ADDITIONAL LEARNING SUPPORT POLICY
Providing reasonable adjustments within the bounds of resources for students with learning difficulties, disabilities and impairments in Post-16 Further and Higher Education at Doncaster College and University Centre.
1 / College Mission Statement1.1 ‘Realising student potential and achieving excellence’
2 / Context2.1
2.2
2.3 / This policy is written in the context of the College Corporate Strategy 2015-2018 and with particular reference to the College Strategy for retention of students, ensuring students are placed on the right course at the right level.
The context of this policy supports the following:-
Safeguarding Statement
The College recognises its responsibilities and duties under the Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 requirements, which defines safeguarding as:
• protecting children from maltreatment;
• preventing impairment of children’s health or development;
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision
of safe and effective care; and
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
The College believes that safeguarding students is our paramount concern and therefore safeguarding issues take priority in relation to any other policies and/or procedures.
The College works in line with the Statement of Government Policy on Adult Safeguarding; Safeguarding Adults Principles to safeguard and prevent abuse of vulnerable adults.
· Empowerment- Presumption of person led decisions and informed consent.
· Prevention- It is better to take action before harm occurs.
· Proportionality- Proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
· Protection- Support and representation for those in greatest need.
· Partnership- Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.
· Accountability- Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.
H&S Statement
Doncaster College recognises its responsibilities and duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to provide a healthy and safe working and learning environment so far as is reasonably practicable. This duty extends to cover employees, students, contractors, Visitors and members of the public and covers all its related activities and undertakings.
Equality & Diversity Statement
Doncaster College strives to promote an ethos and image that positively reflects its commitment to advancing equality of opportunity and celebrating diversity. The College does not tolerate any prejudicial behaviour by any member of its community and has a zero-tolerance policy to bullying, harassment and victimization. Every step is taken to eliminate unlawful discrimination and foster good relations among all social groups. The College is committed to ensuring that it does not discriminate either directly or indirectly against individuals on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership.
3 / Definition
3.1 As defined by Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency funding guidance, additional learning support is, ‘any activity that provides support for learning to individual students, 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 students gain access to, progress towards and successfully achieve their learning goals. The need for additional support may arise from a learning difficulty or disability, or from literacy, numeracy or language support requirements.’
· Additional Support is acknowledged as an entitlement to be provided where possible for all students with a learning difficulty and/or disability, where the adjustments are deemed reasonable, in line with The Equality Act 2010, Child Protection Legislation, Safeguarding and the Data Protection Act and the College’s assessment process.
· Students studying in the Higher Education provision need to confirm they are receiving Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) before the commencement of their course. The Additional Support Team at the College will support this process.
· Students taking up 24+ loans will need to apply for a 24+ Bursary to fund any support for their learning difficulty / disability.
4 / Guiding Principles4.1 Through this policy statement the College will:
· facilitate access to a wide range of lifelong learning opportunities, promote values and diversity, oppose discriminatory practices and provide a personalised educational experience which is supported by staff who are knowledgeable and value individual learning needs
· ensure that the systems and procedures in additional learning support meet the needs of students and that students are able to fully engage with the service
· improve the positive outcomes for students in relation to their studies, onward progression and independence
· ensure that the deployment of additional learning support resources are appropriate, guided by assessment/interview and utilise college funds to the best effect for the benefit of students with additional support needs.
· Additional Learning Support will be effectively deployed and ensure that students are encouraged to be independent and that academic standards are maintained. (Viz. that the support facilitates the removal of barriers to learning and that students undertake their studies as independently as possible) This will be achieved through a process of monitoring and review.
5 / Scope5.1 This Policy refers to the post-16 Additional Learning Support Team, including language, literacy and numeracy support function. These teams provide adaptive technology and human support to students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This Policy also refers to other members of the College staff who have a shared responsibility for the inclusion and welfare of all students. This additional learning support enables students to achieve their primary learning goal.
5.2 The term Additional Learning Support at Doncaster College refers to the following:
· the adjustments made by teaching staff to ensure that students with additional support needs are fully included and able to take full advantage of the learning experience on offer (this may include: providing copies of handouts before lessons and ensuring they are formatted in line with the individual needs)
· assistive and adaptive technology provided by the Additional Learning Support Team, the Learning Resource Centre and other College support services
· the provision of in-class or out-of-class support by a member of the Additional Learning Support Team (e.g. learning support assistant, communication support worker, interpreter, note-taker, carer, specialist teacher in dyslexia, language, literacy or numeracy)
· the adapting of materials into a variety of formats, e.g. enlarged text, Plain English or Braille
· the adjustments to be made by staff in service areas (e.g. CTS Support)
· the reduction of class sizes for students with learning difficulties on discrete programmes
· the intervention of the Counselling service where this is required to enable students to engage with their studies
· access arrangements in examinations (the provision of extra time, scribe, reader etc)
· support on compulsory educational visits or work placements.
· specialist teaching support for students with specific learning difficulties, language, literacy and/or numeracy needs as identified through initial and diagnostic assessments.
4.3 This policy needs to be read in conjunction with the College’s Additional Learning Support Strategy, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy, Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, Equality and Diversity Policy, Disability Statement, Admissions Policy, Counseling and Welfare Policy and Exams Policy.
6 / Policy and Statement of Intent6.1 Doncaster College will provide reasonable levels of Additional Learning Support for those students assessed as requiring ALS on all learning programmes, in line with the following points:
· The College will offer and provide an initial point of contact and offer an interview and assessment for all full-time and part-time students who declare a learning difficulty and/or disability on enrolment or during the academic year as their learning need(s) are identified. This interview and assessment process will form the basis of any additional learning support interventions.
· All assessments will be undertaken by suitably qualified and experienced staff and once a need is identified, the provision of support will be allocated as soon as possible.
· Where necessary, further specialist assessment will be arranged.
· All students who are assessed will receive comprehensive feedback, to whether additional learning support is necessary and/or can be provided and if so the additional support to be provided in relation to their learning need and programme of study.
· Additional learning support will be available on all college sites, and will provide support for students in classes and/or workshops; where reasonable and possible the support will be shared between students in the same session.
· Students receiving additional learning support will have their needs monitored and reviewed at regular intervals including a progression review at the end of the academic year.
· Students receiving assistive or adaptive technology support will receive guidance in the use of the equipment.
· Students who receive Individual Budgets or other funding/support from Social Care to support their daily living needs may be requested to provide their own personal care/support for learning.
· Ensure that students and tutors are made aware of the access arrangements for examinations and that the potential requirement for assessment for arrangements is timely and evidence based in line with exam board guidance.
7 / Commitment to Staff Training and Development7.1 Learning Support Assistants will undertake a formal training programme and work towards relevant qualifications appropriate to their specific roles They will also undertake regular staff development and updating on college wide issues such as safeguarding, health and safety.
7.2 All specialist tutors will undertake regular staff development in line with the guidelines of the Institute for Learning and the College’s commitment to CPD.
7.3 All communicators for deaf or hard of hearing students will be qualified to level 2.
7.4 All learning support assistants, specialist tutors and other additional support staff will be formally observed at least once during each academic year.
7.5 All College staff will be provided with opportunities and encouraged to take part in CPD activities relating to ALS and their commitments to The Equality Act 2010.
8 / Compliance8.1 Appropriate information will be disseminated to Directors of Academy and/or Personal tutors to ensure that student/learning needs can be adequately met within a programme, in line with the student’s self-disclosure.
8.2 All activities will take place in line with the current Equality and Diversity Policy, Disability Statement, Health and Safety and other college policies with reference to The Equality Act 2010.
8.3 All additional learning support will meet the requirements of the Education Funding Agency, the Skills Funding Agency, Local Authority for high needs Block, other funding bodies and internal and external audit compliance requirements.
8.4 Appropriate levels of additional learning support will be provided (in accordance with the College’s Additional Support Policy) where a student’s mental health needs are associated with a learning difficulty and/or disability.
8.5 Where the student has a disability or illness which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, the College must ensure compliance with The Equality Act 2010 in accordance with the College’s Disability Statement. This may include the making of reasonable adjustments.
8.6 Ensure relevant staff are advised of additional learning support and/or other adjustments required to enable students to undertake the course and achieve their potential.
8.7 Where deemed appropriate, students may need to go through the Inclusive Risk Assessment procedure. See below under 8.4
9 / Confidentiality and Disclosure9.1 In line with The Equality Act 2010, prospective and existing students will be given opportunities and encouraged to disclose the existence and/or nature of a disability and/or learning difficulty/impairment on the following occasions:
· On initial contact with the college
· On application
· At Interview
· During enrolment
· When arranging work placements and/or attending field trips
· When using the Careers Service, Counselling Service or accessing the Student Support Fund
· Before Awards events and examinations
· During tutorials
· During additional support interviews / assessment.
9.2 Students have the right to confidentiality and information about a student’s disability cannot be processed without the student’s explicit consent. Students should be made aware that this request may impact on adjustments that can be made.
9.3 It is recognised that once a student has disclosed a disability and the student is happy for the information to be shared, the information will be shared with relevant staff on a need to know basis only. The initial interview/assessment will provide the opportunity for this and this will then be formally recorded. However see 9.4 below.
9.4 Students who disclose and are identified with an Additional Support need will have the opportunity to decline any offer of support. However, in such cases if this constitutes a health and safety risk to the College, other students or staff, the College may, through the Risk Assessment procedure, deem that it is in the student’s best interest to take up the support on such grounds. This may affect any decisions relating to the students continued course of study. If support is declined, students will have the opportunity to re-apply for support in the future.
10 / Prescription Medication10.1 In line with The Equality Act 2010 prospective and existing students will be given opportunities and encouraged to disclose the existence and use of prescribed medication that has to be taken while on college sites.
10.2 Where the failure to take such prescribed medication would be potentially life threatening or would result in such an adverse effect on the student or others that they would be severely restricted in their access to their programme, the College will provide suitable facilities for the taking of such medication.
10.3 In a minority of cases where failure to take medication would have a profound adverse effect on the student or their peers, and only following a full Assessment of Risk (student), the taking of medication may form part of a student’s learning agreement.
10.4 Subject to student agreement and disclosure, and in line with the College Confidentiality and Data Protection procedures, appropriate College staff will be made aware of the use of prescribed medication on the College premises.
10.5 All students taking prescription medication on College premises will be expected to be able to take such medication unaided and will be responsible for the safe keeping of the medication whilst on College property.