Learning Support
Here to help you succeed
At SERC, we want to make sure that every student achieves their qualifications and also enjoys their time at college.
Our aim is to help every student develop their confidence and independence whilst they study at SERC, and we are committed to delivering a positive, supportive learning environment which welcomes and includes all our students.
We understand that some students may require additional support to make the most of their time with us, and our Learning Support team is here to help.
If you have a disability, long-term medical condition or learning difficulty you may be eligible for additional help and support while you study at SERC.
Who do we help?
Our Learning Support team has a wealth of experience of working with individuals facing additional challenges due to:
- Physical Disabilities e.g. visual impairments, hearing impairments, mobility issues
- Long Term Medical Conditions (lasting more than a year) e.g. epilepsy, fibromyalgia, regular kidney dialysis, arthritis, mental health issues
- Learning Difficulties e.g. dyslexia, autism
What type of support is available?
The Learning Support team will advise the teaching teams on how best to support students with their individual needs, and will work with the examinations team to make sure any necessary arrangements are in place at exam time. We can help students collect any medical evidence necessary for the exam board to approve these arrangements.
Your support at SERC may include:
- One-to-one support for studies outside the classroom
- Technology to help you learn
- A sign language interpreter
- Classroom support
- Special arrangements during exams
Please note that personal care is NOT covered by our Learning Support provision. The College will endeavour to facilitate any existing care arrangements you may have in place through the Health Trust, in line with college policies.
How to access learning support
We encourage applicants to tell us about any additional needs as soon as possible. When you apply to SERC, you are invited to state on your application form that you need additional support. You can also contact us before you apply.
If you do this, a member of the Learning Support team will contact you to discuss how SERC can best help you.
You may have had a statement of special educational needs while at school, but this will not automatically transfer to college. So students are strongly encouraged to make SERC support staff aware of any additional needs and to help us put support in place.
Throughout the year, any student may contact the Learning Support unit and discuss any support need or concern.
The support we arrange at SERC will be designed to help you succeed in your course and participate in college life.
Contact us
For further advice and guidance, you can speak to a member of our Learning Support team at any time. The quickest way to arrange this is to email your contact details and the campus that you are studying at (or plan to study at) to learning-support@serc.ac.uk and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.
SERC is delighted to be working with AccessAble to bring their access guides for the various campuses. SERC is confident that all of their students, staff and visitors will benefit from the detailed access guides, which will provide a graphical summary of the campus accessibility using access icons, together with highly detailed information in relation to each of the key features of each campus.
Visit Our AccessAble Organisation Page
Addressing Special Educational Need
SERC complies fully with the requirements of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Order (2005) and works to ensure that the College’s services are accessible to all. In doing so the College carries out its SENDO responsibilities in a way that ensures that the dignity and respect of the student is central to process so that barriers to learning are effectively identified and minimised.
“Don’t doubt what you are able to achieve – I had never thought I would go into HE. If you have any doubts, go in and talk to the staff; if you need further support talk to Learning Support, they are some of the best people and they are great craic like most of the people I’ve met at SERC. The service is fantastic, absolutely fantastic.”
Sharon McCartney
Level 4 International Travel and Tourism 2022-23
“I’m hearing impaired and have worn hearing aids since I was three years old. When I came to SERC, I was offered everything I had in place in my secondary school. It is one of the best things about my course, there is this constant support, making sure that I completely understand everything as we move through the course. If you need some support, I would recommend coming to SERC.”
For someone with any condition that means you need some support to get to where you want to be, I would recommend coming to SERC to study. Simply because the support is already built into whatever you want to do. ”
Daisy Boast
Level 3 Diploma in Sports and Outdoor Activities 2021-22