Academic Support

Long Road welcomes you to our supportive and caring community. We promise to listen and respond to your individual needs to ensure that you can take part fully in both the academic and social life of the college. 

We believe that every student can achieve their best, and we aim to develop an effective study programme for every student. Whatever challenges you face, our dedicated academic support team will work with you and your family to ensure this happens.

Study Skills

All courses provide opportunities for individual support in workshop sessions led by subject specialists. Sessions are held twice a week and are a great way to get help with homework, catch up on areas where you need extra support, to improve your literacy skills, revise, create a time management plan and develop your essay writing skills and exam techniques - essential skills to help you make the successful transition to sixth form.

All study skills resources are also available on our online learning platform, Moodle, giving you the flexibility to choose where you spend your independent study time. 

Social Skills

Each week we meet for 30 minutes to discuss and work on practical strategies relating to: 

  • Starting conversations.
  • Dealing with conflict.
  • Friendships and group work.
  • Figurative and metaphorical language.
  • Confidence and self-esteem.
  • Social media and online interactions.

When? Weekly, during plus-time (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) 

Who? Students with EHCPs, or those who would like to improve their confidence in social situations.

Additional Learning Needs & EHC Plans

Our team of qualified specialist tutors can provide formal and informal assessments of students’ individual learning needs. 

For students with EHC plans we develop individual learning programmes that are regularly reviewed and adjusted as needed. Students with English as their second language are offered extra tuition with a specialist teacher.

A range of IT equipment and software is available to support students’ studies, including text-to-speech and mind-mapping programmes.

Assistance for Physical Impairments

All of our buildings have ready access for wheelchair users, and we provide classroom and general assistance for students who have physical impairments such as partial sight, partial hearing and motor skills difficulties.

Please call for a copy of our Disability Statement (available in braille and large print).

Contact our SEND Coordinator Anna-Lisa Ghale on 01223 631100 or support@longroad.ac.uk for further information.

Changes to SEND

The government has introduced new laws for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

From 1st September 2014, local authorities replaced statements of Special Educational Need (SEN) with a new Educational and Health Care Plan (EHCP) as well as publicising a Local Offer of the services and activities that are available to parents and young people.

In addition, young people with a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) will be able to request from the local authority an EHC assessment. To support this change, the government are funding an Independent Support Service to assist young people.

A summary of the changes can be found here.

Autism and ADHD Referral Process

Please click here for more information on the referral & diagnosis for ADHD and/or Autism, and links to further support.