Academic support

We aim to offer a varied range of challenging experiences that will give all students an opportunity for learning the lessons that will mean the most to them as individuals. UWCSEA students come from a wide range of cultural and academic backgrounds and the College have various programmes to help make sure that each student is reaching their own personal potential.

Library
The College has two well-stocked and well-resourced libraries. Both offer a range of services including book loans, periodicals, CD ROMs, Internet facilities, online databases, documentary videos (Main library only) and photocopying. Students can purchase a card from the library desk to pay for photocopying in the Main library.

The library is a large resource centre with over 25,000 books, a video collection, newspapers and over 50 different magazines. Students have access to an on-line catalogue and to computerized information retrieval technology, including CD ROMs and Internet.

Students in Grade 6 use the David Watson Library for some classes and it is available for use at lunchtime for Middle School students. The Main Library is located beside the High School office and is for the use of students in Grades 6 to 12. Students in these grades may access the library before school, during lunchtimes and after school. Students are encouraged to use the library both for recreational reading and for research associated with their studies. Library staff are happy to assist students with their work.

Noise must be kept to a minimum. Students who infringe this rule will lose their library privileges.

Students are issued with a library card that must be used for all library transactions. Books are loaned for two weeks and may be renewed twice. Videos and magazines may be borrowed overnight. Fines are charged for late returns.

During the school term, the Main Library is open daily from 8:00am - 4:45pm. At holiday times, the library remains open from Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30 pm. The David Watson Library is open daily from 7:45am - 4:30pm and is closed during the holidays.

Learning support
The Learning Support programme is designed to help students develop an active approach to their learning. Specific help is provided with activities and concepts related to core academic subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, History and Geography.

The Learning Support curriculum also includes:

• Reading strategies 
• Spelling
• Grammar
• Note taking
• Fiction/non-fiction writing techniques
• Revision skills
• Computers as study tools

Skill-building exercises focus on:

• Listening and following directions
• Perceptual skills
• Reasoning and critical thinking
• Vocabulary development
• Memory strategies

Organisational and self-help skills are also included in the programme:

• Setting targets
• Time management
• Organising materials and equipment
• Effective completion of homework
• Identifying learning styles and strengths
• Task analysis

Learning support staff liaise with parents and other teachers to build a clear picture of a student's learning needs. They are also qualified and trained to use a range of internationally standardised assessment materials, when additional information about a student's learning profile is needed. Learning support staff and parents then plan how best to support the student: this may take the form of specialist teaching, guidance or in-class support. At each stage, parents are consulted and involved. There are regular reviews and meetings to discuss progress and agree on targets. In order to reach their true potential, some students may require short-term support, others need longer.