Cranleigh Abu Dhabi

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi supports Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) through a full-time School Counsellor who provides confidential, personalised pastoral support to pupils. The School Counsellor is part of the Learning Support Department, which coordinates wellbeing provision and the school's response to pupils with additional needs. The Learning Support Team handles day-to-day SEN provision, maintains records, and creates Learning Passports/IEPs to guide targeted support and parental involvement. External specialists, including Psychology services, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy, may be engaged to support pupils with SEN as needed. English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners have access to the full curriculum and activities, with Level One–Three EAL support to ensure participation across the school. Parents are actively involved as partners in planning and reviewing pupil wellbeing and provision.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi defines Special Educational Needs (SEN) as including learning difficulties and persistent social, emotional or mental health needs, and identifies pupils of determination to receive appropriate provision. The School Principal has overall responsibility for SEN, delegated to the Director of Learning Support, who reports to the Vice Principal (Academic). The Learning Support Team conducts in-house screening, maintains a central record, and creates Learning Passports (IEPs) in collaboration with parents and pupils. Provision is delivered across three levels: Level 1 (Quality provision for all), Level 2 (in-class or small-group support), and Level 3 (specialist withdrawal or 1:1 support), with exam access arrangements under JCQ guidelines where relevant. Specialist support may be provided by the Learning Support Team or by outside specialists such as Psychology services, Speech & Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy. The school emphasises SEN provision as a school-wide responsibility rather than a separate specialist institution, with differentiated teaching and collaboration among staff to meet diverse needs.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi recognises English as an Additional Language (EAL) and ensures EAL learners have access to the full curriculum and co-curricular activities on the same basis as native English speakers. The EAL policy states aims to overcome barriers to learning, value linguistic and cultural diversity, and support EAL pupils to become confident and fluent users of English. EAL support is structured in three levels: Level One – quality provision for all; Level Two – in-class support; Level Three – small-group or 1:1 intervention. The EAL Co-ordinator leads the school's EAL provision in consultation with the Director of Learning Support and liaises with English teachers to monitor progress. Most EAL pupils do not have SEN; if a specific learning difficulty is identified, EAL pupils have equal access to the school's SEN provision.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is committed to positive mental wellbeing and provides a full-time School Counsellor who is a qualified psychologist. The counselling service offers a confidential, safe, nurturing and personalised approach and is part of the Learning Support Department. A Learning Passport (IEP) framework records additional actions and targets for pupils with complex needs or mental health concerns. The Learning Support Team coordinates mental health provision and can arrange input from external specialists to support targeted interventions. The partnership with parents is emphasised in planning and reviewing wellbeing provision.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi maintains safeguarding arrangements with named safeguarding staff and a formal route to raise concerns via the Raise a Concern portal. The contact list includes Sue Fairbrother (Head of Safeguarding) and Dr Andrea Saxel (Senior DSL) and Emma Lewis (DSL for Prep). If a child is in immediate danger, dial 999. Concerns can be raised through the Firefly-based Raise a Concern system, which allows anonymous submissions if desired. Safeguarding policies, including the Complaints Policy, set out formal stages and responsibilities for managing concerns and protecting pupils.