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Information for parents and carers

The Additional Learning Needs Team provides support for learners with difficulties or disabilities who may require support provision that is additional to the universal support provided to all learners.

If your son/daughter has an Individual Development Plan (IDP) please ask the school to invite us to their review.

If you think your son or daughter may require additional learning provision at college, please contact us:

There are various ways you can get in touch:

  • Email the Campus Additional Learning Support Co-ordinator (ALSCo)
  • Talk to the ALN Team at an Open Event.
  • Ask the school Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCo) to contact us.
  • Ask your son’s/daughter’s Careers Wales Advisor to contact us.
  • Support your son/daughter with their online college application, ensure they tell us about their difficulties and/or disabilities, and the support they had at school – their application will be highlighted to the ALSCo.

Person-centred approach

We use a person-centred planning approach to work with young people, their families and schools to identify individual needs. To ensure a young person gets the best support, we request evidence of their learning support needs and/or medical/physical needs from their school and any other relevant agencies supporting them. We communicate information about individuals’ support needs to the staff who work with them to help them achieve positive outcomes and support is reviewed at least annually.

For many of our learners, a college course offers an important education and training opportunity, prior to employment and/or adult life. At Coleg Gwent, we believe that it is essential to encourage young people to become as independent as possible, both in their learning and in their skills for life.  Our approach, while supportive, is designed to discourage dependence on others and to equip learners with skills and strategies they can use both in college and in adult life.

We provide education and training for young people and adults of all ages. We offer an open environment that suits the needs of young people who are able to manage their behaviour and wellbeing within this type of setting. We aim to support the education and training needs of all our learners, however, we’re unable to offer therapies or highly specialised services such as:

  • Speech and language therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Specialist talking therapies
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Rebound therapy

However, we’re happy to work with other providers, such as health and social services, where this promotes the wellbeing and/or progress for a learner.

ALN Pathfinder is a collaborative Further Education resource funded by the Welsh Government. The website features videos for parents and carers of children and young people progressing to college.

Working together

The well-being and success of your child while they’re in our care is extremely important to us. We aim to give everybody the same chance to succeed, regardless of their race, religion, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, disability or age.

As a parent, your role in their future is an important one. So we’ll keep you fully informed about your son or daughter’s progress through parent evenings, letters and regular reports. You can access their electronic Individual Learning Plan (eILP), by asking them for the log in details, which will show you how they’re doing against targets they agreed with their tutor.

As well as their progress, we constantly monitor their attendance, motivation and well-being, and periodically produce reports sent directly to you. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have, and our annual Parents Evening on each campus gives you the chance to speak to subject lecturers and personal tutors.

We want our students to have a direct involvement in assessing and shaping their college experience, and give them a variety of opportunities to take part – for which we’ve won several awards.

Everyone should enjoy their time at college, and we expect all our students to behave well and have respect for others. We operate a formal Learner Disciplinary Policy as set out below, although serious issues may result in instant red card exclusion. Where appropriate, we’ll also involve you in the process.

There are normally four stages:

  1. Informal stage – note of concern
  2. Formal stage 1 – yellow card
  3. Formal stage 2 – red card
  4. Formal stage 3 – disciplinary hearing

It’s important that all students aim for 100% attendance and punctuality, as a poor record may result in problems getting grants or even exclusion from exams. If they can’t attend college for any reason, they must let their tutor know by leaving a message with the campus.

Arrival 10 minutes after a lesson has started will be classed as ‘late’; any short-term absences must be explained by a sick note; and routine appointments should be made outside college hours. Illnesses lasting more than a week require a medical certificate from their doctor sent to their personal tutor, so they don’t lose their place on the course. After four weeks’ absence, we’ll assume your child has withdrawn from the course.

Whatever the reason, please make sure your child doesn’t simply stop coming to college. If they’re having problems, their personal tutor and our Student Services team are there to help.