support

Range of Support Available for Learners Within a Specific Context (Financial, Learning, Counselling)

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Last Updated on 19/06/2022 by James Barron

Within most teaching establishments there is a wide variety of support available for learners, every learner has a designated tutor, this will be the first person a student should talk to as their tutor will be able to refer them to the correct location. Alternatively, students can go directly to the appropriate person/department with their query if they know who this is. Student funding are the best department to speak to for any finance related queries, such as questions regarding course fees, student finance, student loans and bursaries. Student services are also able to assist with some financial matters, such as providing food vouchers and bus passes. The employability team will provide support for learners by providing work experience opportunities, mock interviews, careers advice, UCAS application advice and, as they have built links with employers, have an excellent knowledge base into what employers want from applicants. Student welfare and participation will provide an excellent resource in the form of counselling and off the record referrals, CAMHs (Child and Adolescent Mental Health services) referrals, safeguarding related services, such as being available for staff to answer safeguarding related questions and queries and referring to the Police and Child Protection services. Other roles within student welfare are the Student Union that provides various events and fund raising throughout the year, the Chaplin and nurse, along with First Aiders. The Chaplin can provide general and spiritual advice and guidance; the nurse can carry out health assessments for minor issues and is contactable via phone and email in order to provide health education, advice, and signposting to other sources of information.

The Inclusion department are available to provide additional support to students who have specific needs, such as those requiring a facilitator in class or a reader / scribe within exams. The Inclusion department work extensively with students who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), this documents the special educational needs a child has and the provision a local authority must put in place to help them. Further information relating to students will be obtained from the application form students complete when enrolling and by the Inclusion team contacting the student’s previous schools.

Author Profile

James Barron
My first experience of teaching was in 2016, when I was asked to
deliver a talk to a group of 16-year-olds on what it was like to start
your own business. I immediately knew I wanted to become more
involved in teaching but I didn’t know where to start as I had not
previously considered a career in education. A few weeks later I
agreed to teach a class of Chinese students from the Shanghai
Technical Institute of Electronics and Information, who had travelled
to the UK to learn English and Software Engineering, after that I was
hooked. Within the next few years, I taught hundreds of students of
many different nationalities, aged from 16 to 60, and from
levels 2 to 6. I focused my time teaching with Bath University and
Bath College for several more years until I felt a change was in order.
For the last few years, I have taught remotely with several private
training organisations, provided dedicated one to one coaching
sessions, provided consultancy on teaching and assessment practices
and written about my experiences as a teacher. I plan to continue
with my current activities for the foreseeable future but I’m always
open to new teaching experiences.

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