Additional Needs & Disabilities Support at ACM

Applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

Applications can be made online via the UK government website.

To qualify, you must provide evidence of a:

• Disability
• Medical condition
• Sensory or physical impairment
• Mental health condition
• Specific learning difficulty (e.g. dyslexia)

Applications are submitted to your funding provider (usually Student Finance England).

• Confirmation typically takes ~6 weeks
• Full support can take up to ~14 weeks to be in place

The AND Team can assist throughout the process.

Once approved, you may be asked to attend a Study Needs Assessment (funded by DSA).

You will then receive a DSA entitlement letter outlining support, such as:

• Specialist equipment
• Non-medical helper support
• General allowance
• Travel allowance

You must share this letter with the AND Team.

Support may include:

• Academic Study Skills sessions
• Specialist mentoring

This support may be delivered by ACM or an external provider.

Once needs are identified, reasonable adjustments may include:

• Extra time in assessments
• Adapted teaching or assessment methods
• Access to assistive technology
• One-to-one tutorials

Academic Study Skills Tutorials

Support may include:

• Reading and research skills
• Writing and structure
• Time management and organisation
• Note-taking and revision
• Assistive technology

Mentoring Support

Provides:

• Emotional support
• Practical guidance

• • Help managing stress and challenges

Dyslexia affects information processing, including reading, writing and structuring information.

Key points:

• Not linked to intelligence
• Unique to each individual
• Often overlaps with other conditions
• Recognised under the Equality Act 2010

Many dyslexic individuals excel in creative fields.

Support for Dyslexia

ACM offers screening (QuickScreen) and support, such as:

• Study skills tutorials
• Note-taking strategies
• Assignment planning
• Extra time in assessments (where applicable)

Dyspraxia affects coordination, organisation and processing.

It may impact:

• Movement and coordination
• Perception and spatial awareness
• Memory and organisation
• Speech and communication

Support for Dyspraxia

Support may include:

• Study skills sessions
• Organisation and planning support
• Reading and writing strategies

Dyscalculia affects the understanding of numbers and numerical relationships.

At ACM, this may impact:

• Music theory
• Rhythm and timing
• Numeracy-based tasks

Support for Dyscalculia

Support includes:

• Study skills
• Planning and organisation
• One-to-one tutorials

ADHD affects attention, concentration and impulse control.

Common traits:

• Inattention
• Restlessness
• Impulsivity

ADD may involve:

• Difficulty focusing
• Being easily distracted
• Poor listening

Support for ADHD / ADD

Support may include:

• Mentoring
• Organisation strategies
• Confidence building
• Study skills tutorials

ASD affects communication, social interaction and flexibility.

Common challenges:

• Social communication
• Adapting to change
• Routine disruption

Strengths may include:

• Focus
• reliability
• determination

Support for ASD

Support may include:

• Early transition support
• Weekly mentoring
• Study skills development
• Structured learning strategies

These difficulties affect the understanding and use of language.

Challenges may include:

• Multitasking
• Understanding tone
• Word retrieval
• Processing spoken information

Support

• Mentoring
• Study skills support
• Communication strategies

APD affects how the brain processes sound.

Difficulties may include:

• Understanding speech
• Memory of verbal instructions
• Focus in noisy environments

Support for APD

• Mentoring
• Study skills
• Organisational support

• • Early transition support

Many conditions can affect academic performance and well-being.

Students with any disability, long-term condition or mental health concern are encouraged to register with the AND Team to explore support options.

Students moving from Diploma/Further Education (FE) to Undergraduate/Higher Education (HE) transition from EHCP support to DSA.

EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan)

• Legal document outlining support needs
• Applies up to age 25

Transition to HE

Steps typically include:

• Referral to disability services
• Needs assessment
• DSA application
• Assessment and entitlement confirmation

Support is then coordinated between funding bodies, providers and ACM.

Students are advised to:

• Speak to their SENCO or EHCP coordinator
• Contact ACM’s AND Team
• Check official guidance

The AND Team can support you throughout this transition.