If you have a learning difficulty or disability, our Additional Learning Support team is on hand to support you through your time at the College. Working with you, we will make reasonable adjustments to our services to ensure college is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Additional Learning Support
HELPING YOU GET THE SUPPORT YOU NEED TO THRIVE AT COLLEGE
If you need extra help with your studies, our Additional Support Team can help you and your lecturers tailor support to aid in moving you towards independence.
This could include providing in-class or out-of-class support for literacy, numeracy and study skills, working with a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) in class or Communication Support Worker (CSW).
Specialist support is available for students with additional needs, including neurodiverse conditions such as Dyslexia, as well as learning and physical disabilities.
We offer a range of adaptive equipment and software for students with hearing or visual impairments.
Facilities such as ramps, hoists, lifts and specialised toilets are available.
Please talk to us about your support needs as soon as possible, so we can discuss your requirements to help you study and achieve on your course.
Social and communication skills are an essential part of everyday life, and we have experienced and qualified lecturers on hand to teach social and communication skills in structured sessions and workshops.
We know some students will require special arrangements when taking exams and support can be provided, in accordance with awarding bodies’ guidelines.
Dependent on your assessment results, scribes and readers may be available, and assistive equipment may be borrowed.
(LOCAL OFFER) FROM THE PARENT/CARER’S POINT OF VIEW:
Chichester College has an excellent transition procedure, designed to ensure that learners are placed on the appropriate course and receive the accompanying support as soon as possible. Members of College staff attend annual reviews from year nine allowing the team to fully prepare for your child to move into Further Education. Young people, parents/carers or their tutors can directly request support through their initial college interview, where a tutor and member of the Additional Support team will be present to discuss the Personalised Learning and support package needed to meet the needs of the individual.
At the beginning of their course all learners take an initial assessment this may include literacy and numeracy as well as other areas identified for development. This provides the college with accurate information to allocate appropriate support to enable learners to develop the necessary skills needed to be successful on their chosen course.
If you feel your son/daughter has a specific learning need, you can contact the College on 01243 786321 and ask for Additional Support. We will then meet with you to discuss the support needed for your
child/young person to be successful
The College offer support in three main forms: In Class Support, Out of Class Support and Exam Concessions Assessments. In Class Support is provided to ensure that learners have the opportunity to perform to their full ability in taught sessions. This may come in the form of academic support, with a note taker or reader; social support to allow those with Social communication difficulties to participate in class and practical support, providing those with mobility/physical difficulties to engage in their learning.
Out of Class Support is designed to provide learners with the necessary skills to become independent in college, their personal lives and beyond. Individualised programmes are devised for learners by highly qualified and experienced Tutors to meet their academic, social and emotional needs.
The College has a specialist Autistic Spectrum Condition provision, dedicated to ensuring the needs of young people with social communication difficulties are met throughout their time in college.
Chichester College Group is an inclusive provider, offering courses to meet all learners’ needs. Courses are available ranging from Pre-Entry Personal Progress programmes designed for students with learning difficulties and disabilities through to Higher Education degree level provision. Whichever course you/your young person applies for, the teachers will be prepared to meet their needs through communication with the Additional Support team and through following a multi-sensory approach to learning. All tutors in College have access to a team of specialists who can offer strategies and support in relation to:
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Asperger Syndrome
- ASC
- D/deaf and Hearing Impairment Awareness
- ADHD
- Assistive Technology
- EAL
- Mental Health
Every learner in receipt of support has their development reviewed every term, following the RARPA framework. For learners with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), these reviews are conducted with their support network, which can include family members, support and teaching staff, as well as other external support services.
These reviews take place in October, February and May. The focus of these reviews is to ensure that the support is correct, the learner is happy and knows where they are on track to progress towards.
This information is shared with the whole team supporting and teaching the learner to ensure that the support offered is holistic and followed.
Parents/carers or young people can request for Additional Support staff to be present at Parents’ Evenings to discuss progress and intervention. Students on Foundation Programme courses receive a full professionals review once a term to which parents/carers and significant others are invited.
At any point in the year, you can request a meeting to review your child’s
progress or share information with the College.
The College has a Well Being Service, which includes two Nurses and a Counselling team, ensuring that the medical needs and well-being of our young people are met. Throughout the term, referrals can be made to the following organisations are available for all learners:
- Substance Misuse
- Prevention and Assessment Team
- Young Mind
- Early Intervention Team
Every 16-18 full time learner is assigned a Pastoral Support Tutor who will assist in ensuring students stay on track to achieve their goals. Within Foundation Programmes this responsibility sits with the group tutors who lead on providing a wrap-around service for the more vulnerable young
people. The College also has a Safeguarding team who have extensive experience in communicating with and supporting young people with additional needs.
The College has a team of Exam Concessions Assessors, who are all qualified to teach and support Dyslexic learners. The assessors also carry out assessments of learners who have requested or been referred to support to see whether they require additional exam support, such as extra time, access to a reader, scribe or laptop.
Three Assessors are also qualified to carry out Dyslexia assessments for learners progressing onto Higher Education. There is a fee payable for these assessments. Please contact Additional Support to discuss this further. Lecturers and support staff are also qualified to Master’s Level in supporting young people with Asperger Syndrome and Specific Learning Disabilities.
Throughout the Support department, there is a wealth of experience in supporting learners with learning needs, such as:
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Asperger Syndrome
- ASC
- D/deaf and Hearing Impairment Awareness
- ADHD
- Acquired Brain Injuries
- Visual Impairment/Blindness
- Complex Learning Difficulties
- Moderate Learning Difficulties
- Emotional/Social Difficulties
- EAL
- Mental Health
Staff have access to the highly trained and personalised support offered by the Additional Support team and lecturers within the SEND provision. This support is accessible at any time of the year and will involve the whole team, as well as the learner, to ensure that support is accurate and effective.
All staff receive an induction in Equality and Diversity, which includes an introduction to strategies to support young people with Additional Needs. Alongside this, all lecturers who are trained at the College receive two three hour sessions on Inclusive Learning strategies for young people with SEND.
Sessions are also run throughout the year which focus on strategies to support and teach learners with SEND. These sessions form part of the College’s thorough Professional Development programme.
We believe that education takes place beyond the classroom, especially for our learners with SEND, and as such, we facilitate a variety of activities, which can be fully supported by the Additional Support team. College activities, such as course or enrichment trips abroad, are all inclusive, however, additional activities are offered to learners with SEND to help develop social skills, including:
- Supported Work Experience
- Travel Training
- Evening and weekend activities facilitated through the ASC provision
- Project based learning and social enterprise
Learner-led clubs such as:
- Music
- Football
- Upcycling
- Arts and Craft
- Fitness
The College has worked in partnership with the Disability awareness Organisations and our learners with lived experience, to ensure that our campuses are accessible to learners with SEND. Learners who find large, noisy and unstructured environments challenging have access to a quieter, supported environment where they can feel comfortable, develop friendships and their social skills.
All material necessary for learning is accessible through the College’s Virtual Learning Environment, ChiOnline, allowing learners to revisit their course material from home.
Learners can also access a variety of assistive technology on every computer in college, allowing material to be read back to them through the computer or change the colour of their screen, making the material accessible to them. A variety of technology is also available through an assessment carried out by the highly skilled Professional Learning Coach.
Chichester College Group has an excellent transition procedure, designed to ensure that the learners transfer to College is a very positive experience This will include visits between both organisations by the staff and students, taster sessions, attending a links course at the College in their last two years of school or attending one of the partnership hubs within the College.
A member of the staff will also meet with the SENCO to discuss learning needs support strategies to ensure a consistent approach and if required we will arrange to ‘shadow’ in class to make sure the transition into College is seamless.
All young people with an EHCP will have their outcomes met and all reasonable adjustments put in place. An in-depth assessment will be carried out by Tutors and the Additional Support team to ensure that the support provided is appropriate to meet the needs of the learner.
For learners who require a high level of support to meet their needs, once it has been assessed that the College can meet them, additional funding through the County’s High Needs Funding system can be applied for to directly fund the additional support.
A report is compiled, following a series of assessments made by many professionals working with the young person. The recommendations from that report are then actioned by the SEND Manager who will
ensure the correct and appropriate levels of support are put in place.
Chichester College Group believe that the best form puts the young person at its centre. This is a product of everyone involved with the young person sharing their insight, resulting in a holistic package of support.
Parents/carers are encouraged to attend interviews and meetings to share the knowledge and experience and can contact the College at any time to discuss support and any other issues relating to the needs of the young person.
Chichester College Group Colleges hold Open Days throughout the year and members of Additional Support are always present to discuss support needs and begin the process of transition into an Outstanding, inclusive College.
For more information on courses please contact our Admissions team on 01243 786321 or by email: info@chichester.ac.uk
Or if your enquiry is in connection with support then please contact the SEND Manager Tom Anderson: tom.anderson@chichester.ac.uk
Lola’s Blog – Disabling the Myths
Going to college can be daunting for most people, but it may be even more so if you are a young person living with a disability.
To dispel a few myths one of our former students, Lola Ellen, has been keeping a regular blog detailing her experiences, achievements and the challenges she’s faced.
You can read Lola’s blog on her webpage below.
Want to find out more?
The Additional Support team is always keen to talk to any student thinking of coming to Chichester College. You are very welcome to come and visit the college before your interview so that you can meet staff and take a look at our facilities.
For further help and advice:
- Email: learningsupport@chichester.ac.uk
- call: 01243 786321.