48 Seddon Street
Rangiora 7400
p: 03 313 8552
e: admin@ashgrove.school.nz

The Learning Support Delivery Model

In 2020 the Ministry of Education launched their new approach to learning support in schools, called the Learning Support Delivery Model (LSDM). The new LSDM provides the framework for schools to deliver learning support around what best meets the needs of all learners within their local community.

"The LSDM supports an inquiry approach that includes noticing, making sense, taking action, reviewing, evaluating and making changes as needed. This inquiry approach provides a platform for informed decision-making and planning to support the wide range of needs that are typical in any education community. The LSDM needs all those in the learning support workforce to come together, share information and resources, and work together to decide how to respond to need and who is best placed to provide support (whether school- or cluster-wide, targeted or individualised)."

Learning Support Coordinator: A Guide to the Role, NZ Ministry of Education, 2020, Page 7

Learning Support at Ashgrove School

At Ashgrove School we have a robust system for identifying needs, providing support and documenting interventions. We use a 3 stage approach to maintain this high level of support.

The first step is where teachers identify a need with a student, within a class or among a group of students.
At stage one teachers will document the need(s), implement an appropriate strategy or intervention and monitor this. When this stage one plan is reviewed after a specified amount of time, a decision is made as to whether to continue with the same level of support, remove the support as it is no longer necessary or escalate the plan to stage 2.
At stage 2 parents/caregivers, team leaders, DPs and where appropriate the Learning Support Coordinator will become involved. The next steps, strategies and interventions are implemented and monitored. Again, this plan will be reviewed after a specified amount of time and decisions are made around the level of support required from this point. Sometimes the decision is made to move the plan forward to stage 3.
At stage 3 the Learning Support Coordinator will lead the plan in collaboration with all other parties. At this point, support agencies from outside the school are requested via their referral systems to provide support, advice, guidance and in some cases funding to support the student(s).

All learning support at Ashgrove school is continually monitored and reviewed in order to best meet the needs of learners. When parents / caregivers have concerns around their child's learning, health, social, emotional or behavioural skills, the first step is to make an appointment to discuss this with their child's teacher.

Learning Assistants

Ashgrove School is fortunate to have a full time Learning Support Coordinator (LSC). The role is designed to provide the school with someone who can support the school to identify and plan for the learning support needs of the learners in the school. The LSC also works closely with the Ministry of Education's Learning Support Facilitators to connect with a range of specialist supports and services, such as the Resource Teacher Services, and those provided by other agencies and community organisations. The LSC works closely with the management team to design and implement systems and processes that help all students learn and make progress, participate and make successful transitions.