The ALS team are committed to providing the highest standard of support to all students. We provide a person centred approach to support the individual needs of the student. A range of support is offered; from in class support, exam access arrangements and study support.
It is important that any ALS needs are communicated at the earliest opportunity. Gateway College is committed to working with students to identify and meet their learning needs and goals.
Our team offer assistance for individuals with a variety of needs which include; dyslexia, a specific learning difficulty, a physical disability, hearing Impairment and any other medical conditions.
Transition Arrangements
The ALS team provide transition arrangements and events for prospective students who require extra support to help them prepare for starting college. We work closely with schools to identify students who require transition arrangements, however if you feel you would benefit from transition support due to your disability or learning difficulty please contact the ALS team using the contact details below.
Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
The ALS team assist with the processing applications for learners with EHCPs. If you have an EHCP and are applying for a course at Gateway College please contact the Head of Student Support who will complete an initial assessment with you to ensure your support needs can be met.
While you are at college you will have an EHCP Annual Review that will allow local authorities to update your plans. They will be held in either the Autumn, Spring or Summer term and you will be sent a letter confirming of the date and time of your Annual Review.
Transport Arrangements
Please click here to read the guidelines for arranging transport for students with SEND
Exam Concessions
If you have had exam arrangements in the past you can contact the ALS team to advise us of these. Please note and exam arrangements for your exam at Gateway College will be based on your normal way of working in the classroom when you start studying with us. If exam arrangements are needed your tutors will refer you for an assessment before concessions can be out in place.
ALS Team contact Number: 0116 274 4543
‘The Local Offer’ allows potential students to see what each college offers. It was developed as a result of the Children’s and Families Act (2014) and the new Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) reforms. As part of these reforms, the SEN Code of Practice asked Local Authorities to develop a central point of information for young people with SEND and their families to access.
Gateway Sixth Form College is committed to providing and developing programmes of study for all students. The College works closely with Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council to deliver a high quality and broad range of provision.
A short animation sharing what the Local offer is:
Family Information | What is the Local Offer? (leicester.gov.uk)
A link to the Local Offer website:
Family Information | SEND Local Offer (leicester.gov.uk)
Young carers are children and young people who provide care for family members who have physical or mental illnesses, disabilities, or substance misuse issues. 1 in 5 young people are carers, with 1 in 12 taking on mid to high level care. Young carers are a particularly vulnerable group.
Many young people with caring responsibilities aren’t known to their schools or colleges and don’t see themselves as being young carers or feel too worried or too embarrassed to ask for help. Lots of young people will have had an increase to their caring role during the Covid-19 pandemic because they won’t have had their usual support or breaks at school/college or with friends. These responsibilities may have continued.
You can meet with the Student Experience Team to get extra support and advice as we are aware that you’re not alone and are here to help you.
Please see Aaron, Joe or Laura in B102 or email ahickey@gateway.ac.uk, jyoung@gateway.ac.uk or ltovey@gateway.ac.uk
The Department of Education recently announced additional funding to support students whose learning was disrupted as a result of the COVID pandemic. This 16-19 Tuition Fund is available to all 16 to 19 providers, including Gateway Sixth Form College, and is ring-fenced for 16 to 19 small group tuition only.
The funding can be used to support small group tuition for 16 to 19 students in English, maths, and other courses where learning has been disrupted. The guidance indicates that the supported students must be on a 16 to 19 study programme and who have not achieved grade 5 or above in GCSE maths and/or English by age 16. All will be on a 16 to 19 study programme. The subjects covered in the tuition will not be limited to English and maths but will be identified according to need and existing programmes.
Gateway Sixth Form College commits to using the small group tuition funding that it has been given to mitigate against the impact of the pandemic on our study programme students. Sessions will be limited to less than five students per group and will be above and beyond normal timetabled hours. Students will be prioritised for small group tuition based on the guidance released by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
The full guidance can be accessed here.
Support sessions will be prioritised for the following students:
Examples of some of the Tuition Support on offer will include:
Our commitment
The College is committed to ensuring the tuition fund is used in accordance with the Government’s guidance and for the benefit of our learners as set out above.
Updated 4th February 2021.
The Schools teams are committed to supporting all students to ensure they reach their aspirations and to make their goals a reality. It is all about you! The Schools team are there to support the programmes of study that you have chosen, and to ensure that you are ready to meet the challenges and high expectations set for your learning. We are here to provide welfare and pastoral needs which will support and provide the equality of experience that is essential for every student across the College.
All students are able to discuss their performance with subject teachers and with personal tutors. Students are required to meet all coursework and project deadlines and use their time effectively. Student targets are set, action plans drawn up and assessment points carried out at regular intervals. Consultation evenings are held twice a year for students, parents and guardian/carer, with the opportunity to talk to staff.
Tutorials are there to cover a range of important, current and contemporary topics including radicalisation and extremism, building employability skills, using social media, study skills and receiving targeted 1-1 support.
Every student will have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), mapping the route from their starting point to the achievement of individual goals, based on their initial assessment and prior achievement. ILPs are there for you to contribute to your own learning and become independent students.
The ILP is a working document for checking progress against reviews or tutorial activities, amending targets and dates for actions to be achieved. All ILPs will be in a common format on CEDAR. They will be live documents that are useful not just to you, but for your teachers and parents/guardians also.
We want to celebrate your success, and that of all students whenever and wherever it occurs. Focussing on success and positive outcomes is essential in developing a positive culture and ethos across the College. There are many ways we celebrate success. We have introduced more opportunity to celebrate success and positive contributions through Celebration events. In January 2018 an initiative was launched by the Schools team to promote and reward improved attendance, positive contribution to the college community, working hard through mock week, arriving on time etc. Students were awarded raffle tickets throughout the month for each positive success with the opportunity to win a prize at the end of January. The Star prize being a much coveted and highly exclusive Mountain Bike.
The office is open throughout the day and provides students with access to information, support and advice on a wide range of issues including financial support for students.
The Government provides funding to support students experiencing financial hardship whilst studying at college in the form of a Guaranteed Bursary and Discretionary fund for eligible students. Contact Student Services for details.
No examination fees are charged for first time entry, subject to a minimum of 92% attendance, good punctuality and the satisfactory completion of all coursework projects.The payment of a deposit entitles students to the use of all learning and leisure facilities, an ID card and subsidised activities. This is refundable upon satisfactory course completion and the return of all College property in good condition.
The Careers Service at Gateway College works to prepare students for their next steps for positive progression. The service offers tailored 1:1 advice to all students to assist them in making important decisions and opportunities to access university taster days, apprenticeships and employers.
Throughout the academic year there are events taking place to help students make choices and provide information at key decision-making points. These include National Careers Week with access to employers and apprenticeship providers, the Higher Education Fair and sessions to prepare students for apprenticeships. This includes an event where students are given access to apprenticeship vacancies that they can apply for.
The College has a full careers library with relevant up to date information to support students as well as excellent local and national links to universities and employers.
The College is committed to providing an impartial advice service to students to ensure that they are provided with the correct information to allow them to positively progress.
For more information about the Careers Service at Gateway College click here.
