Student Support

At Plumpton College we are committed to including and helping students with additional needs. Our Learning Support team is here to help and guide people with a range of learning differences and disabilities. You can let us know about a learning difficulty, disability on your application form or at interview. At Plumpton, we support learners with:

• Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and dyspraxia
• Autism Spectrum Conditions
• Mental health Problems
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD)
• English and maths development

We can also support other specific learning difficulties. Please contact the team for more information if you have any concerns. 

The types of support we offer are:

• Support at interview
• Individual tutorials
• In-class support (readers, scribes and prompts)
• Note taking
• Communication support
• Speech and language therapy
• Exam Access Arrangements
• Chill out space and  independent work space
• Support in and out of timetabled sessions where required

Who delivers this support?

Within the team we have experienced and qualified learning support assistants, teachers, communicators and assessors who are committed to offering the support you need. 

So that we can provide this support we will:

• Support with transition planning from school
• Make arrangements to support you through the application, interview and enrolment process
• Meet with you to discuss your needs and complete a Support Plan
• Attend Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) meetings and reviews (if applicable)
• Put support in place to enable you to access the opportunities you require to achieve
• Liaise on a regular basis with teaching staff to share the relevant information and provide updates regarding your support
• Support teaching staff with information and training about specific learning difficulties and disabilities
• Review the support you receive on a regular basis
• Discuss and agree any changes that will be made to your support with you
• Promote your independence
• Support your achievement and progression
• Act in an inclusive and person-centred way at all times

Take a Virtual Tour of Plumpton College to get familiar with campus! 

If you’re joining us a residential student, you’ll need to register with the local doctors’ surgery. We’re able to arrange priority appointments for you and we’ll make travel arrangements for you to get to the surgery for your appointments.

At Plumpton, we have a zero tolerance towards drugs and will deal quickly and formally with anyone found involved with drugs. Our College is a ‘no smoking’ campus; however we have designated areas for smokers. Our Student Services can connect you with various channels for stop-smoking guidance.

We have a sexual health clinic that runs every Thursday 11am-2pm where you can access free and confidential advice. If you need help outside of these times you can speak to Student Services.

You can easily access our independent, confidential and free counselling service at Plumpton. In partnership with ‘The Link’; it’s a really flexible service designed to give you lots of choice when it comes to advice and support. We have five counsellors who have all been specially selected for their unique skills and background to meet the individual needs of all our students.

Declaring a disability, specific learning difficulty or health condition

The sooner you disclose a medical condition, physical disability, mental health condition or Specific Learning Disability (e.g. dyslexia), the earlier we will be able to arrange support for you. However, there is no time limit on when you have to disclose. You can do this at any stage during your studies with us.

If we know about the challenges you are facing we can support you in a number of different ways, Depending on your funding eligibility, these can include:

• helping you apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance
• one-to-one-mentoring or study skills tuition
• specialist support for examinations and assessments
• advising your tutors and lecturers on the impact of your condition on your studies and how to accommodate this

How does it work?

Step 1: Provide us with evidence

If you would like to access support for your disability, medical condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty, you will need to provide us with some evidence.

If you are accessing support because you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc), then please supply us with a report confirming your diagnosis.

Dyslexia tests: If you do not have a report or have not been tested for dyslexia, please get in touch. You can have a dyslexia test done at the College at no cost to you, after which we will be able to put support in place for you.

If you are accessing support because you have a disability, medical condition or a mental health difficulty, please provide us with evidence from your GP or other medical professional (e.g. consultant, psychiatric nurse, etc.) confirming your diagnosis or diagnoses.

If you are not sure whether your medical evidence is sufficient we will be able to confirm whether it meets our criteria.

Step 2: Meet the HE Student Support Team

To book an appointment with the HE Student Support Team please send us an email to HEStudentSupport@plumpton.ac.uk who will arrange the appointment. 

We will discuss the effect that your disability has on your studies and review medical evidence provided. With your permission, we can then make recommendations to your Programme Manager about adjustments that can be made to your teaching, placement and assessment, such as extra time in exams, copies of lecture notes in advance and extensions to essay deadlines.

We will also talk to you about the Disabled Student's Allowance (DSA); this can fund additional support, such as mentoring, study skills tuition and equipment. We can help you to apply for this funding if you are eligible for DSA funding. For more information on DSA, please visit the government website above or more here.

Step 3: Applying for DSA

If you need support with applying for DSA, please get in touch with the HE Student Support Team who will be able to assist you with the application process. 

For more information on DSA, got to the website here.

If you have been successful in the first stage of your application for DSA, you will receive a letter from Student Finance England (SFE / DSA) asking you to make an appointment for a needs assessment. These are carried out at a recognised Assessment Centre. This is an informal appointment which can last up to 2 hours and will determine what funded related items or support you will need for your course.

It can take up to four weeks after your needs assessment appointment before you receive your 'DSA Approval Letter', which outlines the items and/or support which has been agreed. The letter will include instructions on how you can order any equipment and access support. 

We can help to arrange non-medical helper (NMH) support for you, such as one-to-one specialist mentoring or study skills tuition. We have dedicated NMH mentors and study skills professionals in place at the College to support you with your studies.

Please contact the HE Student Support Team or HE Office if you have any questions about this process on 01273 890454 or at HEStudentSupport@plumpton.ac.uk.

Plumpton Colllege - NMH Rates

Period covered - 01/04/2018 through to 31/03/2019 

The table below shows NMH rates. The greyed out cells indicate that the NMH provider does not offer these services.

Note: NMH Support Rates shown per hour in the table below.