Known, supported, and ready to learn

We believe students learn best when they feel known, supported, and confident in their ability to grow. Our approach to student support recognizes that every learner is different, and that students may need different kinds of support at different points in their journey.

 

Across the Junior and Senior Schools, teachers, counsellors, learning strategists, educational assistants, and other members of our Student Services team work together to understand each student and provide the support they need to thrive academically, socially, and personally.

Supporting every learner

Every student brings their own learning style to the classroom. Some students think best by talking an idea through. Others need to see it, make it, move through it, or have time to work it out on their own. Our job is to understand how students learn, recognize their strengths, and create different ways for them to access, engage with, and demonstrate their learning.

Through Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we design learning environments with flexibility in mind, helping students access the curriculum, develop effective learning strategies, and build confidence.

When a student needs additional support, our team works with teachers and families to understand their needs and determine the best way forward. This may include an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Student Support Plan (SSP), with strategies and goals that are reviewed and adjusted as students grow. Our Student Services team also meets regularly to look closely at each student's progress. This collaborative approach helps the team recognize strengths, notice when something may be getting in the way of successful learning, and respond thoughtfully and early.

Junior School: Building confidence and strong foundations

In the Junior School, strong relationships provide the foundation for learning. Homeroom teachers know their students well and work closely with families and the Student Services team to support each child's academic, social, and emotional development.

Students build foundational skills in areas such as self-regulation, organization, and executive functioning as they learn how to understand themselves as learners. When additional support is needed, students may work with members of our Student Services team through targeted or classroom-based support.

The goal is to help students develop the confidence, skills, and independence they need to approach learning with curiosity and a growing sense of capability.

 

 

Senior School: Growing independence

As students move through Grades 6 to 12, student support evolves alongside them. Students are increasingly encouraged to understand their strengths, recognize what helps them learn, and take ownership of their goals and responsibilities.

Learning Strategists work alongside students and teachers to support organization, executive functioning, study skills, and access to the curriculum. Support may take place within the classroom or through targeted individual or small-group sessions, depending on the student's needs.

Counsellors and advisors also provide guidance as students navigate the social and emotional dimensions of adolescence, build self-advocacy skills, and make thoughtful decisions about their learning and future.

Supporting the whole student

Behind our approach is a dedicated team of educators and specialists who know our students as individuals. They work together, communicate with families, and stay closely connected as students grow.

For parents, that means knowing there are people at school paying attention: to what their child does well and where additional support may help them learn best.

“Stratford Hall doesn’t see our son as a problem to be solved. They see his potential. They alerted us to his learning differences, assembled a team, and together we’ve built strategies at school and home to support him. He’s thriving now.”

- Grade 5 Parent