Control of the document: Adult Community Learning Senior Leadership Team

Policy Aims & Intention

This document shows the commitment of Adult Community Learning Service to promote and encourage and provide learning support for learners with a disclosed need across all areas of Teaching, Learning and Assessment.

Responsibility Group: Learning Support Team

Date of acceptance: May 2008

Last Review Date: August 2023                                                           

Next Review Date: August 2024

Audience: All Managers, academic and support staff, volunteers, Learners, and other service users.

The Policy

The following acts provide a statutory framework defining unlawful direct and indirect discrimination, and places on institutions a duty to promote equality and diversity:

• Disability Discrimination Act (1995),
• Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) (2005)

• Equality Act 2010
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Mental Health Act 1983 (Summary version 2007)
• Protection from Harassment Act (1997)
• Race Relations Act (1976)
• Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000)
• Race Relations (Amendment) Regulations (2003)
• Sex Discrimination Act (1975),
• Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations (2003)
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001),

The aim of this policy is to ensure provision of appropriate support and resources through Additional Learning Support which includes, provision for communication support, learning support assistants (LSA’s), assistive resources and other resources as appropriate, within financial capability,

The Service is committed to equal access to the curriculum for all adult learners irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation or social and economic circumstances.

In taking positive action to promote diversity and equality and to combat discriminatory practices, the Service will endeavour to provide the following:

Method of Implementation

The publicity and recruitment policies of the Adult Community Learning Service should be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that:

• Course publicity on the website highlights the Service policy and procedures relating to all aspects of Learning Support, i.e., Additional Learning Support and Discretionary Learner Support, Community Learning Bursary Funding and 19 + Advanced Loan Bursary Fund.

• All staff providing additional learning support are appropriately trained and keep up-to-date with developing support methodologies.
• Existing facilities are kept under review in order that those members of the community with physical, mental health and learning difficulties and/or disabilities will have full access to all areas of Adult Community Learning life
• The nature and extent of provision is continuously reviewed, together with accessibility and use of resources, whether in the form of materials, assistive resources, people and venues.
• The learning support team will work closely with Exams teams, tutors and other appropriate managers to ensure learner retention, achievement and success is maximised.

  Review of Course Recruitment Patterns

The Service should undertake to:

• Collect and regularly review data relating to fee remission, recruitment of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, take up of Discretionary Learner support funds, Community Learning Bursary funds and 19+ Advanced Loan Bursary Fund, allocation of additional learning support funding.

Monitoring and Evaluating the Policy

• Complaints records
• Learner Feedback
• Learner retention data
• Observation of Teaching and Learning and appropriate action planning
• Observations of LS staff

Related ACL Policies:

• Safeguarding and Prevent Policy
• Equality and Diversity
• Positive Behaviours Policy
• Fitness to Learn
• Harassment and Bullying
• Health and Safety
• Learner Attendance
• Staff Development,
• Teaching and Learning