We are committed to equal opportunities and will provide additional support for anyone with learning difficulties, health problems or disabilities. To help us help you, please apply early to ensure we can meet your needs.
We have a wide range of equipment and facilities available to support learners with additional needs, including specialist software, adaptive technology and personal hearing loops.
One-to-One tuition support can be provided to work on literacy, numeracy, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and Dyslexia. Our specialist teaching, provided by qualified tutors, is designed to assist and maximise the ability of learners to reach their full potential.
We have tried to provide as much information as possible on this site, but we know that you may have further questions. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Who to contact
Nicky Gibson
Head of Additional Learning Support & Personal Development
020 8090 3020 extn: 7284 or email nicky.gibson@barkingdagenhamcollege.ac.uk
Help if you have a learning difficulty or disability
Our Learning Support Coordinators will assess your needs and arrange any support you need. They will liaise with teaching staff, your Learning Support Assistant and external agencies to ensure that you are fully supported – for example, if you are deaf or hearing impaired, the College will provide a Communication Support Worker (CSW) in your lessons.
Accessibility assessed by DisabledGo
People with physical disabilities can access all parts of our campus via lifts and automatic doors. We also have specialist facilities for wheelchair users including toilets on each level.
In 2009 we commissioned DisabledGo’s team of surveyors to review the accessibility of our facilities. As you may know, DisabledGo is an award-winning disability organisation producing on-line access guides for a huge range of venues, including the education sector.
View DisabledGo’s survey of our College.
Skills Workshops
Workshops can be arranged for anyone who has a BKSB Initial Assessment that shows a need to raise literacy and numeracy levels in order to meet the requirements of the course. Skills Workshops can be delivered to small groups or embedded into the main structure of the curriculum area.
Help on your course
If you need it, the College will make sure you have access to:
• Notetakers
• Communicators
• Specialist equipment
• Advice on grants
• Specialist software
• Disabled parking
• Access to a Minicom/Textphone
• Extra help or more time in exams and with assignments
We provide Learning Support Assistants for learners who require assistance within the classroom. All our Assistants hold the NVQ Level 2 & 3 in Supporting Special Needs and Initial Teaching Certificate in Basic Skills, or are working towards it, and can provide:
• Personal Care
• Modification/Simplification of language
• Orientation
• Lunch time/Break time assistance
Dyslexia
As there are varying levels of Dyslexia, each learner is assessed prior to starting their chosen course, to ascertain what level of support and language modification is required to meet each individual’s needs.
Support is provided by specialist Dyslexia tutors. For this purpose a six week assessment is undertaken by the Dyslexia Co-ordinator where referral to the Educational Psychologist may be required to facilitate the examination concessions that the learner may be eligible for.
Literacy and numeracy
The Learning and Development Centre provides additional support for learners who have low levels of literacy and/or numeracy, and specific learning difficulties. We can help if you have Problems with maths, spelling or difficulties with reading and writing.
Physical disability
If you have a physical disability, we have a learning support team that may be able to offer you assistance.
Deaf or hearing impaired
In recent years there has been an increasing number of deaf people enrolling on Further Education courses. To meet this need we can provide Educational Communicators to provide full access to the courses offered by Barking & Dagenham College.
All of our Educational Communicators are Communication Support Worker (CSW) trained and qualified to CACDP BSL Stage 2, with some working towards CACDP Stage 3. Most of our Communicators also hold the BTEC Certificate for Communication Support Workers with Deaf People.
Our aim is to make sure you have equal access to the course material for your chosen field of study. This is done by individual assessment for each of our learners. The style most suited to your need is then adopted, this can be through:
• Sign language – BSL or SSE
• Language modified notes
• Lip speaking
• One-to-One language support
• Adaptation of course materials
Communicators will be provided for all classes as necessary. As well as providing communication support in the mainstream classes, we can also provide the same level of support for additional Maths or English tuition in the Learning and Development Centre.
Not all our learners with a hearing loss need the services of an Educational Communicator. In these situations we provide the services of a Note-taker, who will provide full, language-modified notes to meet your needs.
Learners are provided with a Communicator to deliver full language support including lip-speaking and modified notes to meet the needs of each individual learner. We also provide specialist equipment including personal loop systems and Deaf Alerters.
Visual impairment
We have a large range of support for learners who are blind or partially sighted. Our Learning Support Assistants will write comprehensive notes to suit individual needs and level of sight loss; they will also assist with orientation support and adaptation of course materials
We have available specialist software including Zoom Text, Jaws and Dragon Dictate.
Help during exams
You may be eligible for examination concessions and may also be referred to the on-site Educational Psychologist for assessment and evidence of needs, in order to comply with examination board requirements.
