STUDENT SUPPORT

All UWC students are expected to be resilient and independent, but this does not mean you need to do everything yourself. It is important you know how, when and where to go for support or solutions to better equip you with the knowledge, experience and developing skills to help you overcome the inevitable personal challenges throughout your journey at UWC Atlantic and towards greater personal responsibility and accountability.

All staff are committed to supporting the wellbeing of each student. In addition to your house mentor there are other staff and services available to help you in different ways. At the heart of our support system is the team of tutors, who are also your teachers. Your tutor is your first point of contact for personal and academic support should you have any problems or questions.

The College has a wider Student Support Team who ensure students feel supported, heard and that their needs are appropriately and sensitively addressed. The Head of Tutors and Student Affairs together with the designated Head of Year coordinate the work of the tutors, while the Head of Wellbeing and Safeguarding coordinates the work of the Wellbeing (Health) Centre, the counsellors and house mentors.

The College Wellbeing (Health) Centre has a full time nurse and additional wellbeing assistants. The College has access to a full range of healthcare professionals and community support networks through the National Health Service, in addition to employing three counsellors.

The College counsellors offer social-emotional support through both individual appointments or drop-in sessions. The counsellors are based in the heart of the castle in our The Learning Centre (TLC) together with the English Language and Additional Learning Needs specialists.

The Student Support Team plays an important role in meeting individual needs of students and supporting all students. The Team includes an EAL (English as an Additional Language) teacher, an ALN (Additional Learning Needs) Coordinator, the Head of Tutors and Students Affairs and Heads of Years together with the IB Coordinator, the two Guidance and University Counsellors, the Head of Wellbeing and Safeguarding, counsellors, the nurse and the Vice Principal Education. The ALN Coordinator and the EAL teacher work directly with students, provide advice and guidance to staff and work collaboratively with parents and external support agencies to ensure that all students’ achievements are at least commensurate with their ability. Students with additional learning needs such as dyslexia, ADD, ADHD etc., and lower English proficiency, will be accommodated from the very beginning of their education at UWC Atlantic. Any previous assessment of a student’s learning needs should be communicated and evidence provided, to ensure immediate accommodation and support. It also helps us to ensure special exam arrangements for students with the IB.

House mentors and students are supported further 24/7 by the Welcome Team based at Reception. Overnight support is provided by our team of night staff who are based at Reception. An activity coordinator supports our team through working with and supporting students to organise and run a variety of creative and physical events, trips and activities on weekends. Students can access their trained second year Peer and Queer Listeners for additional support and the “student voice” has representation from each house through various student councils.

Our Complaints Policy is available on the UWC Atlantic website for those wishing to raise a question or concern. Residential life related concerns unresolved by the Principal or/and the Board of Governors can be directed to the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) at this address: CIWInformation@gov.wales

The Learning Centre (TLC) Support Network at UWC Atlantic

UWC Atlantic understands that every student has individual needs that can affect the way they learn. We endeavour to meet such needs as best we can through our learning support network. Our network is designed to support students with learning differences to reach their potential and access the full UWC experience.

All students are eligible for general support and specialist guidance is available to those with more specific needs. We provide a range of specialist support, including:

• English as an Additional Language (EAL) support from the EAL Teacher

• Additional Learning Needs (ALN) support from the ALN Coordinator

• Social and Emotional support from the Student Counsellors

• Medical advice and support from our Wellbeing (Health) Centre Staff.

We also have a dedicated base which is situated in the Castle, known as the The Learning Centre (TLC). This is where students can find a quiet work space, computers with assistive technology, meet with the ALNCo, EAL Teacher or counsellors, attend workshops and 1:1 support sessions. The TLC is where you will find the TLC Support Network.

The TLC Support Network communicates with teachers, college staff and as a team to ensure students are supported holistically and receive the most effective help available. Students with a diagnosed learning difference will be placed on an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP is a maintained document that describes the learning difference and recommends specific strategies to support each student in fully accessing their UWC experience. The IDP feeds into the Welfare Plan that each student has at the college.