Life at STC

The Learning Support Department supports positive approaches to students’ neurodiversity  through provision of accommodations and resources to students with diverse learning needs and abilities, whose needs may not be fully met through the standard curriculum and instruction.

The key principles are as follows:

• Student’s of all abilities are entitled to a range of curriculum experiences appropriate to their individual needs with appropriate support
• To provide effective provision and pathways for students who benefit from support in the areas of academic learning, emotional and social wellbeing, speech and language, social, communication and physical needs
• To support teachers in terms of differentiation and teaching strategies to meet the needs of the students in their classes
• To provide effective assessment to profile student’s strengths and stretches, monitor progress and to signpost student need and provision

A wide range of support and interventions are available according to each student’s level of need. This may include in-class support from an Educational Assistant or Learning Support teacher, pull-out, small group support lessons, alternative pathways and provision, development of a student support plan or an IEP.

Provision

Years 7, 8, 9
Students receive small group instruction through the Academic Skills Enhancement (ASE) programme to improve cross-disciplinary skills to support students in fully accessing opportunities for learning and connection in our school community.

Years 10 & 11
Students can opt to take the ASE program to help handle the demands of the IGSCE curriculum by focusing on organizational skills, study skills like notetaking, how to revise for a test and test taking skills. It also provides literacy and numeracy support in line with curriculum demands.

Years 12 & 13
Support is offered during student’s free lessons to help them improve their organization, study skills and academic learning in line with the demands of their post 16 programme.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
The goal of the programme is to provide multilingual students with a tailored combination of targeted English language instruction and comprehensive academic skills development. This support equips students with the communication, comprehension, and learning strategies necessary to effectively engage with the academic curriculum and assessments.

The overarching aim is to ensure that multilingual students can fully participate in and succeed across all aspects of the school's curriculum, from coursework to final assessments. This prepares them for a smooth transition to the linguistic and cognitive demands of post-secondary studies.

Provision

Years 7, 8, 9
EAP is taught in small groups with the aim of developing students' English language proficiency, building their academic vocabulary and rhetorical skills, and preparing them for the linguistic and academic demands of higher year levels. This lays the foundation for students to fully engage with the curriculum and participate in classroom activities across all subject areas.

Years 10 & 11
Students can choose this programme to further refine and consolidate their academic English skills in preparation for their IGCSE examinations and transition to the IBDP/CP. At this stage, the EAP curriculum typically focuses on advanced academic writing, complex reading and analysis, and discipline-specific language.

Years 12 & 13
Targeted support is offered during student’s free lessons to help them refine essential academic skills and equip them with the necessary English language competencies and learning techniques to excel in their IBDP/CP study.

High Ability Students
Enrichment and extension activities are available to help students develop in areas of interest and talents. Departments offer special activities and information is shared about programmes in the community.

For further information about these programmes, please contact the Head of Learning Support, Mr Pearce, on pearcm2@stconline.edu.hk.

Our inspiring learning environment has a strong emphasis on well-being, and we work to empower the students to take responsibility for their own well-being and contribute to the well-being of others.

Our qualified, experienced and professionally certified counsellors and registered social workers act as advocates for our students. They actively collaborate with teaching staff, the Senior Leadership Team, the Learning Support team, the Guidance and Wellbeing team, external professionals and family members. They provide professional development for staff and lead workshops for parents to promote the importance of holistic wellness and mental health. We are committed to ensuring that every student has regular opportunities to focus on developing skills and strategies to support their social and emotional wellbeing within and beyond the school day.

Counsellors support students with a range of concerns such as:

• Relationship with friends and family
• Skills based learning such as time management, stress management, emotional regulation, study skills and social and communication skills
• Supporting students in their journey of self identity, cultural and relocation adjustments, school transitions and peer conflicts
• Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
• Challenging life events such as grief and loss, family seperation and health concerns
• Mental health concerns such as Depression, Anxiety, Eating Disorders, Bipolar Disorders, Non-Suicidal Self Injuries and Suicidal Ideation
• Risk assessment and critical incident support
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The counsellors are experienced in a number of techniques to support including; Psychodynamic Therapy; Client Centred Therapy; Solution-Focused Therapy; Cognitive Behaviour Therapy; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Art Therapy and Psycho-education.

Counsellors provide Certificate course in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) for students, parents and staff.

To get in touch with our counsellors, you can reach them via email at wellbeing@stconline.edu.hk or visit the Wellbeing Centre in Room 102. 

Meet our counsellors: Ms Holly Yuen

Our school has recently signed up to ParentTV on behalf of all of our parents and staff which we are very excited about. ParentTV is an on-demand video streaming website for parents delivering the help they need from trusted experts anytime of the day or night.

To create an account using our school subscription make sure you go to www.parenttv.com/membership and use the code shared in the ESF App to gain access to all of the videos through our subscription. We will be sharing highlights from Parent TV each month in the newsletter.

Parent TV is generously sponsored by the Sha Tin College Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA).

In 2019, the Hong Kong government provided additional funding to improve student well-being. Two professional social workers employed by the YWCA are based on our campus to provide a range of assessments, counselling and programmes covering topics from an individual level to a family level.

In addition to working with families, our social workers are working closely with the counsellors, Guidance & Wellbeing Team, Child Protection Officers and nurse in supporting the students in need. Meanwhile, they also liaise with the government and the local community to advise on resources, services and procedures in facilitating and/or safeguarding students’ welfare.

Our social workers are leading extensive volunteer groups and programmes, with the primary goal of contributing the talent of our students to the local community. Furthermore, a great connection between students and the local community is established via student-led initiatives, MYP community projects and IB CAS projects.

To get in touch with our social workers, you can reach them via email at wellbeing@stconline.edu.hk or visit the Wellbeing Centre in Room 102.

Students can gain permission to see the School Nurse to consult on injuries and illness. Our Medical Room is located in Room 104.

In the event of an accident, our School Nurse or staff will contact parents immediately. If necessary, the student will be escorted to the Emergency Department of the closest hospital. If the accident is not an emergency, parents will be asked to collect their child from school.

It is essential that all parents regularly update medical information for students on Gateway.

The required medical information includes:

• Advise on any medical conditions, including allergies (and extent of), asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.
• Medications a student takes regularly (before, after or during school hours). Any medications which need to be taken during school hours (emergency or routine), must be delivered by the parent, or parent’s representative, directly to the School Nurse, or a teacher, and an Authorisation Form must be completed. The medication must be clearly labelled with the student name, tutor group, name of medication, dosage instructions and expiration date. NO MEDICATION will be given to students without a completed Authorisation Form. The school does not assume responsibility for any reactions which may occur following administration of medication sent from home, nor does it assume any responsibility if the parent does not send sufficient medication. The nurse must have spare student medication (injector, inhaler or pills such as. Ventolin, Epipen, Glucagon, etc). We need to be informed of the student's status with vaccinations and medication, as well as the dates Tetanus and Meningitis vaccinations were administered.
• Any changes in a student’s medical condition must be immediately updated by clicking on this link to forms on Gateway.

Procedures for Student Illness:

• Exposure to different strains of influenza virus each year are closely monitored by the School Nurse, and the Hong Kong Department of Health, so recommendations can be implemented. Anyone with flu-like symptoms (sore throat, runny nose, cough, body-ache, etc) needs to confer promptly with a doctor and stay home. A healthy lifestyle and sensible preventive measures are the most powerful defenses against all kinds of influenza. Frequent hand-washing with soap or detergents, a healthy and balanced diet, adequate sleep and regular exercise are examples of healthy practices. This is the flu advisory link: http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/14843.html
  If a student has a body temperature>37.4 degrees Celsius, she/he must NOT come to school. Fever is a sign of illness. The student should be free from fever (without medication) for 24 hours before resuming school.
• Vomiting/diarrhea: This requires students to remain at home, and then be free from the symptoms for 24 hours prior to returning to school.

Please note that the above-mentioned symptoms do not cover all medical conditions and should not replace the need for a doctor’s consultation. Here are some further useful links:

• Asthma
• Department of Health
• Centre for Health Protection