The Special Educational Needs Department at KNES is a thriving and a lively integral part of the community both educationally and socially. These students require a caring atmosphere to ensure that their learning, emotional, social, and physical requirements are catered for in a loving and structured manner.  “The Department was opened in 1997 and has grown from two classes to twenty four classes to date. We now have almost two hundred children on roll aged between 3 years and 19 years.” Stated Mr Bruce Pearse  who is Head of the Special Needs Department.

This year KNES made great advancements in Life and Vocational Skills by opening two new sections within the SEN Department.

 ·   The Life Skills curriculum caters for students with needs for basic social skills and day to day life skills such as grooming, dressing and simple catering. Children from the age of 11 have access to this Life Skills room.

The Department is divided into 4 sections which is colour coded to bring the SEN Department in line with mainstream classes in Primary and Secondary.  The Department caters for children of all abilities and pupils are assessed on their ability and not their disability.  Each class has a maximum of eight students and each class teacher is supported by a qualified teaching Assistant. The Team includes a Registered Nurse, five Speech and Language Therapists, three Physiotherapists, a Hydrotherapist, a Life Skills trainer, A Workshop/Art Trainer and Specialist Teachers and Teaching Assistants in Vocational Skills. 

The Work-Related Learning Department (WRL)

 Kuwait National English School (KNES) is a pioneer in British Education within Kuwait by introducing Work-Related Learning for students aged 14 years and over. They follow the Edexcel programme in “Skills for Working Life” acquire skills to enable students to become independent and active participants within the home, community and work settings.  Presently students can choose to specialise in ‘Business, Administration and Retail’ or ‘Information Communication Technology’. They follow other units including Managing Money, Health & Safety, Personal Presentation and Setting Up an Enterprise.   KNES has established a functional office where students can develop the skills needed for business administration through using different machines, equipment and computer programmes.  Work experience is also an integral part of the programme enabling students to apply their skills within outside workplaces. Students also share their experiences through an Internet classroom exchange with other classrooms in other parts of the world supporting the UNESCO philosophy of tolerance and understanding. We are working towards the future by planning and educating today!