Mentioned at enrolment, forgotten by the first workshop
At enrolment, an apprentice mentions they have dyslexia and found written exams hard at school. The enrolment officer notes it on the form. Another learner says they need extra time and a quiet room for tests. A third discloses something they only want their coach to know.
Six weeks later, the first learner is handed a dense written task at a workshop with no adjustment. The second sits a functional skills exam in a busy room because the exam officer did not know. The third's coach changes, and the new coach has no idea. None of this is anyone being careless. The information simply stayed where it was first written down.
Why support information does not travel
- Needs are recorded on the enrolment form, which coaches and trainers rarely reopen.
- Agreed arrangements are discussed with the learner but written up inconsistently, if at all.
- Exam arrangements need separate paperwork, often by a deadline, and are handled by a different person.
- Sensitive information must be shared carefully, so staff sometimes err on the side of not sharing at all.
- Arrangements are rarely reviewed, so they do not change when the learner's needs do.
What happens when support is missed
The learner has a worse experience, sometimes bad enough to leave. Progress slows where it did not need to. Exam arrangements that were not made in time cannot always be made later. And your team cannot show that the support you agreed was actually given, which is often exactly what is asked when your provision is looked at.
What support is appropriate for each learner is a matter for your specialist staff and your policies, not for software, and nothing here is advice on it. The problem we fix is that agreed support is recorded once, reaches the people who need it and is reviewed.
A support record that reaches the right people
- Needs disclosed at enrolment create a support record, with the learner's consent for how the information is shared.
- Your learning support lead records the agreed arrangements in plain terms: what, for which activities, and who needs to know.
- Coaches, trainers and the exam officer see only the arrangements relevant to their role, alongside the learner's other details, without the underlying sensitive information unless the learner has agreed.
- Exam-related arrangements create a task for the exam officer with the date by which paperwork is needed.
- Staff record when support was given, with a quick note at a review or session, building evidence over time.
- Each record has a review date, and the learning support lead is prompted to check it with the learner.
| Role | Sees | Records |
|---|---|---|
| Learning support lead | Full record with consent | Arrangements and reviews |
| Coach | Arrangements relevant to reviews and learning | Support given at reviews |
| Trainer | Arrangements for sessions | Support given at workshops |
| Exam officer | Exam arrangements and deadlines | Arrangements applied for and used |
| Managers | Counts and overdue reviews | Nothing sensitive |
Access is by role, every view is logged, and the learner can see what is recorded about their support.
Support that follows the learner
When a trainer opens the register for a workshop, a small marker shows beside the learners with session arrangements, and a click shows what those are. The exam officer's list shows which learners booked for next month's sitting need arrangements and whether the paperwork is done. When a coach changes, the new coach sees the arrangements on day one.
The learning support lead reviews records as prompted and can see, for any learner, the history of what was agreed and when it was given. If someone asks how you support learners with additional needs, you can show them.
Does this happen at your provision?
- Needs disclosed at enrolment do not reach coaches or trainers.
- Exam arrangements are sometimes missed.
- Support is agreed but not recorded consistently.
- Arrangements are rarely reviewed.
- You find it hard to show that agreed support was given.