FAQs

You need to gain the student’s consent, then please go to the  AIS Department page on SharePoint for Referral form.

If you can't access this form, or you are offsite, please use your City Lit email to send an email to our team including the following information about the student: Student name, Student number, Course code and title, disability/reason for referral.

When students are referred to our team or contact AIS directly, we draft a Reasonable Adjustments Plan - RAP  (in consultation with the student) which includes information about the student’s needs and  recommendations for tutors.  The RAP will identify potential barriers to a student’s learning, and will advise on reasonable adjustments and learning strategies you can use in class (or online) to support them.

The RAP will be available for tutors to view on their EBS course registers. They will also receive an automated email to alert them they have a  RAP to view.   We are available to discuss our recommendations and answer any queries. In general, the RAP is drawn up after the student has enrolled. Very few students  (apart from independent deaf learners who need communication support)  contact us for advice prior to enrolling or choosing their course. 

 As the course tutor, you may receive an email identifying  a student  who has disclosed a disability or support need. This means the student has  NOT requested support from the Access and Inclusion team but only wants the tutor to be notified.  AIS does not have access to information about this group of learners due to GDPR regulations. 

At this stage,  AIS  can offer general advice, but you need to have the initial conversation with the student about any barriers to learning and adjustments that might be required in class.   It may be a very minor adjustment or request,  e.g. to sit near the front of the class or to have access to large print handouts.   Frequently nothing is required - a student may just want to make you aware of their disability. 

If  it  then becomes clear that further support is required (and you have the student's consent), you can  refer them on to our team.  Sometimes a student will only recognise that support may be beneficial after they have attended a few sessions. 

The RAP includes the email contact of the coordinator/specialist who carried out the initial assessment with the student.   They are the best person to answer any specific questions. If you prefer to phone please call us on:  020 4534 0459  to speak to the member of staff or to leave a message.  Messages are picked up daily.

You can contact the Access, Inclusion and Support team for a discussion.  You will find our contact details at the bottom of every page with different emails addresses for Disability/SpLD and Deaf support respectively. You can also find Information Sheets relating to a wide range of  access and support needs using the Information Sheets  tab at the top of the page. 

We recommend that you try  and arrange a time to talk with the student  - in confidence. You could say you have noticed they are having some difficulties, or ask them how they are finding the course. They might not want to disclose anything , but you have opened up a line of communication

If they do disclose a disability, you can offer to put them in touch with the Access and Inclusion team or (with their consent)  you can complete and send us a  Referral Form accessed via the AIS Department page on SharePoint.

You can also speak to the Access, Inclusion and Support team for more generalised advice.

Out of 32,000 students,   less than 10% disclose that they have a learning difficulty, impairment or disability at enrolment - roughly one student in a class of 14.

Not all of these students want to be referred to the Access and Inclusion team in the first instance.    Approximately 6% of students request that their tutor is notified of their disability or support need,  and 3% say they would like to talk to our team. The remaining 1% do not give consent for the support team or their tutor to have access to this information.

City Lit sends an email or letter to all students who disclose a disability (regardless of whether they have requested support or not),  outlining the support offer, eligibility and how to get in contact with the Access, Inclusion and Support team.  

Some students choose not to disclose their disability, impairment or learning difficulty at enrolment, but may disclose to you once they have started the course. Students do not have to disclose a disability;  but we we all have a duty to anticipate needs.

When students have requested support this may take the form of recommended adjustments to teaching, modified or digital materials, equipment, a support worker, communication support workers, notetakers or additional tutorials, depending on need and funding/availability. The recommendations  will all be outlined in a Reasonable Adjustments Plan (RAP) which is located below the digital register.

You can contact Access, Inclusion and Support to discuss the needs of an individual student in your class and how you can best meet their needs.

Contact: support@cityilt.ac.uk Phone: 020 4534 0459

We provide support for deaf and hard of hearing students as well as advice for tutors. We can arrange for the student to trial a Roger Pen  (portable loop). If they find this helpful, they can use it in class for the duration of the course.  We can also provide deaf awareness information for tutors, and advise on teaching strategies. 

If you have a student who is struggling in class, please ask them to contact us. We can arrange an appointment via SMS for online /video advice or they can come to our weekly drop-in - details below .

Wednesdays:  Term time only - with British Sign Language (BSL) access 

11.00 - 1.00 pm  

Room 3 (Student Centre – Mezzanine)  

SMS: 07860 041949 

Tel: 020 4534 0459

Email: support4deaf@citylit.ac.uk

Talk  to our team. The student support offer varies depending on the nature of the disability and the impact on the student’s ability to achieve the learning aims of the course. 

There are  budget and funding issues which need to be considered  (e.g. for Advanced Learner Loan funded courses, the onus is on the  student to apply for a loan to access government funding for support). We also need to establish  whether it is a priority course and check staff availability for in-class support.

For example, a deaf student who would be unable to access a class without  a Communication Support Worker (CSW) would be prioritised.   Equally,  a  student with a  specific learning difficulty  (e.g. dyslexia)  on an English GCSE course would be prioritised  over a student on  a non-accredited course which did not include a substantial amount of reading and writing.

For more information contact Access, Inclusion and Support: support@citylit.ac.uk

Or tel:  0207 4534 0459

Most City Lit courses are open access and we encourage students to disclose whether they have any  disability, impairment or support need. However, this does not always happen. 

For accredited courses, or other courses with an interview,  curriculum areas generally build in an opportunity to disclose support needs, provide support leaflets and put a learner in touch with the Access, Inclusion and Support team.

When a student hasn’t disclosed a support need, we would recommend that you ask the student how they are finding the course and whether they are having any difficulties.  If the course is at  the right level, we may be able to provide some additional support or advise on learning strategies. 

It can be effective to speak to the whole class and say that you are available during the break (or at the end of the class) for questions on any additional support needs.

For some students it may be appropriate to agree ‘differentiated learning outcomes’ where the tutor and student agree outcomes that suit their skills, experience and ability. 

You can also discuss support queries or concerns with the AIS team without disclosing student details. If still you have concerns about the level of the course and support cannot be provided to bridge any gaps, we suggest that you talk to your line manager about a refund or transfer on academic grounds.

As an organisation we promote ‘Inclusive teaching practice’,  supporting the participation and achievement of a diverse group of learners. This reflects the City Lit values of being:  ‘Open-hearted, Ambitious and Imaginative’.   A wide range of students access City Lit courses with  less than 10% declaring a disability or learning difficulty  (roughly one student in a class of fourteen).  We aim to develop a culture of inclusion throughout  City Lit, where it is everyone’s responsibility to remove barriers to learning and provide opportunities for all learners to fully access and succeed on their chosen course of study.

The Quality and Tutor Development team is available to help you develop your teaching practice. The team  run regular training sessions for all tutors underpinned by the principles of inclusion.  Strategies such as agreeing a learning contract with your class, use of classroom management techniques and providing access to good quality digital resources may often be all that is required.  See also the Information Sheet: Inclusion at City Lit.

Tutor.Development@citylit.ac.uk

On other occasions,  AIS can offer further advice on how to make reasonable adjustments for students with a range of access and support needs which can benefit both the learner and the whole group.  We are here to collaborate and work with you  (see the Information Sheets tab for further guidance). 

In our changing society, disabled people rightly expect to be able to access all that the City Lit has to offer. It is the role of the Access and Inclusion department and the responsibility of all staff across City Lit to facilitate this.

Yes. The City Lit  Counselling Service offers six sessions of online or telephone counselling to students enrolled on City Lit courses lasting at least a term. The counselling approach is solution-focused and priority is given to students who need support to complete their courses. Initial assessment is currently being carried out over the  phone. 

For further information and advice we suggest that students either:

Telephone 07900 138882 to leave a message or email:  counselling.service@citylit.ac.uk

Making an audio recording of a session or class  is a reasonable adjustment for a learner who has a disability that impacts on their ability to take notes  (e.g.  a visual impairment or an SpLD). They should make their request clear to the tutor, and use the request form: Student request to record

The understanding is that students will only use these audio notes for the purpose of accessing the course .  They are not to be copied or shared (beyond the course group) and should be destroyed after a reasonable time period.

Your curriculum area or line manager should be able to share the guidelines regarding recording classes - which may vary.   For example, in sensitive subject areas such as counselling, a tutor may offer to manage class recordings and record their own input but not student contributions.

If a tutor offers handouts, skeleton notes or slides at the start of the session, this can also be beneficial in supporting and providing access for all learners.  The Access, Inclusion and Support team are happy to offer advice as lengthy recordings may prove hard to access.

Students who require support and exam access arrangements should be referred ASAP - preferably within the first 6 weeks of a course, allowing us time to carry out any assessments and put support in place. 

As a general rule: Arrangements for exams must reflect what help would be required by the student for similar activities. In the same way any help provided in class should reflect what will be available to students in the exam

For accredited exam based courses please complete the Exam Access Application form  which can be found on the AIS Department page on Sharepoint or by emailing:  support@citylit.ac.uk. 

Students with a SpLD or dyslexia will be required to provide any previous Dyslexia Assessment Reports and we will try to arrange an assessment for exam access at a suitable time.

For other disabilities and impairments please be aware that we cannot use a GP’s letter for exam access arrangements.  The JCQ regulations explicitly state:

In case of disability/impairment or medical need, a doctor’s letter is not accepted

The learner will need evidence or a letter which confirms the candidate’s disability from:

· CAMHS, a HCPC registered psychologist, a hospital consultant, or psychiatrist

· The Local Authority Specialist Service, Local Authority Sensory Impairment Service or Occupational Health Service

· A Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT)

· A Statement of Special Educational Needs relating to secondary education, or an EHCP

Screening for Dyslexia & Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) support is prioritised for students on accredited courses with substantial reading and writing. 

For non-accredited courses we may be able to offer advice on helpful learning strategies.  We have also set up a  Dyslexia and Disability Telephone Advice Service  for current and potential students who may have a learning difference or disability and you can refer them to this service.  

Go to:  'What advice or drop-in sessions can I refer students to?' on Getting Started page where you will find the link. 

The link can also be found on the AIS Department page on SharePoint.

• Students can also  contact us directly: support@citylit.ac.uk;  Tel:  020 4534 0459

• We offer advice on support availability, learning strategies and tips for studying at home.

Learners wanting a full dyslexia assessment will need to arrange this independently. We suggest students get in touch with the British Dyslexia Association:

https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/

Ergonomic or orthopaedic chairs can only be booked for students who disclose a disability, due to the high number of people with a bad back. These can be booked via the AIS team.

If the student wants to discuss support needs and also needs a chair please contact Access, Inclusion and Support with their course details etc. or they can call us directly on 020 4534 0459 or email support@citylit.ac.uk to speak to the Disability support coordinator.

Can we request that you do not move chairs labelled for disability support between rooms as this may seriously inconvenience the disabled student it was booked for. Sometimes we hear from students that they cannot use the chair because the tutor is sitting in it – do check. Ergonomic chairs should be labelled and have arms, unlike tutor chairs.

If you need a specialist chair as a member of staff, please talk to your line manager/HR .

Your curriculum area should be able to clarify any procedures – but a link to the complete Fire and Evacuation procedure for Keeley street can be found on SharePoint.

Evacuation procedure for Staff / students with reduced mobility 

If your mobility means that you may need assistance or have difficulty getting out of the building in the event of an emergency you may:

1. Sign in at reception whenever you arrive at City Lit so that we know that you are in the building.

2. Discuss it with your tutor at the start of your course so that you will both know what to do in the unlikely event of an emergency.

If you are unable to use the stairs to evacuate and you are not on the ground floor when the fire alarm sounds:

1. Go to the refuge point on your floor and await assistance. We use Evac Chairs and a fire lift to evacuate people from the refuge points (see below).

2. A friend may wait with you.

3. If you were in class, your tutor will tell the Duty Manager where you are – you can give your mobile phone number to your tutor who will give this to the Duty Manager.

4. Staff also check the floors to look for anyone at refuge points – please make yourself known as necessary.

5. You can also telephone the Duty Manager on 07887 846350. You can use an internal phone and dial 4000, they are located:

· Mezzanine: Student Centre counter

· Floors 1 – 4 At the refuge point

· Floor 5 In room 500a by the refuge point

· Floor 6 In the lift lobby by the refuge point

If the fire alarm sounds and you are able to use the stairs to evacuate you may find it safer to wait at a refuge point until most people have left your floor, then go at your own pace.

Refuge points for people who need assistance exiting in an emergency:

Lounges on 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th floors

Outside room 500 on 5th floor

Outside student centre on the Mezzanine