Home › Your College › Student Support › Learning Support

Learning Support

Halesowen College is rated 6^th in the National Centre for Diversity’s Top 100 most inclusive workplaces, recognising commitment to promoting a welcoming and inclusive environment for staff and students, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). At Halesowen College you will find an inclusive environment that meets your individual SEND needs, that supports you to achieve your full potential both personally and professionally, with a focus on supporting you to achieve your goals and future aspirations.

We are proud to provide a high level of support based on your specific individual needs. With such a diverse range of students, your needs will be identified and the right support provided, at the right time. The Learning Support Team will support you, whatever course you are on, working with your current Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

This could include:

Support from a Learning Support Practitioner in class
Adapted technology and resources
Use of accessibility software
Access to college wellbeing and counselling service
Regular tutorials, twice a week, with your Personal Coach
One to one mentoring
Meet and greet
Support to access college coaches (see Fitness to Travel Policy here)
Personal care support, including medication
Break and lunch time support
Exam access arrangements
Mental health and well-being checks
Pastoral care
Self-calming
Enrichment activities organised in the SEND facility, The Hive in 5
Specific support if you:

- are hearing or sight impaired
- are Autistic
- have ADHD
- have a physical need
- have a mental health challenge
- have anxiety
- have a specific learning difficulty

The Learning Support Team consist of experienced, friendly and approachable staff who are here to listen to you and who are qualified in:

Reviewing your EHCP to ensure it is up to date and reflects you as a learner now, along with relevant outcomes and the support you need to achieve these
Manual handling
Infection control
Medication control
Sign language
Safeguarding
Person centred approach
Learning disabilities
Supporting learners in class and out of class
Supporting you to become more independent and confident
Development of soft skills
Development of employability and life skills

There are 3 levels of support available at Halesowen College, click the links below to find out more.

Level 1

Your individual needs will be discussed with your Personal Coach during tutorial and communicated to the curriculum staff involved in your learning journey. It may include the following:

Provision of lesson materials on Moodle
Adapted learning strategies and resources within the classroom to support SpLD
Use of accessibility software to support a range of individual needs
Access to the college counselling service
Tutorial with Personal Coach on a regular basis

Level 2

Support at Level 2 can be requested via a referral from your Personal Coach to the Learning Support Team if you both feel that an assessment for additional support is required. This may include:

Provision of support equipment through the Learner Support Fund
Additional support from external agencies to support Autism, hearing impairment etc.
One to one or group mentoring
An assessment by a qualified assessor to identify reasonable adjustments for formal examination based on your normal way of working or medical condition, supported by medical evidence
Access to a quieter space when needed
Trusted adult

Level 3

Level 3 support is provided based on the specific support need outlined in Section F of your EHCP.

This is what students at Halesowen College say about support they have received:

“In-class support helps me to stop zoning out. They take notes during the lessons and then send them to me. It helps me focus on the lessons and not miss out on teaching. Having the notes means I am able to catch up on anything I have missed. I feel more independent here at college. I now catch the coach to and from college and I have never travelled on my own before that.” Lochlan Evitts, Applied Science Level 3.

“In-class support helps me to break down tasks, they check on how I am doing with my work. They help me with practical tasks in the kitchen. It helps me complete the work to a high standard and means that I can access some of the practical tasks. I was shown how to use some of the kitchen utensils (such as scissors) in a different way so I could use them on my own. I can now catch the coach to and from college on my own. I don’t travel on my own that often outside of college but feel confident on the coach.” Molly Harvey, Professional Development & Employment.

“In-class support helps with spelling and practical help if I get hand cramps they will take over the writing for me. I can get quite tired easily after a long day so this can really help me to learn and get through the day. Developing my independence skills as I can now come through campus on my own and have become organised in arranging tasks as part of my course. Yes, definitely [improved confidence and independence] I have realised I am now looking things up independently on my own.” Jaya Beghal Creative Media Level 3.

“In-class support take notes and then they send them to me. I would fall behind in class if they weren’t there. They have helped me understand things in a way I wasn’t able to before. I am able to catch the coach to and from college on my own. I would also say my communication skills have improved and I feel confident to talk to new people.” Alex Biden, Animal Care Level 2.

“The LSA in class are really helpful. They can break down the information for me when I am not able to take this in properly and keep me on task. They also help me practically by making sure that I can access everything and pushing my wheelchair when the electric motor is not working. It means that I can ask them for help when I need it. [I have gained the skills for] speaking to people – in the HIVE I have learnt to be more confident in speaking to others. I now make my way around the college site on my own rather than having to have someone to take me.” Josh Baker, Business Level 2.

“The college has helped me as an autistic student by adapting the work to the right standard for me to understand the work. The teachers also break down the work for me to understand. The college makes me feel valued and accepted as a student who has autism.” – Lianne Nicholls

The Hive in 5

The Hive in 5 is an accessible facility for all SEND students to access. The facility provides universal support during the day from 8.30am until 4.30pm. It is a quiet space, with a small sensory area that may be needed for self-regulating activity. The Hive in 5 is located within a quiet area of the college but remains an integral part of the mainstream provision.

The main area of the Hive in 5 provides:
- A meet and greet area
- A quiet and comfortable seating area with cushions/beanbags to be used for students to relax, self-regulate and socialise – developing friendships and building social and communication skills.
- A quiet space for students needing time out and to self-regulate.
- Computers allowing students who need time out to continue with their learning and / or LSA staff who work with them on a one to one basis during mentoring sessions.
- Fun activities take place that support the development of ‘soft’ and ‘new’ skills, that include communication skills, problem solving, confidence, independence, maths and English as well as understanding emotions achieved through social activities.

The conservatory area is set up for:

Students to eat their lunch, socialise with others, promoting and developing social skills and those needing a quiet place to eat, or those who have eating disorders.
Sensory area to provide students with more complex needs, a safe area to self-regulate when needed.
The Hive in 5 is supervised by Learning Support staff at all times. Students who need time out can sit quietly or chat to a member of staff. Students are supported and encouraged to return to class when they are ready.
The Hive in 5 boasts a garden accessible to all SEND students. The outside space provides an area for specific gardening activities and will include a seating area students can use during good weather.

This is what students said about the Hive in 5 facility at Halesowen College:

“I like it here. It is quiet area and in a quieter part of college. I use it because it is quiet and being able to be somewhere with less people.” Lochlan Evitts, Applied Science Level 3.

“I like the HIVE as it is a more quiet space and there are activities going on so you are not bored. It is an environment outside of lessons that I can relax away from my studies. It provides me with a relaxing space and there is always someone there for me if I need anything. Also, if I need anything sorting out or have any worries I can go straight to the HIVE and ask. It’s a more adult environment too.” Jaya Beghal Creative Media Level 3.

“I like the HIVE activities. I have taken part in the educational games and enjoyed that. I use it as it is quiet and I can come down here at breaks if I feel like I need to. If I forget my laptop I can use the computers. There are staff here that can help me if I need them too.” Alex Biden, Animal Care Level 2.

“It’s not that busy in the HIVE – it can be at lunchtime but the rest of the time it is quiet. It is a place you can relax. You don’t have to think about things when you are in the HIVE – you can just switch off and relax. It means that being at college is less stressful for me.” Josh Baker, Business Level 2.

Education Health Care Plans (EHCP)

We work closely with several local authorities to ensure that, if you have an EHCP, your identified needs and support provision can be met at Halesowen College in line with the SEND agenda.

Transition Support

If you have an EHCP or are particularly anxious about starting college. We will provide you with additional transition activities and support to ensure that your move from school to college is as smooth as possible, making you feel confident in the college environment. Your transituoin may include:

attendance to a college Open Event(s) where you will meet curriculum staff, learning support staff, other college support staff and have the opportunity to make an application during your visit
attendance to a transition event specifically if you have an EHCP or are particularly anxious about the move to college
you can request additional visits to college during the academic year, as well as during the summer to help you become more familiar with staff and the college environment
you will meet teaching staff to have a chat about the course applied for
you will meet learning support staff who will discuss your specific support needs with you, have a chat about the college and answer your questions
you will be invited to attend college Welcome Day to welcome you to Halesowen College, meet staff and be provided with information you will find useful as well as a goodie bag
you will have college induction before starting start your course where you will be provided with additional information and your timetable
you can have informal meetings with college staff before starting your course in September

This is what students have said about the transition support at Halesowen College:

“It helped me to get to know what I would be doing on the course.” Molly Harvey, Professional Development & Employment.

“It got me used to the college setting. If this hadn’t have happened I wouldn’t have really like it here. I wouldn’t have known the layout of the college for much longer than I did by coming in for transition.” Alex Biden, Animal Care Level 2.

Key Worker

If you have and EHCP you will be allocated a Key Worker from the Learning Support Team. Your Key Worker will:

Be an advocate for you if needed
Liaise with you and your parents / guardian about your support
Create an individual support plan just for you so that all staff know how to support you in lessons
Complete a review with you three times during the year to find out how you are getting on, review your support needs and see how you are doing against your targets
Discuss any changes to support needed

Authority Local Offer Information

Dudley

What Ofsted said about support for learners with SEND and high needs during inspection, September 2023:

Learners with high needs complete self-assessment to identify the skills they need to develop during their time at college. They review their skills, such a communication, resilience, confidence and independence. Learners improve their self-confidence and cope better with anxiety.

Learners with additional learning support needs, including those with high needs, receive the support they need to make similar progress to their peers. Teachers work well with learning support staff. They work closely to enusre that support assistants undertstand the curriculum and what each of the learners they are supporting are studying.