[senco-forum] Literacy support (withdrawal)

Sue,

If you are worried about dealing with your head teacher could you team up with a friendly head of department and agree with them a way of withdrawing students for minimum disruption to lessons and then it's a bit more of a fait accompi?  For example
we had some issues with behaviour in low set languages groups and I was able to use that as a way in to reducing the MFL time and actually getting some timetabled lessons for small groups of students to improve their literacy skills.  If your school
set for English perhaps you could work with individual teachers of the lower sets to incorporate some skills practise into their English time - lots of secondary English teachers lack knowledge in dealing with very low levels of literacy (I speak as
one myself) and would probably appreciate the support. 
If you start with  a few small links then when you approach the head he (or she? ) might see you have support from other people rather than feeling as if you are taking away from department curriculum time.  I agree with the previous post about
using reviews and parent power. 

If he's really resistant could you work on 'literacy across the curriculum' and target departments for INSET on teaching key vocabulary, dyslexia friendly strategies etc? 

Lastly do you have any links with schools in your local area or an inclusion adviser at the LEA?  Oxfordshire have an audit programme where they come in to support self evaluation and the quality and effectiveness of intervention programmes is part
of that.

Good Luck

Briony 
Secondary SENCo and English teacher