Every learner that walks through your doors has unique abilities, challenges and a different way of thinking.

It is your job to understand your learners’ needs, manage potential challenges throughout their time with you, and ensure they receive the support that helps them achieve the best possible outcomes.

In this handbook we highlight how, with the right tools, you can support every individual in their learning journey, from the day one.

Understanding neurodiversity is an integral part of providing inclusive education and can help organisations discover what works best for each learner— ultimately, giving people a greater awareness of themselves to build new skills and strategies that go beyond their course and help them throughout their working life.

What we’ll cover:

  • Three reasons why initial assessment matters.
  • Delivering on your equality duty to your learners.
  • Levelling up your support processes.
  • Transforming learner outcomes.
A sneak peek into…

How to understand and safeguard your learners’ needs from day one

Introduction

We all have a responsibility to understand and safeguard the needs of learners throughout their learning journey – starting from day one.

“Early initial assessment had a positive impact on the take up of learning support, a key factor in improving success rates. Where data were available, apprentices who received learning support as a result of initial assessment did as well as, or better than, those who did not require it.”
(Ofsted, 2010)

This guide highlights the importance of a robust and evidence-based approach to initial assessment of learning needs, its impact on starting points and the ongoing support learners receive. We also look at our collective responsibility under the Equality Act 2010 and best practice from an Ofsted and quality assurance perspective. All with the aim of improving outcomes for learners and removing barriers in education.

Whether you’re worried about getting it wrong or unsure where to start, organisations and staff must support different learning needs. There are no excuses, and legally, there is little room to hide.

Did you enjoy the sneak peek?

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Further reading

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