom today's results represent something deeply significant.  For some, a grade 4 secured after considerable perseverance will mean every bit as much as a grade 9 does for another.  Progress, resilience and achievement take many forms and I hope that our students leave us knowing that we recognise and value them all.  Today, then, brings one chapter of their education to a close.  I am tremendously proud of the Year 11 Class of 2026 and all that they have achieved during their time with us.  For those moving elsewhere, we wish them every happiness and success.  For the many who will continue their journey at Guildford County Sixth Form, for which we are still warmly accepting applications, alongside the new students who will join us in September, we look forward to welcoming them back for the next stage.  As pleased as we should be today, our ambition does not change. As we begin a new academic year, we will continue to strive for excellence for every child, ensuring that learning remains at the heart of our work and that County is a school in which every young person knows that they have a place and genuinely feels that they belong.  That work requires expertise, high expectations and relentless attention to the quality of education we provide. It also requires the care and dedication that I see from colleagues every day.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this year’s results and, more importantly, for everything that they have done for the young people behind them.’  Read Full Article
13th August 2026

A Level Results 2026

Today has given us the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our outgoing Year 13 students and the culmination of two years of hard work, determination and commitment.  Their results, the best at A level in our school’s history, reflect not only their own considerable efforts, but also the expertise, care and high expectations of the many colleagues who have taught, guided and supported them throughout their time in our Sixth Form. Sincere thanks go to our Sixth Form and Exams teams for the enormous amount of work that goes into preparing for results day and for ensuring that this morning ran so smoothly.  Thank you, too, to the many colleagues who came in early to help with the distribution of results and, importantly, to be there to congratulate, reassure and support our students as they considered their next steps. Headteacher, Steve Smith, said, 'There was a real sense of positivity around school this morning.  Alongside celebrating what has been achieved, I was particularly pleased by the quality of the professional conversations already taking place about the year ahead.  Colleagues were rightly proud of the considerable strengths within this year’s results, while also being keen to look beneath the headline figures, identify those areas in which we can improve further and consider how we secure even stronger outcomes for our new Year 13 students in the summer of 2027.' Mr Smith went on to comment, 'That balance is important.  We should take genuine pride in excellent outcomes and recognise the expertise and commitment that have made them possible.  Equally, our expectations of ourselves and of our students must remain exceptionally high.  Our ambition is always to improve and our collective drive for excellence must remain unrelenting.' 'Taken as a whole, this year’s results are truly exceptional.  They represent an enormous achievement for our students and for the colleagues who have supported them.  My genuine thanks and congratulations go to everyone who has contributed.  The table below provides the detail of our headline outcomes for your interest.' Of course, behind every percentage and headline figure sits an individual student and it is important that we do not lose sight of that. For some of our young people, the results received today represent the culmination of an extraordinary personal journey.  Their achievements have been made possible through their own hard work, alongside the expertise of their teachers and the support, encouragement and challenge provided by colleagues across the school and through our Governance model. We would like to congratulate all of our students for what they have achieved.  There are many individual successes of which we can be extremely proud and I share some of those with you here: Felix - A* A* A Nathan - A* A* A Aidan - A* A* A Aaron - A* A* A* Hannah - A* A* A Lara - A* A* A Anuthmie - A* A* A Oliver - A* A* A Lauren - A* A* A B Dylan - A* A* A A Douglas - A* A* A* Isabel - A* A* A* A* There are equally some wonderful stories within our students’ destinations data this year, whether they are progressing to university, competitive courses, apprenticeships, employment or other exciting opportunities. 88% of our cohort applied to university and 44% of our applicants, at time of writing, have gained entry into a Russell Group insututution. Further, we have three Conservatoire and three Oxbridge entrants. Our congratulations to them all. Conservatoire Felix  Leah  Jamie Oxbridge Noah  Oliver  Isobel  Results day is inevitably focused on grades, but today is about considerably more than a set of letters on a page.  It marks the conclusion of an important chapter in the lives of our students and the beginning of another.  We should be immensely proud of the young adults who leave us this summer, of what they have achieved and of the contribution that they have made to our school community. It is therefore a great pleasure to congratulate the Sixth Form Class of 2026 and to wish them every success and happiness as they take their next steps.  I very much hope that many will remain connected to the school through our alumni community, allowing us to follow and celebrate their achievements in the years ahead.  Read Full Article
View All News

Guildford County School is a member of Learning Partners Academy Trust, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales (08303773)

Registered address: Guildford County School, Farnham Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4LU

In proud partnership with