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Additional Learning Support
Introduction
We appreciate and value the contribution that individuals with learning difficulties and/or disabilities bring to the college.
We are committed to:
- Making students with additional support needs feel valued, respected and supported.
- Creating an inclusive environment where students participate fully in college life.
- Ensuring students are treated on the basis of their merits, ability and potential.
- Helping students enjoy being included in every aspect of student life.
- Providing high quality support.
Contacting us about a special educational need or disability
If you have a special educational need or disability, please discuss this with us as early as possible. We have a team at each of our main campuses where you can discuss your needs.
Please contact us for more information and a member of our team will help you.
How we can help
We are a large team of dedicated staff experienced in supporting learners with a wide range of needs.
If you have a disability or learning difficulty we are here to help you find the appropriate support.
SEND Inclusion Statement
For more information and details about how we can help you, please view our SEND Inclusion Statement:
We offer various types of support including:
- Physical support
- Support for a hearing or visual impairment
- Assistive technology loans
- Workshops
- Clubs
- Support in the classroom
- Online/remote support
Discuss your support needs
We understand that joining college can be an anxious time and it is important that we understand how we can support you.
If you haven’t already told us about your support needs at application or enrolment, please share this information with us so we can discuss your needs.
Did you have support in exams at school?
If you had support in exams at school, it is important we know this and that you provide us with your previous evidence. For example, this might be your school assessment or a medical letter.
Complete our questionnaire
You will have been sent a message following your application to fill out an ALS support questionnaire. You can fill the questionnaire out by logging into your application.
We will:
- Treat the information you give us with care and with your consent.
- Share the information with your tutors and support staff, so they know how to support you in and out of the classroom.
Need help completing the questionnaire?
If you need any help filling out the ALS support questionnaire, please contact us for more information and a member of our team will help you.
Exam access arrangements
If you received access arrangements in your exams or assessments at school or most recent educational placement, it is important you tell us.
Important
If you have not already given us your evidence, for example this might be your school assessment or a medical letter, it is important you provide us with this urgently.
Examples of access arrangements include the use of:
- A reader
- A scribe
- A prompt
- Separate accommodation
- Additional time
How to send your evidence
There are two options for sending evidence; by email or by post:
Email your evidence to us at:
AdditionalLearningSupport@southessex.ac.uk
Alternatively you can email your evidence directly to Lorraine Brophy or Jenny Hixon at:
Lorraine.Brophy@southessex.ac.uk
Jenny.Hixon@southessex.ac.uk
Post your evidence, marked for the attention of Lorraine Brophy or Jenny Hixon in the ALS team, to:
South Essex College
Luker Road
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 1ND
United Kingdom
If we have not already received evidence of your request, this will delay us in being able to undertake the necessary assessments for you to receive access arrangements at college.
We have to work to tight exam board deadlines, so it is critical that you contact your tutor if you have not already done so.
Please note
All evidence must be provided to us by the 2nd week in September. Any new evidence or requests received by us later than this means we cannot guarantee we can process your request in time to meet the necessary external exam board deadlines.
Local Authority Information
Southend Local Authority
- Southend SEND Local Offer: Livewell Southend
- Southend SEND Local Offer on Facebook
- Southend SEND Local Offer on Instagram
- Southend SEND Independent Forum
-
SEND Assessments – April 2021: The Educational Psychology Service (EPS) has been working with children and families throughout the pandemic. Whilst at times they have not visited settings directly, they have continued their work including further developing the comprehensive resources on their webpages.
The EPS phone line, EPCONNECT, can be accessed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Wednesday mornings by calling 01702 212690 and leaving name and details. Calls will be responded to. There is no need for independent assessments to be sought.
EPCONNECT is an easy access phone-line service for the Southend community to link with Southend Educational Psychology Service: 01702 212690.
- Southend Connexions Service
- SEND Newsletter March 2022
-
MSC Ambassador Programme:
Thurrock Local Authority
- Thurrock SEND Local Offer: Special educational needs and disability (SEND)
- Information, Advice and Support Services (IASS)
- The Hangout for ages 15-25 years old. Every Tuesday 6pm-8pm. For more information contact InspireYouthTeam@thurrock.gov.uk
- Essex and Thurrock Children`s Occupational Therapy Service daily helpline: 0300 300 1670 or contact ThurrockChildrenstherapies.Admin@nelft.nhs.uk
-
MSC Ambassador Programme:
- Surgery schedule 2022
- ADHD Support Group
Essex Local Authority
- Essex SEND Local Offer
- Local offer leaflet
-
SEND local offer website survey
Please have your say and complete the survey using the link below, the results of which will help to shape the new SEND Local Offer website.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) website survey
Horticulture Supported Traineeship: Hadleigh Country Park
Abberton Rural Training in collaboration with Essex Country Parks, Entry to Work and Targeted Employment are creating an exciting traineeship opportunity for individuals who want to work in horticulture but need a little more support to transition into employment.
Starting in September 2022, this 6 month programme will be based at Hadleigh Country Park (Benfleet) and will give you the skills and experience that employers are looking for whilst gaining valuable experience in a working environment.
Groups will be around 8-10 learners and ART have experience in working with individuals with SEND and will accept those also accompanied by a PA.
- Are you aged between 16-24 years old or 25 years old with an EHCP?
- Interested in working outdoors?
- Had little or no work experience but really want to work?
- Are working at around E3 to L1 in maths and English?
- Need a supportive environment to help develop your confidence and work skills?
- Perhaps you haven’t yet achieved the right grades for an inclusive apprenticeship?
Interested?
Please see Horticulture Supported Traineeship for more information and contact details.
Contact us
ALS team
You can email the following ALS Mailbox and we will respond to your query as soon as possible: AdditionalLearningSupport@southessex.ac.uk
Learning Mentors (LM)
Learning Mentors are responsible for arranging support in the following curriculum areas. Learning Mentors can be contacted by phone on the numbers detailed below, by college email, or Microsoft Teams.
Southend Campus
Anne-Marie Hayter
Anne-Marie.Hayter@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220600
Learning & Progression/Entry Level/Service Industries Travel & Tourism
Chris Thomson
Chris.Thomson@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220685
DTMPA/Service Industries Sports and Public Services
Sarah Jee
Sarah.Jee@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220499
Health & Science/Adult English & Maths/Adult FE Counselling/Service Industries Hair & Beauty
Jenny Hixon
Jenny.Hixon@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220599
Exam Access Arrangements (Southend)/HE
Cheyne Conway
Cheyne.Conway@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220591
Art & Design/Business/A Levels/Engineering L2 & 3
Jo Thomas
Jo.Thomas@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220695
Thurrock Campus
Samantha Tucker
Samantha.Tucker@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362633
Engineering & Construction, Art & Design, Business, DTMPA, Adult English & Maths, Service Industries
Shan Mok
Shan.Mok@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220445
Exam Access Arrangements (cross college)/Apprentices/HE (Thurrock)
Stephenson Road Campus
Ann Graham-Older
Ann.Graham-Older@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220505
All curriculum departments at that campus
Luckyn Lane Campus
Ann Graham-Older
Ann.Graham-Older@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220505
All curriculum departments at that campus
New Basildon Campus
Jo Thomas
Jo.Thomas@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220695
DTMPA, Learning and Progression
Sensory Team Learning Mentor
Gabriella Garroway
Gabriella.Garroway@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362787
Covering ALS support for Thurrock Campus areas of: Health & Science, Learning & Progression
ALS Learning Mentor Managers (LMM)
The Learning Mentor Manager Team can also be contacted via email at the following address: ALSSeniorLearningMentors@southessex.ac.uk
Each LMM has an area of responsibility for Additional Learning Support and can be contacted as follows for further advice and guidance related to their areas of specialism:
Sarah Fincham
Sarah.Fincham@southessex.ac.uk or call 07720 968128
Sensory Team
Tina Booth
Tina.Booth@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362640
High Needs Students and Complex Health/Physical Needs
Sarah Markey
Sarah.Markey@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362642
Education, Health and Care Plans
Lorraine Brophy
Lorraine.Brophy@southessex.ac.uk or call 01702 220475
Access Arrangements, Higher Education, Apprentices
Gill Collins
Gill.Collins@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362769
Social & Emotional Needs, Mental Health
Head of Additional Learning Support
Karen Fox
Karen.Fox@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362601
Administrators
Ferwin D’Costa
Ferwin.D'Costa@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362612
Georgia Curwood
Georgia.Curwood@southessex.ac.uk or call 01375 362607
Welcome pack
Our welcome pack is a collection of files containing useful information.
- Childrens OT Duty Desk - Thurrock Council
- Coping strategies tool
- Feeling unwell - what to do
- Making the change from school to college
- Mask exemption cards
- SNAP – Coronavirus Family Guide
- Southend Educational Psychology Service - EP CONNECT Coronavirus update Aug 2020
- Staying safe on campus
- Stop Coronavirus keep clean
- Support for you - student leaflet
- Wash your hands easy read
- When I feel anxious
Useful resources
The following links will support you with accessible features of the following remote platforms:
- MS Teams – Accessibility overview of Microsoft Teams - Office Support.
- Zoom – Accessibility overview of Zoom.
- Google Meet – Accessibility overview of Google Meet.
- Ambitious about Autism – Ambitious about Autism has launched the UK’s first online platform for autistic young people. Offering autistic young people aged 16 to 25 a safe and moderated online space to help them understand their autistic identity and reduce isolation and loneliness that many feel. Young people will be able to take part in peer support sessions, share experiences and find volunteering, work experience and employment opportunities. There will also be opportunities for them to work together and campaign for change.
- Positive Dyslexia – Positive Dyslexia YouTube channel has some free webinars.
- Made by Dyslexia – Website for positive emphasis on role models etc.
- OpenDyslexic Typeface – OpenDyslexic is a typeface designed against some common symptoms of dyslexia. If you like the way you are able to read this page, and others, then this typeface is for you!
- Worksheet Genius – A free online machine that makes differentiated, randomized worksheets; you can add words that want to use or practice and it makes up the game for you with them.
- BDA Technology – Keep up to date with the latest technology and Apps for classroom use with the British Dyslexia Association.
- Easy Spelling Aid – Easy spelling aid empowers you to independently spell words and phrases.
- TypingClub – Improve typing skills.
- Quizlet – Discover 10,000 ready-made study sets covering 24 GCSE subjects, aligned to exam board specifications and created by Verified Educators and partners.
- Seneca – Seneca is a free online revision platform. It presents subject content, organised by a helpful checklist, and uses self-marking questions to check your understanding as you go.
- Blocksite – Block distracting apps and sites.
- Forest App – Forest is an app that can help you stay focused.
- Noisli App – Background sounds that help to mask annoying noise especially for those with sensory sensitivity.
- miMind – Mind Mapping tool - organizing your thoughts, laying out schemes. Once your map is complete you can also share or export it to an image, PDF, text or XML file.
- The Shine App – Self-care toolkit to help you deal with the day-to-day highs and lows.
