HE Additional Learner Support Policy

1. Policy statement

• 1.1. Additional Learning Support is a service that is provided to help students who have disclosed a disability, learning difficulty or medical condition, whilst they are studying at British Academy of Jewellery. We aim to remove any potential barriers to learning to ensure that students develop their personal skills and confidence and (where possible) become independent in learning and achievement of their learning goals, personal goals, and employment ambitions. This policy outlines the reasonable steps that BAJ will take to support students with additional learning needs.

2. Purpose

• 2.1. To ensure compliance with statutory duties approved under the Equality Act 2010 to identify, assess, and provide support for students with a disability, health condition or additional learning needs.
• 2.2. To work in partnership with local authorities (DSA and Student Finance England) and other agencies to contribute to multi-commissioning and working.
• 2.3. To complete student-centred annual reviews for students with additional support documentation (e.g. Statement of Reasonable Adjustments, Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP).
• 2.4. To ensure that any student with additional support needs will not meet barriers to learning.
• 2.5. To ensure the right support is provided and reasonable adjustments are maintained with regard to securing suitable provision.
• 2.6. To support an inclusive approach to learning and teaching which is embedded in all subject areas and all levels.
• 2.7. To ensure all applicants have an opportunity before or at entry and at subsequent points, to declare whether they have a learning need, a disability or a medical condition which will affect their learning.
• 2.8. To ensure that students with additional support needs are communicated to the Assessments Team to ensure that any differentiation is proportionate to their SoRA.
• 2.9. To continually monitor the progress of all students, in order to identify needs as they arise and provide support in a timely manner.
• 2.10. To ensure that students with additional support needs are perceived positively by all members of the BAJ community, inclusive provision is positively valued and supported by staff and relevant stakeholders.
• 2.11. To work with the students in planning and any decision-making that affects them.
• 2.12. To clearly advertise the support available to students with additional support needs, providing clear descriptions of the support and services available at BAJ for students with special educational needs.
• 2.13. To develop student’s independence to enable them to be prepared to meet their future goals.
• 2.14. To promote additional study programmes to students so they have the skills needed to achieve positive outcomes and gain employment.
• 2.15. This policy outlines the responsibilities and processes for staff to follow when processing disclosures from applicants and students requesting additional learning support (ALS).
• 2.16. The purpose is to have a clear policy that will:
  • (a) Apply a uniformity and consistency of treatment across BAJ.
  • (b) Provide clear guidance on the process to be followed when a student requests additional learning support.

3. Scope

• 3.1.  This policy applies to all staff who are responsible for the collection, storage, processing of student data and for providing advice to students. It applies to students enrolled on BAJ awarded programmes. This policy applies to all Higher Education provision offered by the British Academy of Jewellery. This also applies to any sub-contractual provision.

4. Related documents

• 4.1. This policy is based on the expectations contained within Chapter B2 of the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, published by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). It complies with the awarding body and validating partner’s admission procedures.

baj.ac.uk/policies-procedures/

• HE Recruitment and Admissions Policy 
• HE Fitness to Practice Policy
• HE Student Disciplinary Policy and Code of Conduct 
• HE Student Charter
• Terms and Conditions of Admissions and Enrolment
• Tutor Evidence Form
• Decline of Support Form

5. Responsibilities

• 5.1. The Principal has overall responsibility for the policy but has delegated day-to-day responsibility for overseeing its implementation to the staff identified. All relevant members of staff have been made aware of the procedure and have received appropriate training.
• 5.2. Disability and Equal Opportunities are monitored by the Admissions and Widening Access Committee (TBC) who regularly sample data on Access, Success, and Progression for students from characteristic backgrounds. The data is then presented as part of BAJs Access and Participation Plan and where issues are highlighted these are added to the APP Action Plan and investment is made.
• 5.3. BAJ Student Services is responsible for tracking additional Learning support and health and safety risk assessment requests concerning applicants/students. They are also responsible for referring these requests to the appropriate team.
• 5.4. An assessment of the student’s additional learning support is carried out by the Student Support and Welfare officer, in consultation with the student, and where appropriate the relevant course staff.
• 5.5. Where onsite/activity related to the programme of study clearly identifies risks to a student, the Director of Estates and Health & Safety is responsible for ensuring a risk assessment is carried out.

6. Risk Analysis

• 6.1. This policy is required to ensure that students with additional learning needs are fairly supported by the institution as bound by UK legislation. This policy is dependent on student communication and evidence.

Analyse risks of non-adherence to this policy.

• 6.2. Failure to adhere to this policy could lead to academic failure of students, complaints and in extreme cases, legal action regarding the Equality Act 2010.

Staff training needed

• 6.3. All staff involved in teaching, enrolling, supporting students, and offering Information advice and guidance are required to undertake annual training delivered by the HE Student Support and Welfare officer to outline the support that is available and the process by which students can be referred for support.

7. Data Protection

• 7.1. BAJ complies with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation Data Protection Act, 2018. As such, applicants’ and student data are treated as confidential by all staff involved in this process and is not divulged unnecessarily or inappropriately. However, the Act requires BAJ to release certain information to UK authorities upon request in order to assist those authorities with the prevention and detection of fraud or other crimes. We will release the requested information on receipt of an appropriate request from UK authorities such as (but not limited to) the police, Home Office (for immigration and related matters), local authorities, and the Department for Work and Pensions. We may use anonymised data collected as part of an individual’s application and enrolment for the purpose of fulfilling statistical and reporting requirements.
• 7.2. BAJ will collect data on student course transfers, and use the data:
  • internally for reporting, evaluation, learning and training; and
  • externally for discussion with regulators in the higher education sector.
• 7.3. The data used by BAJ for the purposes set out above will be anonymised. Personal data and sensitive personal/special categories of data (‘Personal Data’) as defined by the Data Protection Act 1998 (the “DPA”) or the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR) as relevant may be disclosed to BAJ members of staff and regulators only for those purposes. Personal Data will not be shared with any other third parties unless BAJ has the student’s express consent, has a statutory obligation to do so, or is otherwise permitted to do so under the DPA/GDPR.

8. Procedure

Additional support available

• 8.1. Students can benefit from:
  • In class, small groups or 1:1 support.
  • Loan of specialist assistive equipment/software to support independent learning.
  • Resource adaptations.
  • Reasonable adjustments, bespoke study programmes and transition arrangements.
  • Specialist support and personal care (including help at mealtimes) for students with disabilities.
  • Sensory support for students with hearing or sight impairment.
  • Specialist support for students with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia.
  • Support for students living with medical conditions, emotional or behavioural difficulties, and autistic spectrum disorders or Asperger’s syndrome.
  • Mobility support.
  • Special arrangements for exams and assessments.
  • A statement of reasonable adjustment – SoRA (Appendix A) where DSA will not cover the costs of support.

9. Identification

• 9.1. It is the student’s responsibility to declare any special educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions which may affect their learning, this can be done through the following methods:
• 9.2. Before enrolment:
  • The BAJ application form allows applicants to declare additional learning needs; applicants are advised that they must contact the Student Support and Welfare officer to discuss ALS needs prior to application or on receipt of an offer letter from BAJ. As part of the offer pack, students are sent details about additional learning support.
• 9.3. On programme:
  • Students are requested to complete an ALS Disclosure form upon enrolment if they have not completed previously. This is sent by the student directly to BAJ Student Services. The details of the disclosure are not seen by Admissions or enrolment staff.
  • Students can self-refer by completing an ALS Disclosure form.
  • Identification from tutors where it is identified a student is having difficulties that may be because of additional support needed.
• 9.4. Students have the right to decline the additional support available. In these instances, they should complete a Decline of Support form and return it to the Student Support and Welfare officer. Students can request to have this reviewed at any point in their study directly with the Student Support and Welfare officer; although student expectations should be managed about the timeframes involved in getting additional support in place.

10. Response to disclosure at application or enrolment

• 10.1. Admissions staff indicate on the Student Record System if an applicant has declared that they have a support need on an application form. Applicants do not provide any details. If at the interview stage an applicant declares that they have a support need this is reported back to the Admissions Team and recorded on the Student Record System. Note that no specific details are provided by the applicant or seen by Admissions staff. The applicant is asked if they have a disability, a medical condition, or a learning difficulty. No detail is requested at or seen by admissions or enrollment staff. Only a box is ticked on the Student Record System to indicate if a student has requested a referral.
• 10.2. The Student Support and Welfare officer runs a report from the Student Record System which lists applicant names and contact details who have indicated that they have an ALS need. Student Support sends out correspondence asking the applicant to complete an ALS Disclosure form and return it directly to the Student Support and Welfare officer for processing.
• 10.3. The BAJ Student Support and Welfare officer has access to a protected section on the student’s record held on the Student Record System. The details on the completed disclosure form and any actions as a result are entered into the Student Record System. Only they can view this information.
• 10.4. The Student Support and Welfare officer will be accessible during the enrollment period to discuss ALS needs with new students. Should a student require a full appointment, the Student Support and Welfare officer will arrange for an appointment to discuss matters.

11. Response to disclosure on programme

• 11.1. Tutors can refer students to Student Support where it is identified a student is having difficulties that may be because of additional learning needs. In these instances, tutors must complete a Tutor Evidence form and send it to the Student Support and Welfare officer for processing.
• 11.2. The Student Support and Welfare officer works closely with the Management Information Systems team to update the records of students who declare a disability after an enrolment period to ensure that their profiles accurately reflect their disclosure.

12. Restrictions

• 12.1. It is expected that students requesting additional learning support from BAJ apply for the Disabled Student Allowance. Students must send evidence of their DSA confirmation to the Student Support and Welfare officer before a referral can take place unless the student needs diagnostic testing as part of the DSA evidence base.
• 12.2. Instances where students are not in receipt of DSA should be referred to the Student Support and Welfare officer via Student Services and a Statement of Reasonable Adjustment (SoRA) is completed.

13. Medical conditions and disabilities

• 13.1 Risk assessments are not usually required in the case of minor conditions which are well controlled. If the specialist Staff needs to obtain further information from an individual’s Doctor or other health professional, the individual will be notified and permission requested, as set out in BAJ’s Fitness to Study Policy. In all cases of a medical/first aid incident, arrangements for first aid will apply.

N.B. The safe storage of medication will be considered in line with the Storage and Safe Administration of Student Medicines Policy. The onus is on the individual with the medical condition to disclose information and, if there is a change, to ensure that the appropriate staff are made aware.

14. Referrals

• 14.1. Student Support should refer students with undiagnosed educational needs or with DSA restrictions to the ALS team for assessing or diagnostic testing.
• 14.2. The Student Support and Welfare officer should refer students with medical conditions to  a  Disabled Student Allowance Quality Assurance Group, or a suitable assessment centre. (Find a Disabled Students’ Allowance assessment centre – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))The  team will provide the student and Student Support with a Needs Assessment Report (NAR).

15. Statement of Reasonable Adjustment

• 15.1. A Statement of Reasonable Adjustment (SoRA) details the specific support plan that will be put in place at BAJ based on the outcomes of the NAR.
• 15.2. Upon receipt of DSA confirmation and a NAR, the Student Support and Welfare officer must invite the student for a Statement of Reasonable Adjustment (SoRA) meeting.
• 15.3. All SoRAs are signed off by the Student Support and Welfare officer and the student.
• 15.4. The Student Support and Welfare officer will circulate the SoRA to the following staff:
  • Head of Academy Higher Education
  • Personal Tutor
  • Course Manager
  • HE Recruitment Advisor
  • Examination and Assessment Officers
  • Library Managers
• 15.5. It is the responsibility of Course Leaders to share this SoRA with the student’s specific Module Tutors to ensure the correct support is in place for the student.

16. Risk Assessments and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP)

• 16.1. Students who have declared a medical condition and/or a disability must be referred to the Director of Estates and Health & Safety for risk assessment. These students are also invited to complete a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans – PEEP (Appendix E) with Student Support.
• 16.2. Risk Assessments and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP) are stored in the reception area of BAJ.
• 16.3. The Student Support and Welfare officer will circulate Risk Assessments and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP) to the following staff:
  • Head of Academy Higher Education
  • Personal Tutor
  • Course Manager
  • Student Services Administrator
  • HE Recruitment Advisor
  • Head of Operations
  • Library Managers

17. Recording ALS Paperwork

• 17.1. ALS Disclosure forms, Decline of Support forms, Tutor Evidence forms, DSA confirmation, supporting evidence, NARs, SoRAs are retained by the Student Support and Welfare officer and held confidentially and securely in individual student files on the MIS Student Records System in accordance with the published Data Retention Schedule.
• 17.2. Student Services will also record any engagement with the student linked to their additional learning support in individual student files on the MIS Student Records System. The record of the reason for the request does not include specific details. The record is kept confidential to the Student Support and Welfare officer and is only used to track specific student’s claims.

18. Review of Support

• 18.1. The effectiveness of the support and its impact on student progress must be reviewed annually by the Student Support and Welfare officer and an appropriate member of staff (typically the Course Manager), with the student. This may lead to refinements in the type and level of support they receive.
• 18.2. Risk Assessments are reviewed annually by the Director of Estates and Health & Safety.