header GUIDE TO STUDENT SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS 2018/19 TABLE OF CONTENTS Student Support at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School ……………………..………….. 3 Conservatoire for Dance and Drama (CDD) – Equality and Diversity ……………….3 Medical Questionnaire and Access and Support Needs …………………………… 4 School Support and Wellbeing Services……………………………………………….5 Student Support Tutors………………………………………………………………..5 Student Counselling Services……………………………………………………….....6 General Safeguarding Concerns…………………………………………………….....7 Other Support and Assistance………………………………………………..............8 Registering With a GP/Dentist …………..…………………………………………….8 Financial Assistance – the School’s Hardship Fund…………………………….…….8 Cupboard of Requirements…………………………………………………………....8 CDD Financial Support …………………………….…………………………….…….8 Support for Care Leavers ……………………………………....……………….…….9 Accommodation ……………………………………....……………….…………..….9 Council Tax ……………………………………....………………………...…….…….10 General Health and Wellbeing for All Students……………………………………....11 Physical Health ………………………………………………………………………...11 Personal Care ………………………………………………………………………….11 Nutrition/Hydration …………………………………………………………………...12 Sexual Health…………………………………………………………………………..12 Recreation and Sleep ………………………………………………………………….13 Alcohol and Drugs ……………………………………………………………………..14 Smoking ………………………………………………………………………………..15 Injury Management…………………………...………………………………………..15 Accident Procedure . …………………………………………………………………..15 Support for Students with Disabilities …………………………………..…………. 16 Quickscan Screening ……………………………………………………………………17 Common Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) ……………………………………....17 Dyslexia ………………………………………………………………………………….18 Dyspraxia ………………………………………………………………………………..19 Dyscalculia …………………………………………………………………………… ..21 Diagnostic Assessments For SpLDs ………………………………………………… .22 Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) …………………………………………………..23 Study Needs Assessments …………………………………………………………... 24 Learning Support Agreements for Students ………………………………………...25 Assistive Technology …………………………………………………………………..25 Autistic Spectrum Disorder…………………………………………………………….26 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder……………………………………………..28 Personal Academic Support …………………………………………………………..29 Library Services ………………………………………………………………………..29 Mental Health and Wellbeing …………………………………………………………31 Online Support, resources and Self-help …………………………………………….70 A-Z of Bristol Services ………………………………………………………………....72 Appendices …………………………………………………………………………....74 header INTRODUCTION TO STUDENT SUPPORT AT BRISTOL OLD VIC THEATRE SCHOOL The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (‘the School’) is a large and lively community of staff, students, industry professionals and specialists from many different cultural and educational backgrounds. Adapting to drama school life or to a new environment can at times be challenging. However, there are help and resources available if you have questions or encounter difficulties and this handbook is intended to guide you to the right people or sources of information. Please take time to read this and refer to it whenever needed and make use of the support available to you. Do not hesitate to utilise these resources, even if you think you have a relatively minor concern. Student Support for the programmes at the School covers a variety of areas such as support for disabled students, academic support, student finance and health and welfare. The School welcomes applications from disabled people and judges applicants solely on their talent and potential to develop the skills required for their chosen profession. It is committed to admitting and supporting disabled students and warmly encourages applicants to disclose and inform the School so that appropriate support can be put into place as early as possible. In addition to your legal rights under The Equality Act, the School recognises that everyone is an individual and it will do its best to develop your particular talents and skills and has found many imaginative and innovative ways to anticipate and respond to the needs of students with the talent and enthusiasm for the highest level of training in acting and technical theatre. CONSERVATOIRE FOR DANCE AND DRAMA (CDD) - EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY Celebrating diversity and working to achieve the creative potential in all its students is at the heart of the work of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama (CDD’). CDD are committed to training and supporting the most talented students, regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation or religion. Conservatoire Schools aim to meet, and where possible exceed, their legal obligations regarding equality and diversity. To fulfil this aim the Conservatoire has established an Equality and Diversity Group comprising Conservatoire staff and representatives from all eight schools. Please see this link to the CDD’s website for more information about the CDD’s resources and guidelines to promote equality and diversity: http://www.cdd.ac.uk/about-us/equality-and- diversity/ If you would like more information on the support the CDD offers its disabled students, please see our support for disabled students page: http://www.cdd.ac.uk/students/student- support/support-for-disabled-students/ BOVTS Guide to Student Support 2018-19 Page 3 header MEDICAL QUESTIONNAIRE AND ACCESS AND SUPPORT NEEDS After being offered a place, but prior to starting your course, you will be sent a medical questionnaire. This form is sent to everyone who has accepted an offer of a place and we encourage all students to complete this as honestly and accurately as possible so that the School is able to give the correct information and advice and is better prepared to provide appropriate support and make reasonable adjustments to ensure full access to learning activities. All our courses are rigorous and some of the classes are physically demanding. In order that we are able to provide the right level of support for individual students throughout all stages of the training period, it is important that we have full and accurate medical details on record. When you answer some of the questions, you may be unsure about your exact support needs, as you will not know all details of your course. Please do not worry about this, as the aim of the questionnaire is to establish your support requirements in principle. There will be other opportunities to discuss this in more detail at any point during your course. All information from your medical records is treated in the strictest confidence and will not be shared without your consent. This information is treated as personal and sensitive data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and is made available only to School staff involved with the organisation of your support arrangements. This may include your Head of Course, Tutors and the School’s Student Support Manager. In some situations we will use this information to create a learning agreement outlining your needs with your consent. Please remember that the decision to offer you a place is made on the grounds of your talent alone. BOVTS Guide to Student Support 2018-19 Page 4 header THE SCHOOL’S STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLBEING SERVICES People you can speak to in the School • Student Support Manager, Julia Heeley – coordinates all aspects of Student Support • Head of Course/s • Head of Year/s • Student Support Tutor/s • Any member of staff you feel comfortable talking to • A fellow student • Freelance Tutors The School employs a range of therapist and counsellors and registered psychotherapists who are available to help with any more deep-seated personal problems on which student support tutors are not qualified to advise. If students wish to have an initial assessment with a therapist or counsellor, please contact Julia Heeley, Student Support Manager, either by email [email protected], by telephone 0117 9809 247, or in person between the hours of 8-9am and 12.30-2pm for non-urgent appointments. A strict professional code of confidentiality is always maintained. STUDENT SUPPORT TUTORS (PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS PASTORAL CARE TUTORS) We actively encourage students to develop a pro-active and positive approach to their own mental health and wellbeing. We are preparing professionals to enter physically and mentally challenging professions and we work to enable students to sustain a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle. Every student is assigned a Student Support Tutor who monitors their progress throughout the year in addition to having access to the Student Support Manager. All students have tutorials with their Head of Course, Head of Year or allocated Student Support Tutor/s in which non-teaching issues can be discussed. A confidential tutorial can be requested of any member of the full-time teaching staff on your course. Each year group/course has appointed members of staff as Student Support Tutors. They are available to discuss confidentially any matters which may be troubling you, whether related to your training, or other personal issues outside the School. For Acting Courses the Student Support Tutors are as follows: A Group (1st year FdA Professional Acting): Paul Chesterton Carol Fairlamb B Group (1st year BA Hons Professional Acting): Pam Rudge Paul Chesterton C Group (2nd year BA Hons Professional Acting): Pam Rudge Paul Clarkson D Group (final year FdA/BA Hons Professional. Acting) Jenny Stephens Paul Clarkson I Group (one year MA Professional Acting (international): Geoffrey Brumlik Carol Fairlamb BOVTS Guide to Student Support 2018-19 Page 5 header For Production Arts Courses the Student Support