Learning Support

THE LOCAL OFFER

Our Local Offer provides information on the support available at Richard Taunton Sixth Form College for young people who have Learning Difficulties (Special Educational Needs) and Disabilities.

If you are concerned about your young person’s needs (either because they are not currently identified, or because you feel it would be beneficial to discuss their transition from school to college with us) please get in touch with the Learning Support department.

INITIAL SCREENING

Decisions regarding the type and amount of support a student receives are based on a number of channels of information. One way we identify students with special educational needs is by screening students on their entry to college using a range of activities such as reading, writing and spelling. We use the screening activities to work out who may need extra diagnostic assessments. All of the above information is used to decide if a student has additional support needs which we can accommodate both inside and outside the classroom.

EXAM ARRANGEMENTS

Exam arrangements make sure that students are given the appropriate fair chance in their exams. They may include the provision of things like extra time, a small shared room, a laptop, a reader, or a scribe. Please let us know as soon as you start college of any Exam Access Arrangements you believe you are entitled to. Exam Access Arrangements may include:

  • Extra Time
  • Separate Room/Small Shared Room
  • Word Processor
  • Reader
  • Scribe
  • Rest breaks

REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

Reasonable adjustments enable all students to access and participate in learning, assessment, college facilities and services. Please highlight on your application form any adjustments you believe you are entitled to or could benefit from. Examples of adjustments include:

  • Extra time in exams
  • Use of a computer
  • Extended book loans
  • Text to speech software
  • Support with note taking

AUTISM AND ASPERGERS

We run a personalised  Autism Awareness coaching programme to assist students to understand themselves better and improve interaction with others.

TRANSITION

We believe it’s important to give students a chance to become familiar with RTSFC before they start here. We want them to feel settled as quickly as possible, and we want to get to know them too. All students are invited to a Taster Day so they can try out some of their courses and see what a college day is like. These take place just before the summer holidays and offer a great opportunity to prepare for the transition to college. It also allows the Learning Support team to get to know certain students before their first proper day.

Students may want to look around without lots of other students being in college too. This can be a good chance to meet the Learning Support team and talk about any worries / needs you think we should know about. We can arrange to do this on a day and time that suits you.

1-TO-1 SUPPORT

We can support you in adjusting to higher standards of work and can help you prepare for the future. This could be through the provision of 1-to-1 sessions in the ILC to develop skills in essay writing, literacy, work organisation, numeracy techniques, exam and revision planning, and managing anxiety.

We offer 1 to 1 appointments for students to identify areas of development and create a tailored support plan. Sessions in Upgrade last for 30 minutes each week, and continue until you have reached your targets. We cover a wide variety of topics, from essay planning and note-taking to exam techniques and presentation skills.

Our Teaching  Support  Assistants can support students with a range of learning needs, difficulties and disabilities. Depending on individual needs or EHCP requirements, they can also provide a personalised support programme and classroom support to aid learning. Support is regularly reviewed and evaluated to ensure it is effective and supports progress to independent learning.