Supporting our Learners

At NIS, we recognize that every learner is unique. Students bring different strengths, challenges, interests, and learning profiles to the classroom, and our goal is to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Our Learning Support team works alongside classroom teachers, families, and, when appropriate, external specialists to help remove barriers to learning and provide students with the support they need to access the curriculum and reach their potential.

Support may address a range of learning needs, including:

Cognition and learning
Communication and interaction
Sensory and physical needs
Social, emotional, and mental health needs

We believe that support is most effective when it is proactive, collaborative, and tailored to the individual student.

Every Child Included

We are committed to creating an inclusive learning environment where students can access learning, participate fully in school life, and experience a sense of belonging.

Inclusion means recognizing that students learn in different ways and may require different levels of support to be successful. Through collaboration between teachers, families, learning support staff, and external specialists when appropriate, we work to identify and remove barriers to learning whenever possible.

As an inclusive school, we support a diverse range of learners while carefully considering whether we can effectively meet a student's needs within our program and with the resources available to us.

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Levels of Support

Because students' needs vary, support may take different forms. In all cases, support plans are developed collaboratively and reviewed regularly to ensure they remain effective.

Classrooom Support

Many students benefit from accommodations and differentiated instruction provided within the classroom environment. Teachers work closely with Learning Support staff to ensure students can access learning successfully.

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Targeted Support

Some students may receive additional support through small-group or individual interventions focused on specific learning goals.

Children in the foreground are gathered around a plastic bin filled with colorful liquids, while in the background, a classroom setting is visible with chairs and tables.

Intensive Support

Students with more significant needs may require individualized programs, specialized interventions, or support from external professionals working in partnership with the school and family.

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How Students are Supported

Supporting students is an ongoing process, not a one-time intervention. As students grow, their strengths, needs, and goals evolve, and the support they receive evolves with them.

Our Learning Support team works collaboratively with teachers, families, and students through a continuous cycle of identifying needs, planning appropriate strategies, implementing support, and reviewing progress. Regular observations, assessment data, classroom performance, and student feedback help guide decisions and ensure support remains responsive, personalized, and focused on helping each student thrive.

Infographic of the student support cycle at NIS

Assessment & Specialist Support

Our staff use a variety of tools and resources to better understand a student's learning profile. These may include classroom observations, academic data, teacher feedback, student conversations, and parent input.

In some cases, NIS may recommend consultation with external professionals for additional assessment or specialist support. While NIS can identify areas where students may benefit from additional support, formal diagnoses of learning differences or medical conditions can only be made by qualified medical or psychological professionals.

A Personalized Approach

There is no single model of support that works for every child.

Some students may benefit from simple classroom accommodations, while others may require targeted interventions or more intensive support. Our approach is flexible and responsive, allowing us to provide the right level of support at the right time.

Learning support may include:

Classroom accommodations and differentiation
Small-group support
Individual interventions
Executive functioning and organizational support
Collaboration with external specialists
Individualized learning plans, where appropriate

Our goal is always to help students develop the skills, confidence, and independence needed to thrive as learners.

A teacher guides young students as they write and examine dinosaur models around a round table, with a blurred background of a classroom.

Partnering with Families

Families play an essential role in supporting student success.

When additional support is recommended, parents are included throughout the process. We believe that the strongest outcomes occur when students, families, teachers, and specialists work together toward shared goals.

Regular communication helps ensure that support strategies are aligned across school and home, creating a consistent and supportive experience for each student.

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