Your support starts even before enrolment, we can:
The College has a comprehensive support service, and if you tell us you have additional needs we will ask you for more details and evidence about your diagnosis or condition. We have a team of people who can assess to see what additional support you might need to be able to achieve on your course. This may include talking to you about alternative programmes of study.
Once we have assessed the information and evidence you have provided, and spoken to you, and anyone else who might be appropriate, we will agree what type of support you might need. This may include recommendations to your tutor, assistive technology and training on how to use this, in-class support and workshops, adapted learning materials, referral to study skills and exam workshops, support from our pastoral team and even referral to external agencies who may be able to assist you.
The College wants to support you to study independently as quickly as possible so the support you get may not be the same as you had in school, but our team of experts, alongside your tutors will ensure that we focus on you achieving on your course and put things in place to help this happen.
Once you’ve enrolled and been assessed, you may be able to access:
- Learning support workshops
- One-to-one and in-class support
- Support with reading, writing and maths
- Specialist learning materials
- Personal assistance
- Exam and study support
Our deaf access communicators all use British Sign Language (BSL) and will work with you to make sure you are fully included in the classroom and college life, while encouraging you to be independent. Deaf awareness training is also given to tutors, staff and students across the college.
If you are visually impaired, we can work with you to make sure you are fully included in the classroom and college life.
We want to make sure that nothing stops you achieving. If you have a physical disability, medical condition or mental health issue (like bereavement, abuse, bullying or anxiety), we can help you to make sure that it doesn't get in the way of your learning. You can access support at any time and you won't need to tell your family, friends or tutor.
Support involves:
- Assessment of the needs of the student and discussion with the student, parent/carers, school and other professionals involved to determine the most appropriate support package.
- Regular tutorials with the Support Tutor to help monitor attendance, progress and to develop strategies that will help the student to achieve. The Support Tutor organises classroom/lunchtime support through Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), when required, depending on the individual needs of the student and the nature of the course.
Support aims to help students deal with many issues that they will face.
For example:
- Dealing with change
- Meeting deadlines for assignments
- Understanding the meaning of key concepts
- Relating with others in social situations
- Coping with unstructured time
- Timekeeping and organisational skills
We can offer:
- Assessment to determine mobility problems, personal care including mealtimes, classroom strategies and other support needs.
- Support linked to need and ability - which is provided by a team of learning support assistants.
- Liaison with external agencies as appropriate, eg Social Services, occupational therapy, speech therapy.
- Ongoing contact and liaison with course tutors and other college staff.
- Exam access arrangements for examinations and assessments.
- Much of the College is accessible to wheelchair users; there are shaft lifts, stair lifts, ramps and some automatic doors.
We also have a tutor who can support students with a range of medical conditions. We can:
- Devise a support plan.
- Keep a record of any medications and the student’s condition in case of emergency.
- Help with medication whilst in college if necessary.
- Provide specialist facilities for personal care.
- Assess and arrange special arrangements for exams.
- We also have access to specialist medical advice if needed and can talk to the student’s own medical professionals if requested.
