Learning Support

The aim of Accrington & Rossendale College is to improve access, aspiration and achievement to education and training and to offer equal opportunities to all. To this end the College is committed to providing a comprehensive and effective learning support service for students. This enables individuals, with an appropriate framework of support, to access their programme of learning and achieve their potential. The provision of Learning Support is recognised as an important factor in the College fulfilling its key strategic objectives for Students and Clients, as described in the Strategic Plan.

Informed by the diversity of our student population, in age, ethnicity, level of achievement, support need and ability, our aim is to provide an effective and responsive learning support service which keeps up-to-date with changes in curriculum, syllabi, teaching and support methods.

AimsLearning Support aims to:

Enable access to learning by students who have not generally participated because of their previous educational experience, attainment and or support need.

Provide acknowledged high quality, responsive support that enables independent, not dependant, learning.

Inform and build the whole college capacity to meet learner’s needs, using the quality improvement process.

More specifically, through key areas Learning Services will:

A) Support curriculum staff to enable them to meet their students’ learning needs more effectively. This includes promoting the framework of whole college entitlements that are embedded within the college’s quality framework and are owned by curriculum areas.

B) Identify and deliver the learning support and resources required for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to access and achieve their potential with their chosen area of study.

C) Enable individual students to meet the skills demands of their programme of learning.

Learning Services Policy October 2011

What a learner may expect:

The Learning Services arranges individually negotiated packages of support that enable students to achieve their potential.

For example support may include-

Pre entry advice and guidance.

Transition links to College.

Screening for Maths and English.

Personal initial assessment and specialist second level assessments.

Support for curriculum staff, with the Learning Support tam acting as a consultancy, to enable them to meet their students learning needs more effectively.

1:1 teaching support for example dyslexia support, specialist support for learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and support for learners with sensory impairment.

Taught workshop support – support with assignment planning and writing.

Support in class – such as note taking, signing, facilitation and physical care/ mobility support.

1:1 mentoring support

Assistive equipment and software.

Special exam considerations.

Reviews - 3 times a year to ensure that the package of support is meeting students’ needs.

Regular feedback to students and course tutors on the student's progress.

Information fact sheets and links to websites around a range of disability issues.

Service Standards All queries will be dealt with professionally and in confidence.

We will respond to written requests for specific information within 5 working days.

We will return calls, if necessary, within two working days.

We are committed to the principle of equality of opportunity for all.

We will respond to requests for initial assessment within one working week.

Learning Services Policy October 2011

Support will be reviewed termly unless otherwise agreed.

Where appropriate an individually negotiated package of support will be in place within two working weeks from initial assessment. (Where support cannot be provided staff and students will be informed by the Team Leader).

Support will be delivered by an appropriately qualified member of staff.

Each student will have a nominated Learning & Development Mentor to overview the support.

Each curriculum area will have a nominated Learning & Development Mentor.

Each curriculum area will receive from their Learning & Development Mentor ongoing information in relation to students supported.

Learning Services paperwork can be presented in a range of different formats such as large print, Braille, audiotape or disc, on request.

The college ‘Getting it Right’ forms are available for you to record your suggestions about how we can improve our service or if you want to praise a member of staff or the service.

Curriculum Staff To ensure effective support can be put in place staff should refer students as soon as a support need is

identified. If a high level of support is likely to be needed, and is known about, the student needs to be referred prior to enrolment.

Encourage students to attend support sessions. It is proven to help them to progress as well as improving college retention and achievement rates.

Liaise with Learning Services staff and the Learning & Development Mentor.

Attend staff development sessions arranged.

Learning Services Policy October 2011

Referral

Learning Services Policy October 2011

Support reviewed termly to ensure it remains appropriate

to the needs of the learner

Referral to Learning Support and an assessment is made of the needs of the learner and

an appropriate package of support is recommended

Support package put in place with the learner within two weeks of referral

On course referral where student

appears at risk of non completion, or is behind with work

Student self identifies on the application form.

Refer to support

Referral made from whole college screening

Referral made at interview where information is

disclosed.

Refer to support

Confidentiality:Disclosure of a support need will help the college work with the individual, to ensure that their needs are met and that they have an enjoyable and positive experience. College recognises the right of an individual to choose not to disclose a disability or support need.

College seeks to be disability-friendly and welcomes you helping us achieve this by bringing to our attention any potential discrimination against a disabled person and any reasonable adjustments we could make to enable a disabled person in college.

If a member of college staff is made aware of somebody’s support need they will routinely inform Learning Services unless they are specifically requested not to.

If a student chooses to disclose to a member of college support staff and request that the information be kept confidential, Learning Services staff can anonymously suggest ways that other staff may meet the needs of students with similar support needs.

If an individual chooses not to disclose a support need they may expect college to anticipate, in line with the principles of Inclusive Learning, the needs of its students and not to treat them less favourably on the grounds of a disability. In order to make specific adjustments for the individual or to ensure their entitlement is met working with the college and Learning Services in partnership is key.

Students can at all times expect college staff to treat disclosure in a confidential and professional manner.

Screening:Skills support needs may be identified through the whole college screening assessment. It is an entitlement for all

students to have their needs appropriately identified and met.

The level of entitlement for screening is:

Full time FE students - all

Part time FE students and others – by agreement

HE students – by agreement

Further to this:

1. The screening is undertaken during the relevant induction period for all students. The outcome of

screening does not preclude a student undertaking a course. The student will have already met the

positive entry criteria for the course.

2. The outcomes of screening are mapped to and indicative of current notional national levels.

3. The ownership of ensuring screening is undertaken, marked where appropriate and fed back to the

student lies with curriculum course tutors. The Learning Support Team work closely with

curriculum staff to ensure that there is consistency, and that staff who may not have a skills

specialism are supported.

Learning Services Policy October 2011

4. The feedback from screening is given in an individual tutorial by the Learning & Development

Mentor. The feedback is given in an appropriately sensitive and professional manner.

5. Skills needs met through the Learning Centres with taught drop in workshop support are worked

on and reviewed following a 6 weekly learning plan. The learning plan is negotiated with both the

personal tutor and student. Support is discussed during the student’s individual tutorial and forms

part of their individual plan.

6. Progress reviews are negotiated termly with students using taught workshop support. Formal

feedback is included as part of the whole college student progress review framework.

7. Students not accessing the support identified are profiled from screening feedback. This is

identified both with the student and the personal tutor. It is addressed at a Curriculum Team level

through the Quality Improvement Team.

8. The whole college screening entitlement is updated yearly.

9. The effectiveness of support is analysed yearly as seen in figure two.

10. Student satisfaction with the support is reviewed 3 times a year and analysed through focus groups

and questionnaire yearly.

MONITORINGResponsibility for monitoring this policy lies with the Director of Learner Services and the Vice Principal Quality and Standards

Monitoring is carried out annually as part of the College Quality Assurance System.11/ PLEASE NO

DATE OF POLICY REVIEWOctober 2011

Learning Services Policy October 2011