Learner Support

For more information, contact Learner Support on 01204 482 669 or email

studentsupportadmins@boltoncc.ac.uk

Inclusion for All

Bolton College is committed to providing equal opportunities in education for all learners and we will do all we can to meet the needs of individuals.

Learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Anxiety

If you have a special educational need or disability, or anxiety, you should make sure your tutor knows. This is for any special need you have, and it doesn’t matter whether you have an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP). For example, you might have a medical condition or find it difficult to travel by yourself. Your education provider - the College - will help you to prepare and plan for your placement, make sure you have the support you need and that the employer knows about your needs, so that any adjustments can be made, if required. If you need support for your disability at your work placement, staff at College will work with you to design a plan that is right for you. They will also talk to the employer so that they understand your needs and can work with you.

Risk Assessments

In addition to the health and safety policies in the workplace, the College may have completed a risk assessment relating to your disability and personal circumstances. You should be familiar with this. Your employer will also be familiar with it. You can check this with your support contact at College.

How we can help

• Autism • Learning difficulty/disability • Language, literacy or numeracy needs • A physical disability • Mental health needs • Dyslexia • Other specific barriers to education and/or learning

We also offer:

• Bespoke sampling, tours and individual transition planning • Access arrangements assessments • Specialist equipment and resources • A dedicated liaison service from a team of SEN specialists, working across the fields of learning difficulties and disabilities; mental health specialist tutors; and SEN specialists for

D/deaf and visually impaired learners • Appointments with specialist tutors • In-class support • One-to-one appointments • Specialist drop-ins for learners with high needs For more information, contact the Learner Support administration team on 01204 482 669 or alternatively email:

studentsupportadmins@boltoncc.ac.uk

We can provide support for you if you are a learner with: • D/deaf • Visual impairment 242 Young People’s Guide 2022 www.boltoncollege.ac.uk

Learning Difficulties, Physical

Disabilities, Medical Conditions or

Looked After Children/Young People

Leaving Care

We offer advice and develop support plans that are tailored to your individual needs. This includes:

• Help with enrolment and one-to-one support interviews to discuss the type of support that you need • A thorough transition programme and working relations with education, justice and health and social care teams, to ensure that all your support needs are met in College • A support plan shared on a ‘need to know’ basis with the relevant tutors • Additional literacy and numeracy support via our Key Support Tutor Team and one-to-one

BKSB literacy and numeracy assessments • Ongoing pastoral support To arrange a support interview contact our Head of Learner Support, Janet Bishop, at janet.bishop@boltoncc.ac.uk or call 01204 482 654. Alternatively you can contact our Transition & Support Leader, Gillian Lonsdale, at gillian.lonsdale@boltoncc.ac.uk or call 01204 482 579.

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)

If you require a personalised transition and support plan, please inform the College as soon as possible. For more information, contact EHCP Review Officer Heather Rylance via heather.rylance@boltoncc.ac.uk or Lindsay Gleaves, our Inclusion Officer, at

lindsay.gleaves@boltoncc.ac.uk

Telephone 01204 482 648 – Room AG.18

learner Support

Continued

Support for Students with Mental Health Issues

You may be feeling very anxious or nervous but specialist mentors at College can help you to learn techniques to cope with anything that is worrying you. We offer: • Individual interviews to assess support needs and put support plans in place • Ongoing pastoral support throughout the year • Help with enrolment procedures • Liaison with CAMHS and Community Mental

Health Teams • We advocate on behalf of students if necessary Contact our SEN specialist for Mental Health Rachel Butler at rachel.butler@boltoncc.ac.uk or call 01204 482 589

Support for D/deaf Students

We provide a range of support for D/deaf learners throughout the College. This support can include: • A Communication Support Worker (CSW), including deaf-blind CSWs • A D/deaf counsellor • Equipment to provide visual aids • Film equipment and cameras • Hearing loops • Lip-speakers • Note-takers • Social activities, such as the D/deaf prom and summer school • Technical tutorials with your course tutor • Widget (BSL) software Contact Learner Support Admin on

studentsupportadmins@boltoncc.ac.uk

Telephone 01204 482 669

Support for Visually Impaired Students (VI)

If you have a disability or difficulty, please let us know beforehand. This way we can arrange for you to come in to have a confidential assessment with one of our specialist teams, to ensure that we have the necessary support in place for you. Contact our SEN Specialist in Disability and VI Amelia Duckett at

amelia.duckett@boltoncc.ac.uk

or call 01204 482 668 We provide pastoral support and advice for visually impaired students, including signposting to other agencies. This support can include:

Support Workers Braille Social Activities Tactile

Audio Equipment

Moving on with your Career

If you need support for your disability in work or in a work placement or Industry Placement, staff at College will work with you to design a plan that is right for you. They will also talk to the employer so that they will understand your needs. This is a good opportunity to practice working with someone to support you, and will give you the skills you need in the future to continue support into any employment through the Access to Work scheme, provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Useful Tips for your Interview

When you are preparing questions to ask at your interview, you might want to mention your support plan and how you have organised it to help you at work. It is a good idea to discuss this with the support staff at College before your interview.

Behaviours and Attitudes at Work

If you experience anxiety and a situation at your work placement is making you anxious, you need to try and follow the guidelines and mention the issue to your manager. If this is too difficult, you will have been provided with a number to ring at College. Be sure to ring your support contact at College as soon as you can, don’t wait until your anxiety makes it too difficult for you to be proactive.

Whatever your support needs, please do not hesitate to contact us - we have many ways to ensure you get the best possible experience at College.