The right support, at the right time, so every child can belong, learn and flourish.

Every child is known, valued and supported
At The Catholic School of St Gregory the Great, we believe that every child should be supported to fulfil their God-given potential. Our mission is to provide a safe and happy school where everyone can shine as part of God's family.

Our Learning Pathways bring together the focused support available across the school. Every child remains a valued member of their class and receives high-quality, deliberately adapted teaching. Where an additional barrier is identified, a child may also access a Learning Pathway for a carefully planned period of support.

A pathway is not a label or a permanent placement. It is a clear route through which children can strengthen particular knowledge, skills, confidence or independence and apply these successfully within classroom learning and wider school life.

How our Learning Pathways work

• Identify: We consider the child's strengths, views and the specific barrier affecting learning or participation.
• Plan: We select the most appropriate pathway, establish a starting point and agree the intended outcomes.
• Support: A trained adult provides carefully sequenced teaching, practice and encouragement.
• Review: We consider the child's progress and decide whether support should conclude, continue or be adapted.

Our Learning Pathways
Our pathways respond to different barriers to learning and participation. The support a child receives is based on identified need and regular assessment rather than on a label alone. Our eight Learning Pathways provide focused support in response to children’s identified needs. Each pathway is carefully planned, time-limited where appropriate and regularly reviewed.
 

• Reading - Developing phonics, decoding, fluency, comprehension and confidence as a reader.
• Writing - Strengthening handwriting, spelling, sentence construction and the ability to communicate ideas in writing.
• Mathematics - Developing secure mathematical foundations, calculation skills, fluency and confidence.
• Communication - Supporting speech, language, vocabulary, understanding and successful interaction with others.
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) - Building the English-language knowledge and confidence children need to participate in school life and access the curriculum.
• Motor Development - Developing fine- and gross-motor skills, coordination, physical confidence and readiness for learning.
• Personal Development - Strengthening emotional regulation, relationships, social skills, independence, resilience and confidence.
• Flourish - Providing highly personalised support for children with more complex or persistent needs, including support through Eden and Small Steps where appropriate.

Children may access a pathway for a planned period according to their identified needs. Progress is reviewed regularly, with the aim of helping children transfer their developing knowledge, skills and confidence into classroom learning and wider school life.

The Flourish Pathway: Eden and personalised specialist support
Flourish is our most personalised Learning Pathway. It supports children who benefit from a smaller, calm and carefully structured environment or a highly individualised programme at particular points in the school day.

Eden is an important part of this pathway. Children may access Eden for planned sessions or for part of the school day while remaining valued members of their class community. Eden complements the high-quality teaching, relationships and adaptations children receive in their classrooms.

Eden is not a consequence, an isolation room or a separate class. It is a supportive environment where children can strengthen the skills they need to engage successfully with learning and school life.

How does Eden support children?
Eden provides a relational and personalised approach. Children are supported by familiar, emotionally available adults who take time to understand their strengths, needs and experiences.

• developing emotional awareness and regulation;
• building confidence, resilience and independence;
• strengthening communication and interaction;
• developing friendships and social understanding;
• accessing learning through smaller, achievable steps;
• practising routines and transitions;
• receiving sensory or physical-development support; and
• preparing for a successful return to classroom learning.

Adults use clear routines, visual support, carefully adapted activities and regular opportunities for movement or regulation. Expectations remain ambitious, but children are given the scaffolding and encouragement they need to experience success.

Eden at lunchtime
For some children, less structured lunchtimes can feel challenging. Where this forms part of a child's support plan, Eden provides a calm and structured environment. Adults help children develop play, friendship and regulation skills so they can enjoy lunchtime and feel ready for afternoon learning.
 

The expertise behind our pathways
Our Teaching Partners are a highly valued part of our inclusion team. Alongside their classroom responsibilities, Teaching Partners develop particular areas of expertise so that children receive knowledgeable, consistent and well-prepared support.
Teaching Partner specialisms are aligned with our Learning Pathways and include:

• phonics, early reading and reading fluency;
• speech, language and communication, including WellComm;
• writing, spelling and structured dictation;
• foundational mathematics, fluency and multiplication tables;
• fine- and gross-motor development, including Fizzy;
• English as an additional language;
• outdoor learning and structured play;
• social, emotional and relational development; and
• personalised support through Flourish, Eden and Small Steps.

Specialist knowledge strengthens the quality of each pathway, but our Teaching Partners continue to work flexibly as one team. Support is planned collaboratively with class teachers and the Inclusion Team, and the class teacher retains overall responsibility for every child's learning, progress and wellbeing.

Teaching Partner support strengthens, but does not replace, a child's entitlement to high-quality teaching and belonging within their class.

How does a child access a Learning Pathway?
Learning Pathway support is carefully planned rather than used as an immediate response to behaviour. A child's class teacher and the Inclusion Team will consider:

• the child's strengths, needs and views;
• information from parents and carers;
• observations, assessments and classroom work;
• the adaptations and strategies that have already been tried;
• the particular barrier affecting learning or participation; and
• advice from other professionals, where appropriate.

Where support is agreed, the pathway has a clear purpose, starting point and intended outcomes. Provision may differ according to age and individual need.

Planning and reviewing support
Teachers, Teaching Partners and the Inclusion Team plan support together. Progress is reviewed regularly so that it can conclude, continue or be adapted. Our aim is for children to develop knowledge, skills, confidence and independence that transfer into classroom learning and wider school life.

Working in partnership
Children make the greatest progress when school and home work together. We listen to children's views and work with parents, carers and other professionals when planning and reviewing support. Families can speak to their child's class teacher or the Inclusion Team with any questions.