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The Blue Coat School Birmingham

What says..

Termly assessments, with results fed back to parents. High expectations in all subjects, with STEM taken particularly seriously – pupils made and floated their own boats in a recent project, then measured which ones went fastest. Younger ones told us of an experiment whereby Blue Coat Bear needed waterproof material to keep him dry, so they tried out different textiles. A focus on cross-curricular keeps things fresh (eg if they’re studying WWI in history, they’ll do portraits in art) and each topic has a Wow Day – we popped into a year 5 workshop by the Young Shakespeare Company. ‘Double double toil and trouble,’ chanted the children in their witchiest voices while...

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What the school says...

We are an independent preparatory day school offering an outstanding educational experience to boys and girls aged 2 to 11. Founded in 1722, the school occupies a beautiful site in Edgbaston, in 15 acres of playing fields and gardens. We are a thriving community where children achieve a great many things, with outstanding results. ...Read more

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What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2016, Noel Neeson BEd (Glasgow) NPQH. A Glaswegian through and through, though most of his teaching experience has been south of the border. He was a deputy in Kenilworth and a head in Leamington Spa – so knows the West Midlands pulse - before spending seven years at the helm of St Peter’s in Devon. Loves that his kids spent their earliest years by the coast but says he was ready for the more multicultural vibe of Birmingham. His son is at Blue Coat, his daughter at Solihull School.

We don’t meet too many headmasters with unruly long locks of curly black hair tucked under a bright blue beret. But Mr N’s weekly video is live screened to all classrooms and the theme was modern languages when we visited. ‘I’ve...

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Special Education Needs

SEN for senior school is as per the existing GSG entry. Pre-Prep, small group 'booster' sessions for English and Maths in years 1 and 2. Prep: 1-1 withdrawal for learning support for children with SN, eg those with dyslexia. The needs of gifted and talented children are provided for by a differentiated approach to teaching. The school's extensive programme of extra-curricular activities provides additional opportunities for the most able children. The school hosts specialist masterclasses for gifted and talented children within Blue Coat and the local community. 10-09

Condition Provision for in school
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder Y
Aspergers Y
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders Y
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
English as an additional language (EAL)
Genetic
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory
Has SEN unit or class
HI - Hearing Impairment
Hospital School
Mental health
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Natspec Specialist Colleges
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
PD - Physical Disability
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Special facilities for Visually Impaired
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
VI - Visual Impairment

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