Quintin Kynaston School, a specialist technology school

The role of the Student Support Faculty

The Student Support faculty has the largest staff team in the school. This team consists of experienced and highly motivated staff covering several small departments that work together to maximise the learning opportunities for each student (See Diagram). Above all we pride ourselves on our quality of service we offer for parents, students and all stakeholders to raise attainment and improve our students life chances.

Key Post holders in Student Support:

  • Overall responsibility for Student Support Faculty: Irene Forster (Deputy Headteacher)
  • Intervention & Assessment: Shareen Taylor
  • Director of Aspire: Ruth Browne
  • Family Guidance: Fran Dix
  • Extended School Youth & Community Support Services: Barry Hunte

Specialist teachers, Learning Support Teachers (LSTs), Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), Youth Advisors and others work with those students who need additional support to cope in a mainstream secondary school due to learning, language, emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. Our staff liaise closely with pastoral and subject colleagues as well as with parents / carers and partnership agencies to ensure appropriate interventions are put in place for each student. The team has its own suite of classrooms, offices and meeting rooms that are located on the top floor of the upper building (U3).

We have a range of interventions to support students. These include:

  • Speech Therapy
  • Social Communication
  • SPLD
  • MLD
  • Withdrawal groups for identified learners
  • Learning Support Centre KS3
  • KS4 Study Room
  • Youth Advisors
  • Counselling
  • Psychotherapy
  • In-class support

Inclusive Curriculum


Here at QK we say "Every Teacher is an SEN teacher" and that "Every teacher is an EAL teacher"...

In mainstream lessons, standards of teaching and learning are outstanding. This is achieved through well prepared, resourced and differentiated lessons. In-class support is crucial to this process, as it offers direct support for targeted students and groups. Collaborative lesson planning with support staff ensures that individual student learning needs are fully catered for.