By luck or by design? Supporting Students with Learning Differences and Disabilities
Our Disability Working group led our annual professional development conference for practitioners working with learners with SEND or neurodiversity. Hosted by Kingston College the event delivered an array of resources available to both practitioners and their students as they plan for university.
Keynote Insights
The conference kicked off with a keynote speech by Ellie Rowley, the lead on the Fair Access Programme at UCAS, who provided an in-depth look at the latest statistics on the participation of students with disabilities in higher education. She also highlighted the various resources UCAS offers to support these students and their advisors.
Following the keynote, attendees participated in six workshops, each focusing on different aspects of support for students with learning differences and disabilities:
- Mental Health Support for Higher Education Students
- Practical Ways to Support Students with Dyslexia
- Publicly Available Resources by Jules Benton, CEIAG Practitioner
- Best Practice in SENCO and Careers Collaboration from Big Creative
- Latest Updates on the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
The day continued with presentations from students who shared their personal experience of navigating university life with a disability.
Rounding off with an address from Nicola Martin, Professor of Social Justice and Inclusive Education at LSBU, who emphasised the importance of creating inclusive educational environments that cater to all students.
It was another successful and rewarding day for the 35 delegates from universities, schools, and the third sector, with 92% of attendees agreeing that they could now “better advise a young person with a disability or neurodivergence who is planning on going to university.” One attendee remarked, “Thank you so much for a very thought-provoking and informative conference.”
