Support for School Leavers
Helping students to feel safe and supported
We put the wellbeing and safety of our students first. We have a dedicated Student Experience Team who work closely with personal tutors, lecturers and support staff to ensure that learners have the best experience and get the most out of their time at College.
Respect for others is also very important, so we do not tolerate any form of bullying or discrimination, in fact we aim to celebrate diversity wherever we can.
Tutoring
Full time students have a personal tutor who supports academic and personal progress. You will meet with your tutor regularly and they will keep you updated about the wide range of opportunities available to you. They will also work with you to set challenging but achievable goals and targets, both for your academic work and overall personal achievement.
Your tutor and our tutorial group programme will also equip you with all the skills and knowledge you’ll need as you progress on to your next step, wherever and whatever that may be.
Learning support
If you have a specific learning difficulty, physical disability or suffer from mental ill health and this impacts on your learning, we understand the pressures you may be under.
To make sure we fully understand the support you may need at Exeter College, you will have a course interview with the teaching team and a Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) interview with one of the Learning Support Team. The Support Team will talk through your needs with you so that we have a complete picture of your needs before you start College. This is to help you make the best possible start to College life. Once you start your course, your Tutor may decide that you need some extra support to help you achieve your full potential.
This support can range from out of class support with study skills to using technology to help with your studies.
If you would like to find out more about how we can help support you, click the button below, call us on 01392 400439 or email learningsupport@exe-coll.ac.uk.
Your health and wellbeing
We recognise the importance of health and wellbeing. We encourage you to disclose health and wellbeing needs as part of your application by completing a health declaration form. This will help us to understand what support you may need whilst studying and to consider this in good time before you start. The College nurse is able to discuss the management of health needs with you and can provide guidance to staff so that they know what impact this may have.
We help you to take care of your wellbeing in lots of ways including through support from your tutor and from our EXtra Student Experience Officers. If you would like to find out more about wellbeing activities and services, you can get in touch by emailing extra@exe-coll.ac.uk.
Continuing GCSE Maths and English
If you have not already achieved a grade 4 in GCSE English Language and/or Maths at school, you will need to continue to work towards achieving these core qualifications alongside your other courses when you come to College. Many of our full time courses have timetables designed to provide an opportunity for you to resit GCSE Maths and English Language with us, and our Apprenticeship courses also offer Maths and English sessions when you join us in College. We will talk to you about this during your interview, or during enrolment, and we will make sure you are on the right course to ensure you can progress and succeed in your chosen area of study.
If you do need to continue with Maths and English when you come to College, you will have a fresh and exciting experience. We know that these subjects can be challenging at times, so our approach is based on supporting you to strengthen your skills to help you to build your confidence. Our focus on engaging lessons, with our wealth of exam expertise within the team, means you will have a positive experience working towards your Maths and English with us.
Support for for young people in care or care leavers
If you are in care or a care leaver, there is support in place at Exeter College to offer you advice, guidance, and advocacy. There is also Financial Support available, with an allocated bursary fund which would cover your essential course resources and trips, lunches, and travel.
There is a designated person for care experienced learners to contact with any questions or concerns. This person is the Welfare Manager, Hannah Robson, who can be contacted on 01392 400447, HannahRobson@exe-coll.ac.uk, or alternatively, please drop in to see her in Greystone House.
16-19 Tuition Fund
For the 2021/22 academic year the ESFA has allocated a 16-19 Tuition Fund to support Colleges to mitigate the disruption to learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding is to provide one-to-one or small-group tuition for 16–19 year old full time learners in English, Maths or other courses where learning has been disrupted. Learners who are eligible for the support include those that have not yet achieved above a grade 4 in GCSE Maths and English, vulnerable learners including those with an EHCP, and learners from an economically disadvantaged background. Adult learners aged 19-24 with an EHCP will also be eligible to access tuition support.
At Exeter College the tuition will be provided as one-to-one support or in small groups of up to 7 students. Support will be delivered face-to-face in most cases, but with a blended approach used in some individual circumstances where appropriate
Examples of the support on offer include:
1) Targeted support for those learners from an economically disadvantaged background.
2) Support with study towards GCSE English and Maths for those who have not yet achieved above a grade 4 including mentoring, small group tuition and additional opportunities for individual feedback.
3) Academic skills and study support sessions.
4) Additional time to set academic targets and track learner progress.
5) Subject specific tuition and/or access to learning support for learners with significant gaps in their technical knowledge and skills.
Tuition will be based on an assessment of an individual’s needs and offered over and above a student’s core programme of study. Exeter College is committed to supporting 16-19 learners achieve their potential and all provision will be delivered in line with our core values.
Support for Apprentices
Our friendly Apprenticeship Team are here to support you through your first steps and help you find an Apprenticeship job. They can offer guidance on jobs that might suit your interests and skills, give you advice on companies to apply to, assist you with job applications and help prepare you for interviews. Once you start your Apprenticeship your Exeter College Skills Officer will be your main point of contact throughout your qualification. As an expert in your field of work, they will conduct training, carry out workplace visits and assessments, and ensure you and your employer are supported throughout your journey.
Money matters
We think that everyone has the right to further education and training. We are committed to supporting learners to achieve their full potential and may be able to offer financial support to help students who are experiencing hardship with costs associated with College.
Financial support from the 16-19 Discretionary Bursary Fund is available for students with a low household income. In addition, some learners who are in care, care leavers or live independently may be eligible for a bursary of up to £1,200 a year.
The College can support where cost could be a barrier to accessing education. Please check our webpage for the latest information and to request an application form, or contact the Bursary Team on 01392 400526.
Isabella
“The staff at College go out of their way to help everyone, no matter how big or small your needs are. My tutors are so supportive and you can always request one-to-one help. Being a profoundly-deaf person I am proud to be doing what I have always wanted to do.”
Studied Air Cabin Crew Level 2 Diploma, progressed from GCSE Fast Track