Learning Support
Herefordshire College of Technology provides high quality support to individuals with disabilities and/or learning difficulties.
The college can provide information for students, potential students, parents and referral agencies. Working in partnership with students and relevant personnel, we are constantly working towards removing barriers to education. We recognise the importance of the Disability Discrimination Act Part 4 2001, and its implementation is integral to our College policies. If you have any queries or requests, please do not hesitate to contact the Additional Learning Support Team on 01432 352235.
Assessment of need
We will carry out an initial assessment, to establish how we can best support you during your time at College.
- Getting the student’s views is the most important part of the assessment, so we will ask you to think about what support you require and why
- If there is a ‘statement’ from your school, you will be asked to provide a copy of it.
- We may need to do some more detailed assessments. This will depend on the nature of your disability or learning difficulty. This will be done with your agreement.
Dyslexia and/or intensive literacy/numeracy support
Within our team we have specialist assessors who will provide specific support for your dyslexia and/or specific learning difficulties. This can include:
- In-depth assessments to identify your areas of need
- Regular 1-1 sessions
- Small group sessions
- Help with study skills
- Special exam considerations (for students who qualify)
There is also support available if you have more general difficulties with your literacy and numeracy.
Support for examinations and assessments
There are a variety of ways that you can be supported when taking your exams.These can include:
- Extra time for exams
- Someone to read the exam paper and write down the answers (called amanuensis)
- A communicator to sign exam questions
Support for exams and assessments needs to be agreed with the examination boards in advance, so should be applied for as early as possible.
Support for students with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and students with mental illness
Support is available where requested and can be formal or informal.This can include:
- Access to Student Information Services (SIS)
- Access to counselling where appropriate
- In- class support where appropriate.
Support for students with learning difficulties
We provide both full and part time courses and support for students with learning difficulties. This can be discrete provision or via mainstream courses. The support available will often include:
- In- class support from teaching assistants.
- Supervision at lunchtimes where necessary
- Help with literacy and numeracy
- Special exam considerations (for students who qualify)
Support for students with physical impairments
Our additional learning support team will work with you to enable you to access the full curriculum on offer. The support offered can include:
- Personal Care
- Individual support in class where necessary
- Help with getting about the College
- Special exam considerations (for students who qualify)
Support for students with sensory impairments
Support is available via specialist communicators for the deaf and support workers for visually impaired students. This support can include:
- Communication support such as sign language
- Specialist equipment to support hearing impaired students
- Specialist equipment to support visually impaired students
- Note taking and help with study skills
