Policy on students with special needs
Introduction
Admissions
Special Needs Contact (SNC)
Learning Contracts
Programme demands documents
Limitations in accommodating special needs
External Funding
Cost of updating assessment of needs
Staff training
Feedback
Confidentiality
Introduction
The College aims to provide high quality training for all who seek access to its courses. In accordance with its policy on equal opportunities, the College is committed to facilitating access to students who have special needs by reasons of disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 (as amended) or other illness or condition.
The DDA is designed to ensure that disabled students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to their non-disabled peers. It is unlawful to treat a disabled person less favourably because of their disability or for a reason relating to their disability.
The College takes seriously its obligation to provide an equitable environment for all its students. The College is also constrained by its professional obligation to provide vocational training such that students successfully completing its courses must meet the appropriate standards required by the relevant professional bodies and the learning outcomes of the courses.
The College aims to avoid the creation of unnecessary barriers for disabled people by making anticipatory adjustments to its provisions. This is achieved by building flexibility into the processes of course design and the management and scheduling of assessments, as far as is consistent with the maintenance of standards. The goal is to increase accessibility for all.
To this end, the College can offer special arrangements for both teaching and assessments, examples of which can be discussed with your Special Needs Contact (SNC).
This policy is maintained by the College Registry, under the guidance of the Academic Registrar who chairs the Special Needs Group. This Group is comprised of all SNCs as well as representatives of relevant service departments. The Group assures consistency in practice, identifies issues, discusses future activity and policy development and shares know-how.
SNCs report to the relevant Centre Executive Board and to the Special Needs Group.
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Admissions
Selection for the College’s Graduate Diploma in Law, Legal Practice Course and Bar Vocational Course is made in accordance with published criteria, which focus on academic achievement, without reference to disability. All offers made on this basis are conditional upon agreement being reached between the College and you on any special adjustments required on your course. This ensures that an early identification of needs can take place and both parties can be assured that all required reasonable adjustments can be made by the College in keeping with its professional obligations.
On the settlement of the Learning Contract (see section 3), the offer of a College place becomes unconditional.
The College endeavours to provide clear and accurate information about the physical environment at each of the College Centres and the facilities that the College can provide to support you.
The application forms and acceptance of offer forms for all College courses invite prospective students to disclose information about disabilities, health conditions, mental health conditions or specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia). The application form asks you to enter the appropriate code number from a list which is set out in the Guidance Notes supplied with the form. You are then invited to expand on the nature of your disability and any needs you may have in relation to your studies or the facilities available. If you do not inform us of this, we may not be able to support you effectively or provide you with the services outlined in this policy. You are therefore asked to inform us as soon as possible and, ideally, when you first apply to register with us.
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Special Needs Contact (SNC)
The SNC at each Centre acts as the co-ordinator for students with specific requirements.
In this capacity, they will:
- Agree with you any special arrangements required (see below, under “Learning Contract”);
- Ensure that these arrangements are put in place by the Centre Student Services administration team, teaching staff and relevant service departments as appropriate;
- Provide information on grant applications for financial assistance;
- In conjunction with your Personal Tutor, provide pastoral support and guidance during the year, including monitoring the effectiveness of special arrangements agreed with you. The role of the SNC supplements existing pastoral support mechanisms and does not negate the responsibility of other members of staff for ensuring that your needs are catered for.
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Learning Contracts
The Learning Contract, signed by both you and the College, records your disability or condition, together with the learning support to be provided by the College on an ongoing basis along with any special arrangements for assessments.
When you have indicated a special need at the application stage, the SNC will approach you to discuss your specific needs. This can usually be done by phone but, in some circumstances, may require a personal appointment. Discussions are intended to acquaint you with the physical environment of the relevant Centre, to explain in detail the teaching and learning model of the course and to discuss the extent of possible adjustments to the usual mode of delivery and assessment of the course.
It is very much in your best interests, particularly in the case of unusual or substantial special needs, to respond to such contact at the earliest opportunity. If you fail to respond, or if for whatever reason you disclose special needs at a later stage and embark on your course in the expectation that any request for particular arrangements will be met, you do so at your own risk. However, the SNC will endeavour to make any reasonable adjustment requested irrespective of the timing of disclosure.
Requests for special arrangements for course assessments must be supported by appropriate evidence. Evidence may include diagnostic reports and / or an assessment of your study needs in relation to the relevant College course. To assist the external practitioner assessing such needs, the College may provide guidance on the information required.
Please be aware that we do not have any staff within the College qualified to diagnose disability or assess needs. Furthermore, we do not have any staff qualified to give one-to-one learning support even if this is recommended. There are many suitably qualified practitioners with whom you can arrange an appointment convenient to your timetable. Please speak to your SNC for further details.
The arrangements made in Learning Contracts, whether they relate to tuition or assessment, may be reviewed either at your request or in circumstances where your process warrants review.
If you declare a disability but also indicate that you have no special requirements, you will be asked to confirm this in writing. If this situation changes, it may be possible to put the necessary arrangements in place, provided adequate notice is given.
If you have any condition that may need emergency first aid or medical attention, please ensure that you inform us. Key members of staff need to be aware of this so that appropriate procedures can be put into place.
Special arrangements for assessments may require approval by an External Examiner nominated by the relevant Board of Examiners, where appropriate.
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Programme Demands documents
The College has a suite of documents which explain the nature of the demands made by each course These documents give an overview of the structure of each course and the study skills required for successful completion.
Whichever programme of study that you have chosen you should pay close attention to:
- The amount of reading/self study required;
- The teaching methodology used in the workshop sessions;
- The number of examinations and whether they are open or closed book;
- Whether there are any oral assessments;
- Whether there are skills assessments such as drafting, writing or researching.
Please bear in mind that due to the distinctive nature of our courses, the level of support received during your undergraduate studies or elsewhere may no longer be appropriate..
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Limitations in accommodating special needs
Exceptional cases could arise in the following circumstances
- The College is not able to meet a request as a “reasonable adjustment” to its provision;
- The request for adjustment to the assessment regime compromises the learning outcomes of the relevant course and/or the requirements of professional bodies;
- The costs exceed levels the College can reasonably bear. SNCs are authorised to incur expenses up to the full amount of the course fee for each individual student. Beyond that, the College will consider requests on a case-by-case basis.
No specific charges are made for any particular facilities provided by the College for students with disabilities/special needs eg use of special equipment or the use of additional staff employed.
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External funding
If you require equipment for your own use, you may be able to get funding to pay for it by applying for the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA). This allowance, which is not means tested, may also pay for helpers and any one-to-one learning support you may need.
You should apply to your local authority as soon as possible as the process can take some time to complete. It is advisable to have your funding agreed and in place prior to induction onto the course.
Details can be found at the DfES website.
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Cost of updating assessment of needs
Where the College requires a reassessment of your needs, the costs may be recoverable from the Local Education Authority where you have made a successful application for the DSA. However, the DSA does not meet the cost of diagnostic assessments.
Where the College requires a diagnostic assessment of your needs, or an updated evaluation, in respect of dyslexia or related condition, it will meet the cost of that assessment to a maximum amount of £200. This is conditional on your having accepted a place on the relevant course and having paid the appropriate deposit.
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Staff Training
Relevant members of College staff are introduced to the College’s procedures and practice in relation to students with disabilities or special needs as part of their induction training.
Key staff receive specialist training and are encouraged to keep their knowledge current through refresher courses.
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Feedback
In addition to ongoing informal feedback throughout the year, in the final term of studies course evaluation questionnaires enable the responses of students with special needs to be evaluated. Any points raised will be fed back to the relevant member of staff.
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Confidentiality
All personal information disclosed by your in your application or registration forms will be treated as confidential to the College. Information disclosed on application becomes part of the electronic student record. Effective support and sometimes health and safety issues will necessitate disclosure of special arrangements to a number of departments including, but not restricted to, Student Services, IT support, Library, Print Supervisor, Timetabler, Careers Advisor, Assessments, Registry.
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