Learning support

We provide support for all learners to improve their skills and achieve their potential. It is important that you inform us if you have a difficulty/disability as soon as possible. Experienced members of staff, usually Additional Learning Support Co-ordinators (ALSCos), are based on each campus to discuss your individual support needs and what resources are available.

For more information, including who to contact, download our leaflet on Support for learners with an additional learning need (ALN).

At Coleg Gwent, we offer a wide variety of support available to all. Our universal offer includes the following:

• the provision of an accessible environment
• support for successful transition to include individual visits, open days and taster sessions
• having weekly tutorial time with a Personal Tutor who will help to ensure you can pass your course, develop skills and achieve the highest grades possible.
• additional timetabled maths and English sessions if you have not yet achieved GCSE grade C or above;
• homework clubs, catch-up sessions and revision classes
• access to accessibility software including text to speech, online overlays and screen magnification as well as accessibility tools available in Microsoft
• a counselling service which is confidential and available through appointment
• health and well-being clinics

Additionally all learners can use the Learning Centres. Each Learning Centre has staff available to support the development of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills as well as developing your study skills, such as understanding assignments, searching for information and meeting deadlines. You may just want to have someone read your assignment and check the grammar and spelling with you before it is marked. Whatever your concern, you can pop in and make an appointment to meet with the Learning Centre Support Officer. You can also use the computers within the Learning Centre.

We understand that some learners may need more focussed support as they have a difficulty and/or disability that will affect their ability to learn or access the college facilities. Learning needs can change over time and it is our intention to be as flexible and responsive as possible in our support. It is our aim that our learners develop the skills to be independent learners.

Learners with additional learning needs include those with:

• visual impairment
• hearing impairment
• physical and medical requirements
• mental health difficulties
• cognitive learning difficulties
• specific learning difficulties
• autistic spectrum disorders.

Support can be delivered by:

• Additional support assistants (ASAs) who provide support for a group or an individual.
• Communication Support Workers (CSWs) who can support hearing impaired learners who use British Sign Language (BSL).
• ALSCos will provide reports to the teaching staff with advice about differentiation and how they can best support the learner.

Assistive technologies and equipmentWe can provide additional equipment to help those with learning needs. These include:

    • radio aids
    • dictaphones
    • anti-glare screens
    • overlays
    • laptops
    • a variety of mice and keyboards.

Exam concessions Please tell your Personal Tutor if you have been awarded exam access arrangements previously. Learners may be entitled to support during examinations. This could take various forms. Any concessions awarded at school are not automatically given at college.

For more information on exam access arrangements, please read our Access Arrangements leaflet.

HE learning support Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are available if you have a disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty. DSAs are grants to help pay the essential extra costs you may have as a direct result of your disability. You must meet the definition of a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and provide evidence of your difficulty/disability directly to Student Finance Wales.

Disability statement The College has a Disability Statement that sets out our commitment to providing an inclusive learning environment. A copy of the Coleg Gwent’s Disability Statement is available on the Learner Portal.

Alternatively, to be sent a copy in the post, or to discuss a particular requirement, please contact your campus ALSCo.

The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 The Act makes provision for a new statutory framework for supporting children and young people with additional learning needs (ALN). This replaces existing legislation surrounding special educational needs (SEN) and the assessment of children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) in post-16 education and training.

The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018

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