NLAECL Adult Learning SEND and Inclusive Learning Support Policy and Procedure

Introduction

Background

This policy supplements the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and has been formulated to emphasise North Lincolnshire Adult Education and Community Learning’s (henceforth referred to as AECL) commitment to making learning accessible to all in line with current Equality and Diversity legislation.

AECL is committed to the early assessment of individual learners’ and apprentices’ needs in order to provide reasonable adjustments and promote non-discriminatory practices across the service.  This includes ensuring the availability of a range of services, support, and auxiliary aids to meet the needs of learners/apprentices, and potential learners/apprentices, who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities that may affect their ability to access provision.

AECL is committed to supporting learners and apprentices to enable them to succeed on their programme of study and to play a full part in their community.

Purpose / Aim

This policy places the individual needs of adult learners and apprentices at the heart of our approach, ensuring that teaching and support are both responsive and inclusive.

The overall aim of this policy is to ensure that AECL is an inclusive learning environment where learning, achievement and progression are accessible to everyone.   Additional Learning Support will encourage access and progression based on the individual needs of all learners and apprentices including, where appropriate, the inclusion and support of learners and apprentices with a variety of disabilities and special requirements.

The policy is written for and available to all AECL staff and reviewed annually by the Senior Management Team.  

This policy supports the aims, objectives and priorities outlined in the AECL Accountability Statement. The outcome of the policy will enable learners and apprentices to be successful and achieve to their full potential, resulting in providing all learners and apprentices with a positive AECL experience.

All AECL stakeholders are responsible for implementing this policy and the accountability and monitoring of the achievement of the aims of this policy lie with Learner Support Services Officer in conjunction with all members of AECL Management Team.

Definitions

AECL uses the full range of definitions of disability; the Equality Act 2010, the Learning and Skills Act 2000, the Education Act 2011 and the SEND Code of Practice for 0–25 year olds. 
The range of special educational needs and disabilities includes the following categories:

• Physical difficulties
• Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
• Learning difficulties, including Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia
• Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
• Neurodivergences
• Mental Illness
• Hearing and visual impairment
• Severe disfigurements
• Progressive conditions that are expected to become substantial

Learners and apprentices may also have a range of other individual needs, for example:

• Temporary disadvantage, such as a bereavement
• Those who are known (or previously known) to social care
• Those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, for example those without Level 2 English and/or maths

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

This policy works in conjunction with AECL’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

Diversity

AECL has a range of curriculum provision covering ability levels from non-vocational pre- Entry to Level 2 education for learners and Level 2 / 3 apprenticeships. AECL learners and apprentices encompass a wide range of age groups, modes of attendance, learning needs, ability and motivation.

AECL thrives on the diversity of its learners and apprentices, and recognises the valuable and enriching contribution that people from a variety of backgrounds and experience bring to the life of AECL.  It is committed to maintaining breadth in the curriculum and providing individual and personalised support to every learner, through its entry systems, course provision and learner/apprentice support structure, during the learning journey.

AECL learners and apprentices have access to high quality additional learning and pastoral support.  The policy is flexible and dynamic enough to take account of the diversity of learners and apprentices who learn at AECL.

Recognising the diversity of our current and future cohort of learners/apprentices and being responsive to their needs is key to improving the quality of additional learning and pastoral support.

Equality

AECL has a strong commitment to equality of opportunity as laid down in its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. 

AECL promotes equality of opportunity to all staff and learners/apprentices in accordance with current legislation such as the Equality Act 2010.

Inclusive Learning

AECL is committed to the principles of inclusive learning. It supports the view that good teaching is found where tutors understand and respond to the individual requirements of the learners and apprentices. It will use the individual learners or apprentice as the starting point for its delivery of additional support.

Through an understanding of how people learn, staff will endeavour to match the learner/apprentice aptitudes and learning styles, with the curriculum and its delivery in an appropriate, supportive learning environment.

Inclusive Support Framework

The framework follows a graduated approach:

Class Support:

Tutors take an active role in initial planning and are supported in taking responsibility for learners and apprentices who may require extra support, fostering a culture of shared responsibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Tutors are encouraged to embrace inclusive teaching practices that meet the needs of all learners and apprentices by using a variety of methods and materials. The focus is on delivering high-quality, first-wave teaching that sets every learner and apprentice up for success. Group profiles are differentiated to ensure planning is responsive and tailored, especially for learners and apprentices with additional needs.

Specialist Support:

The Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) are thoughtfully allocated to learners with more specific or complex needs, ensuring tailored support such as 1:1, 1:2, class-based assistance, exam access arrangements (JCQ compliant), and out-of-class support. These allocations are coordinated by the Learner Support Services Officer, who works closely with the Community Learning Manager, Qualifications and Curriculum Manager and Curriculum Leaders (CLs) to review class enrolments and identify learners with additional needs before confirming support (see Appendix 1). This collaborative process ensures that learners and apprentices receive the right support at the right time, fostering an inclusive and empowering learning environment for all.

Targeted Adjustments:

We are committed to making reasonable accommodations for learners with specific inclusion needs, ensuring that every individual feels safe, supported, and able to thrive.

Recommendations from Learning Support records, Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs), risk assessments and venue-specific considerations are carefully integrated into the planning process to ensure every learner or apprentices’ needs are met. Tutors take the lead in inclusive planning of teaching and actively engage with the Community Learning Manager, Qualifications and Curriculum Manager, Curriculum Leaders (CLs) and LSAs where they have been allocated.

This collaborative approach is further supported by the Learner Support Services Officer, ensuring that learners receive consistent, well-coordinated support that promotes safety, accessibility, and meaningful participation in learning.

This joined-up approach ensures that support is targeted, proactive, personalised, and embedded into the learning experience from the outset.

Policy Statement

AECL is committed to developing inclusive learning approaches and providing additional learning support to secure learning success for all.

For AECL to be a fully inclusive learning environment there is a need to recognise disability and disadvantage, and its impact on the way the people learn. Inclusive learning is based on providing the best match or fit between learners’ and apprentices’ needs and the learning opportunities provided.

It is recognised that some learners and apprentices may require additional support including individual reasonable adjustments in order to fully access the provision and assessment opportunities.

Scope

Learner / Apprentice Entitlements

All learners and apprentices are entitled to study and progress in a mutually respectful and inclusive environment consisting of, but not exclusively:

• A warm and nurturing welcome
• Fairness to all
• Equality of opportunity for learning and training.
• Full access, wherever possible, to the range of AECL facilities and services
• Effective and responsive learner voice
• Additional support in maths and English and study skills where appropriate
• Assessment for exam access arrangements
• Special arrangements for exams
• Specialist software / equipment as appropriate
• Targeted learning support
• Specialist ASC support

Staff should:

• Plan the curriculum to consider learner/apprentice needs and where possible ensure flexibility within the course.
• Review teaching and assessment methods and practices to ensure that provision is accessible and that reasonable adjustments are built-in to anticipate likely support needs.
• Ensure that learner/apprentice recruitment, assessment and examination/end point assessment access arrangements are flexible to the needs of all learners/apprentices and anticipate the need for any reasonable adjustments.
• Encourage learners and apprentices to disclose a disability or learning difficulty where it would enable additional adjustments, exam/ assessment arrangements or for auxiliary aids to be put in place whilst maintaining confidentiality to the level requested by the learner or apprentice, wherever possible.
• Ensure that the learners and apprentices complete a robust initial assessment at or prior to the beginning of their course.  The results will help identify support needs and decide whether the provision of additional learning support would be of benefit to the learner or apprentice.
• Maintain robust working links with other support staff to maximise inclusive practice through differentiation and effective communication.
• Monitor and review (making appropriate adjustments) the accessibility to AECL services such as Information, Advice and Careers Guidance, learner/apprentice support, learning resources and transport etc.
• Complete Learning Support documentation in a timely manner to monitor the impact that additional learning support is having on the learner’s or apprentice’s learning journey.

AECL leaders and managers will ensure that:

• All staff receive training on their responsibilities under the requirements of current AECL’s Adult Learning SEND and Inclusive Learning Support Policy and Procedure. 
• Sufficient resources are available to fund the anticipated reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of the learners or apprentices who have a disability and to respond to individual cases.
• Effective systems and procedures are in place for the promotion, referral, identification, and provision of additional learning support, including learning agreements, review of need and effectiveness of the service.

Financial resources

• AECL recognises the challenge of enhancing the quality of additional learning support across AECL and is committed to adopting a learner/apprentice-led resources allocation model within the budget available.
• The criteria for learning support and/or learner support funding to meet the additional needs of learners can be found in the current Adult Skills Funding Rules publication.
• The criteria for learning support and/or learner support funding to meet the additional needs of apprentices can be found in the current Apprenticeship Funding Rules publication.
• For learners/apprentices without additional funding, AECL will make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of the learner/apprentice.

Related Policies and Learner Entitlement

• Attendance and Punctuality Policy
• Complaints Policy
• Data Protection Policy
• Learner/Apprentice Teaching and Learning Contract
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
• Safeguarding Policy

Review of Policy

• The AECL self-assessment report process will provide evidence in areas for improvement required in the delivery of additional learning support. This ensures AECL’s strategic aims are implemented at an area level through the accountability statement and curriculum intent. 
• Data will be reviewed relating to the retention and achievement of learners/apprentices who have a learning difficulty and /or disability.
• Positive learner/apprentice voice feedback will be sought from learners or apprentices who have a learning difficulty, a disability or who need additional learning support.
• Quality assurance is maintained through LSA records, learning walks, learner/apprentice progress tracking (course progression, exam success, attendance and reenrolments) and feedback.
• Regular reviews and learner voice surveys to inform continuous improvement as an ongoing piece of work throughout the year.
• IAG is captured and evidenced through the LSA, ILPs and additional learning support records.
• Learning walks capture areas of strength and development for LSAs and tutors via the Quality Team.

Continuous Improvement

• Staff and learner/apprentice voices are central to shaping future developments. Feedback, data, and evidence of learner/apprentice progress, especially where support has been applied, are actively gathered and used to inform senior leadership decisions.
• We celebrate and share best practices across the service, ensuring that our everyday work is driven by quality and continuous improvement. This strategy encourages growth within the Learning Support function, fostering autonomy to respond to both service and learner/apprentice needs.
• Above all, it champions inclusion, ensuring that every adult learner or apprentice feels supported and empowered to succeed.

Appendix 1: Additional Learning Support Process

Appendix 2: Exam Concessions (Exam Access Arrangements)