Additional Support Policy

1) INTRODUCTION

The College Mission is
“To encourage and enable Sussex learners to achieve the highest standards for participation and attainment through high quality education and training that puts learners first.”

Participation, not only includes learning, but the achievement of personal autonomy and development to become a participant in the wider community in which we all live.

The provision of a supportive framework to enable students to achieve and progress academically and socially is not the sole domain of the Support and Guidance Service but part of a whole College philosophy. This policy outlines how a learning support framework helps to move towards a more inclusive approach ensuring that all our students attain their primary learning goal.

The College aims to have an inclusive approach and students with learning difficulties and disabilities may apply for any course in the College if they meet the specified entry requirements.

2) KEY DOCUMENTS

The Additional Support department operates to the terms of the DDA Part 4 and the LSC directive on additional support.

(i) THE DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT PART4

Under part 4 of the Act colleges have legal responsibilities:
• Not to treat disabled students less favourably for a reason related to
their disability.
• To provide reasonable adjustments for disabled learners.

The Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against disabled applicants, potential applicants or students. The Act uses a wide definition of disabled person to include people with physical or sensory impairments, dyslexia, medical conditions, mental health difficulties and learning difficulties. Institutions have a duty to take reasonable steps to encourage students to disclose a disability.

(ii) LEARNING AND SKILLS COUNCIL – definition of Additional Learning Support

Any activity that provides direct support for learning to individual learners, over and above that which is normally provided in a standard learning programme which leads to their learning goal. The additional learning support is required to help learners gain access to, progress towards and successfully achieve their learning goals. The need for additional learning support may arise from a learning difficulty or disability, or from literacy, numeracy or language support requirements.

3. ADDITONAL SUPPORT PROVISION

Learning support in Haywards Heath College may take the form of:

• Specialist tutor support for specific learning difficulties, eg Dyslexia, Dyspraxia.

• In class support for students with literacy and numeracy difficulties.

• Specialist support for ESOL.

• In class support and specialist tutorials for students with a sensory impairment.

• Tutorial support for students with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

• Arrangements for examination concessions.

• Adapting of teaching materials to suit needs.

• Provision of specialist equipment or resources.

• Arrangements for specialist assessment e.g. by Educational Psychologist

• Access to a qualified visiting counsellor

• Direct training for teaching staff working with students with disabilities/learning difficulties.

The term additional learning support is a generic term which includes needs arising from learning difficulties and /or disabilities. Any learner may have a number or combination of needs. Integral to the delivery of additional support is the initial assessment procedure and the development of a co-ordinated approach to the identification, monitoring and reviewing of any support given.

4. ADMISSIONS AND ENROLMENT

Potential and existing students will be given several opportunities to declare a learning difficulty and will be encouraged to do so

1. When completing their application form.
2. By discussing the Additional Support Questionnaire with their personal tutor.
3. By completing the Quickscan screening programme.

A member of the Additional Support Team will be available at all partner school interviews to give advice and reassurance to students with learning difficulties.

A member of the Additional Support Team will be in attendance at a college -based interview for all students who declare a learning difficulty on their application form.

All students who have declared a learning difficulty or have had a positive indication of requiring support from the screening procedure will be seen by a member of the Additional Support Team within the first 10 days of enrolment., and their needs will be assessed within the shortest possible time.
Where assessment indicates that special equipment, specialist staff or staff training will be needed the Additional Support Team will liaise with the student and specialist external agencies to make sure that these requirements are in place when the student starts a course. If it is impossible for the college to provide the support immediately then it will make all efforts to do so as quickly as possible after the student has enrolled.

All information from students will be treated in confidence and will only be divulged to the relevant staff where necessary and after consultation with the student, and explicit written, informed consent has been obtained.

5) ON COURSE

Students can be referred to Additional Support at any time during the year by approaching a member of the team personally or coming to the Additional Support area, or by a tutor filling in an Additional Support request form.

Students will receive support which is entirely related to their needs.

Teaching staff will be regularly informed as to student difficulties and strategies to help.

Teaching staff will all receive a copy of the Additional Support handbook.

Specialist equipment will be made available to students with specific learning difficulties and /or disabilities where it is considered that this provision will aid learning.

Robert Shemilt
Additional Support Co-ordinator.
6th March 2003