Stockton Riverside College :: SRC Bede Sixth Form

Student Support

Additional Support for Learning

You don’t need a specific learning difficulty to want support with spelling, grammar, essay planning, organisation or coping with pre-exam stress – all of which are on offer from Learning Support at Bede.

We have an area of the Learning Centre with specialist help and resources for students with learning needs.

You don’t need to be referred by a teacher – you can access support yourself – at any time. Guidance and assistance can be offered in areas that will support your main subjects.

We encourage students to use the learning support programme, which can give you extra help to achieve your future goals and aspirations.

If you would like a chat about any issue connected with your learning, just drop by and see us.

Mentor

We have a learning mentor available to offer individual help to all students. The mentor offers help with time-management, coursework and study techniques. He is able to offer assistance and advice on a range of issues that may be barriers to learning.

We encourage all students to access the mentoring and learning support programmes. These give extra support to help you achieve your future goals and aspirations. Guidance and assistance can be offered in areas that will support your main subjects. You can either be referred by your own tutor, or you can go yourself. Help is always available. “Mentoring provides a communications gateway between students, staff and parents to work towards future goals”

Support and guidance

There is a massive amount of support available at Bede to help you with your studies and progression.

We encourage you and expect you to take more responsibility for your own success. We monitor your attendance, because experience shows that missing lessons is a speedy route to underachievement.

You will be in a Tutor Group, which will meet weekly. One session will deal with issues such as adjusting independent study and progression, and you will be encouraged to express your views. Your personal tutor will take a close interest in your development. S/he will be the first point of contact, helping you to set targets and writing references when the time comes for progression applications. Wherever possible, your tutor will also teach you and is therefore likely to get to know you well. This allows your tutor to guide and coordinate all of the information relevant to your success. The senior tutor will deal with course changes and will liaise with your tutor to monitor your attendance and progress. S/he is there to support your tutor and will take ultimate responsibility for you. S/he will offer advice on issues relating to part-time employment and how to access the best available specialist advice and guidance, pointing you in the right direction concerning matters of personal finance. S/he will also make the decision when to inform parents or guardians about any issues of concern. You would be right to expect to be informed of your progress and to share fully in the information about how the teachers view your current achievements.

We have a system of regular reviews so that you can meet one-to-one with your subject teachers to review targets, suggest improvements and develop an action plan to achieve maximum success. Your GCSE grades will give an indication of your potential but we are well aware that young people develop at different rates. We will encourage you to strive beyond your existing grades and to squeeze every drop of inspiration out of each amazing individual. That means you! When you first join us at Bede you will find our support mechanisms provide a safety net while you are adjusting to being a more independent learner. As your time with us passes you are likely to need a different form of support and will be eager to take greater ownership of your own learning. The whole support
system is designed to encourage this.

Equality and diversity

We encourage everybody in college to develop skills, knowledge and confidence. We want you to show respect for the views of others and tolerance of all differences of age, race, gender or disability.

Harassment and bullying are not acceptable. Teaching and Learning reflects this commitment to equality of opportunity. We welcome students with disabilities and we have adapted the building to make facilities even more accessible. We are flexible and supportive and we pride ourselves on fair treatment for everyone.