Effective practice |

The learning support screening process

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Provider
Coleg Sir Gâr a / and Coleg Ceredigion
Number of pupils
5505
Age range
16-19
Date of Inspection
Information about the college
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
Description of nature of strategy or activity
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
How have you shared your good practice?

 

Through their bilingual Learning Support screening process, the college has developed a more inclusive learning experience better able to meet the needs of their neurologically diverse students.

Information about the college

Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion became an integrated college in August 2017 and is now referred to as one college, with two brands and seven campuses across Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. The two campuses that form Coleg Ceredigion are in Aberystwyth and Cardigan. Coleg Sir Gâr has five campuses in Ammanford, Gelli Aur, Jobs Well, Pibwrlwyd and Llanelli. The integrated college delivers a wide range of vocational courses with progression opportunities available on most courses to the next level, apprenticeships and higher education. Currently the college has 5,505 further education learners, of which 2,795 are full-time learners and 2,710 are part-time learners. Of the full-time learners, 80% are learners at Sir Gâr and 20% are at Ceredigion.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The purpose and rationale of the bilingual Learning Support screening process is to promote a culture and ethos of inclusivity, which informs teaching and learning practices, support provision and identifies staff training needs. The process helps to facilitate person centred practice, in line with the Additional Learning Needs Education Tribunal Wales Act 2018 (ALNET) and the Equality Act 2010.

Following research, in 2019, the college ALNCo and the Learning Support management team developed an electronic platform for all learners to complete based on their individual profiles. The rationale for the administration of the electronic screening process is to provide an opportunity for learners without a formal diagnosis, or who have not previously disclosed an additional learning need and/or disability (ALN), to self-reflect and record the learner’s profile and neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is the concept where neurological differences are to be recognised and respected by others like all other human variation.

The learning support screening questionnaire informs staff on how best to support the learner and facilitates the compilation of the one-page profile. The process provides immediate feedback at the start of the academic year to curriculum teaching staff via a dedicated the management information system. It promotes self-awareness of individual learner profiles to facilitate reasonable adjustments and in-class differentiation.  
 

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The screening process is administered as part of the learning support induction across all campuses. Within the first two weeks of the autumn term all new and returning further, higher and work-based learning learners complete the electronic questionnaire. This in-person process enables learners to meet key members of learning support staff and to be supported throughout the process to capture a rich profile of each individual learner.  

In terms of accessibility,  learners can use assistive technology (e.g. reading software) to access the easy read format.  The screener has been written using positive language to empower and encourage learners to share valuable information about their learning needs.

All learners complete a questionnaire across a range of areas including:

  • Time management
  • Reading and written work Memory, concentration and organisation  
  • Social and communication needs, sensory sensitivities and dealing with unexpected changes
  • Learning differences, medical and health conditions
  • Previous exam adjustments

Learners have an opportunity to disclose any previous diagnoses and conditions, and to comment on their perceptions of barriers to learning. They can also report on person-centred strategies they are currently employing, and which work for them. Once learners provide a consent to share and submit their responses, the learners are emailed with contact details for key learning support and wellbeing staff, on how to access support which encourages independence and responsibility for their learning, as well as signposting services that are accessible to them throughout the year. Learners and staff can access and view submitted responses via the dedicated management information system. 
 

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

Over 2,500 learners completed the screening questionnaire in 2021-2022. The information generated from the learning support screening process supports a person-centred learning experience and promotes an inclusive culture within the college for all learners. The screener acts as a strategy for raising student motivation for learning as they can reflect and interpret their own unique strengths and barriers to learning.

Teachers can view all questionnaires via the dedicated management information system on an individual or class basis. Teaching staff consistently utilise the information to create rich class profiles and to provide an inclusive teaching and learning environment. Teaching staff have reported that the bilingual screening information is vital: the learner’s perspective is insightful and often provides the basis of conversations about personalised learning early in the academic year.  Teachers receive an in-depth understanding of the range and diversity of learning needs within the classroom. The information is embedded in the planning and delivery of teaching and learning sessions. Learning support assistants also access the screener information to plan activities appropriate to learner need and individual support requirements.The learning support team, in conjunction with the teaching and learning team, continue to support teaching staff in utilising the information in the screener and sharing the ethos that ‘ALN is everybody’s responsibility’ at the college. 
 

How have you shared your good practice?

Whole college staff training has been delivered to disseminate the rationale of the Learning Support screening process, along with the compilation of a toolkit to support teaching staff in providing an inclusive learning experience. Staff are therefore not only informed about their learners' neurodiversity but also given tools and ideas to incorporate into their practice to meet learner needs. Good practice case studies have also been shared with Local Authorities and the All Wales ALNCo Forum.

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