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Additional Learning Needs

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Here at Cambria, we’re committed to inclusion. We actively promote equality and celebrate diversity.

Come and join us on one of our education and training programmes. Our inclusive approach, as well as the support and adjustments we offer, means that we’re able to meet any of your needs.

Inclusion support is offered across all five of our campuses. Our approach will be tailored to you and your individual needs. Any of your learning needs can be shared with us before your course starts or at any time during your course of study.

The inclusion team

What Can We Help With?

Transition

Emotional wellbeing

Assessment & Screening

Exam access arrangements

Assistive hardwaring & software

Specialist teaching support

In-class support

The inclusion Team

The inclusion team is made up of knowledgeable people in a variety of roles, such as:

Learning support coordinators
Additional Learning Needs (ALN) specialist tutors
Communication support workers
Personal care support workers
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) mentors
Inclusion mentors
Learning support assistants
Mental health and wellbeing practitioner.

We can help with:

Equality & Diversity

Coleg Cambria is committed to:

Reflecting the diverse communities we serve
Respecting and celebrating the different backgrounds and cultures of all learners and staff
Having zero tolerance of bullying and harassment
Treating all learners and staff equally and fairly
Ensuring learning and college services are accessible to all
Challenging prejudice.

Cambria welcomes you, whether you’re a student or member of staff, to endorse and contribute to achieving these aims.

Please view our equality and diversity page for any additional information, such as our strategic equality plan and our annual equality report.

Individual & Group Support

Our experienced lecturers can offer you one to one support and personalised assessments to help with independent learning. They will also deliver lessons to introduce new ways of working and agree an additional learning plan with you to make sure you achieve your goals.

Group Support

Group sessions with ALN Specialist Lecturers, Inclusion Mentors and ASD Mentors are also available to you. They’re designed with you in mind and will help you to develop skills in areas such as:

Assistive technology

Effective learning

Time management

Exam technique & anxiety

Essay planning

Assignment planning

Class-based support

In-class support is provided by a team of Learning Support Assistants. It’s available to you if you’re on any Foundation and Level 1 courses.

Bespoke support

We are happy to offer one to one support for you, for things like personal care or communication support, no matter what course you’re on.

Assistive Hardware

Reading and writing software is available to you whenever you need it, on whatever course you need it for.

Following an initial meeting and assessment, we’ll provide you with hardware to support your learning, such as the loan of:

laptops/Chrome books
keyboard and mouse alternatives
portable magnification devices

We also provide 1:1 or group guidance and training on using software and equipment, so you can use them to their full potential.

To assess your needs, first we’ll carry out an initial assessment (IA), which is just a 30 minute discussion to find out more about you. The things we note down during our talk allows us to offer the right support for you or conduct further screening.

Screening

A screening is simply made up of small tasks, which will provide us with a profile of your current strengths and any challenges. This isn’t a formal assessment or diagnosis. You need to have had an eye test within two years prior to screening for dyslexia, exam access arrangements, or completion of a visual stress questionnaire. Screening for ADHD, Dyspraxia, and ASD is also available.

Screening may lead to an offer of:

Exam access arrangements

Specialist teaching from an ALN lecturer

Specialist equipment

Provision of assistive technology

Referal to ALN workshop

Referal to TRAC ESOL

External agency referal DSA

DSA (disabled student allowance)

Access to Work

Exam Access Arrangements (EAA)

If you’re a learner with Specific Learning Differences (SpLD), physical, or medical needs you can apply for Exam Access Arrangements. These arrangements give you equal access to the exam without changing the demands of the assessment.
Some examples of EAA are:

If you have had EAA in the past for your exams, please give us this information on enrolment. You’ll need to provide evidence of your learning difference or medical need to your ALN lecturer. They’ll meet with you in your first term to put these arrangements in place.

If you need more information, please go to the get in touch page to find the details of the Learning Support Coordinators for your site.

Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)

As a Higher Education (HE) student with a disability, you could be eligible for assistance through Disabled Student Allowance.

DSA helps pay towards extra costs you may have when studying on your course as a direct result of your difficulty. You can find more about the Disabled Students’ Allowances and how to apply by visiting https;//www.yourdsa.com

Please apply for DSA as soon as you can to ensure support is in place as soon as possible.

If you need more information, please go to the Get in touch page to find the details of the Learning Support Coordinators for your site.

Access to Work (ATW)

This is support in work that you can access if you have a disability or have a physical or mental health condition.

Employers and learners can find information regarding eligibility, what you can get and how to apply on the following website https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

If you need more information, please go to the Get in touch page to find the details of the Learning Support Coordinators for your site.

At Coleg Cambria, we want to support you as you move from school to college. If you need a more personalised approach, we can offer support throughout the transition process. All decisions about support are evidence-based and agreed at our weekly Inclusion Panel.

Support Before Starting College

We can support you before you even start college with us in a number of ways. We offer advice and guidance, as well as a number of different learning plans. Please contact our Learning Support Coordinators to find out what learning plans are available. They’ll also discuss your needs and make sure that support is in place. Below are some more ways we can help you during your transition to Coleg Cambria.

Attendance at school reviews

Virtual tours

College tours & visits

Visits meetings with tutors

Open days & evenings

Accessible talk and tour events

Support of interview

Taster days

Summer academy (ILS only)

Support You in the Early Days of College

Our team at Coleg Cambria wants to continue supporting you in your early days of college while you’re finding your feet. We do this in a variety of ways, including:

Working with inclusion and ASD mentors

Support to access college transport

Clubs

Support after college

We will also support you as you take your next steps after college by helping with:

Multi agency reviews

Refferal to external agencies

Advice on DSA

Access to work grants

Our ALN Staff

Lizzie Stevens

Inclusion Manager
All sites

Maria Giannasi

Learning Support Coordinator,
Deeside

Keeley Bird

Learning Support Coordinator,
Northop

Maryanne Evans

Learning Support Coordinator,
Yale, Bersham Road and Llysfasi

Get in touch

Our dedicated team are here to help you via email or phone.
If calling, our telephone lines are open Monday-Friday 8.30-4pm.

Helpful external websites

Listed below are some websites, which cover a variety of topics that might be relevant to you.

Frequently asked questions

Do I Have To Disclose My Additional Needs?

Letting us know about your individual needs early on means that we can put support in place immediately. You can disclose your needs at any stage of your learning journey.

Will college support be like school support?

At college your support needs will be met by a team of people called the Inclusion Team. Your personal support needs will be identified and your support may be in the classroom or delivered as an additional session that you attend with a Specialist Lecturer or Mentor.

What is assistive software and how can it help me?

You can use this software to assist you to read written text, or to type as you speak. It is linked to your college email account and can be accessed remotely from home.

I have had exam access arrangements (EAA) in the past, should I tell you about this?

Yes, if you want us to put support and/or exam access arrangements in place at Coleg Cambria.

If I am assessed at Coleg Cambria do you pass this information on to other organisations?

We only pass the information on if you have given us consent or requested us to do so. For example consent for exam access arrangements. However, it may be a good idea to make other organisations aware of your needs so that relevant support can be put in place.

As a work-based learner do I have to disclose my Specific Learning Difficulty to my employer?

No, it is your information. However, if at a later date you are struggling, and you have not disclosed, your employer may be unaware of the support you need.

Can Coleg Cambria support me in getting a diagnostic assessment for dyslexia?

Yes. Once you have enrolled on a course speak to the ALN Specialist Lecturer for your area who can explain the process to you.

I need support at unstructured times of the day. What is available?

The Inclusion Team provides social support during unstructured times of the day, such as lunch and break time through clubs such as NGAGE (neurodiversity) and SensAbility (sensory impairment).

How can I access support if I think I need it?

If you have not started college yet, contact a Learning Support Coordinator and they will discuss your support needs and signpost you to the person who can best help you.

If you have started on your course, speak to your progression coach/personal tutor or any teaching staff on your course. They can refer you.

What is a Specialist Lecturer?

Specialist Lecturers support learners to develop learning independence. A Specialist Lecturer will introduce themselves to your group at the induction for each course. This is normally within your first week at college. However, if you need to contact them before you enrol, our Learning Support Coordinators will be able to put you in contact with the relevant member of staff.

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is the term used to describe and celebrate the importance of the valuable differences of the human brain.

Have a look at this YouTube video by the British Dyslexia Association: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_LIC-9rEi0

Why do I need an eye test before screening for dyslexia or exam access arrangements?

Current regulations say that screening can’t be completed without a recent eye test (within the last 2 years). It also eliminates reading and writing difficulties caused by poor eyesight.

Is a screening the same as an assessment?

No. A screening is not a formal diagnosis. It does, however, allow us to develop a profile of your strengths and some challenges you may face. Completion of a screening can provide us with some strategies which would support you in class, or, to inform further assessment such as exam access arrangements, or referral for formal assessments.

If I have a screening assessment, will the findings be shared with my employer?

No, this is your information and the onus is on you to share it. It will be put onto the college systems for your lecturers and work-based assessors to access.

I have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)/Learning Support Plan (LSP). What do I need to do?

Please let your local authority know that you wish to attend Coleg Cambria and ask them to send us a copy of your EHCP/LSP as soon as possible. When we receive your plan, the Inclusion Team can then start to plan how we can best support you on your course.

Please make sure that you still apply to the college so that we can interview you to make sure that your desired course is the correct course and correct level for you. Once you have been offered a place, a member of the Inclusion Team will contact you to discuss your needs and put together an ALN Support Plan. If you have an EHCP and require further advice and guidance please contact our Learning Support Coordinators.

I require personal care support. Will this be available?

We have a dedicated team of care staff who can offer support with personal care to those who require it. If you let us know of your needs, a member of the team will contact you to put together a Personal Care Plan to ensure that your needs will be met at college.

Staff Intranet

Student hub

Apply Now

Apply Now

Additional Learning Needs

The inclusion team

Individual & Group Support

Screening

Support Before Starting College

Support You in the Early Days of College

Support after college

Our ALN Staff

Lizzie Stevens

Maria Giannasi

Keeley Bird

Maryanne Evans

Get in touch

Contact us

Email

Helpful external websites

Frequently asked questions

Got a question?

Here’s how you can get in touch

Contact us

Email

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Got a question?

Here’s how you can get in touch

Contact us

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