Posted: 29/06/12
College’s additional learning support is praised
Support provided to students with special educational needs at West Nottinghamshire College has been praised by an expert from South Africa.
Benson Zemba, head of special educational needs for the Southern Province of Zambia, visited the college on Tuesday (26 June) to find out how staff provide additional learning support (ALS) for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.
Mr Zemba is currently on an exchange visit to the UK through a twinning project with Fountaindale School in Mansfield. The school played host to teachers from Zambia as part of a cultural and training exchange programme.
Together with the head of Fountaindale School – Mark Dengel, he met with the college’s ALS manager Sally Shelton and Foundation Studies Transition Co-ordinator Kim Truswell to talk about the experiences and opportunities for young people with additional needs at the college and discovered how support is tailored for students.
Mr Zemba said: “I’m very impressed with the provision for students with learning difficulties and disabilities at West Notts and how the support is specialised around meeting their precise needs.”
West Nottinghamshire College’s ALS team was awarded the Association of College’s Beacon award for Inclusive Learning for Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities in 2006. It provides support for students with dyslexia, literacy, numeracy needs, autism or Asperger syndrome, for those with hearing or visual impairment and physical disabilities and help with mental health and well-being.
