Promoting the 'Learner voice' is key within RNIB Schools and RNIB College and forms an important part of our schools and college self assessment and review processes. The children and young people who attend our schools and college have their own individual needs and learning goals and staff ensure that learners can express themselves through a variety of means to enable learning and development to continue beyond the classroom into everyday life.
10 Golden Rules…
RNIB Sunshine House School and Children's Home have developed 10 golden rules for staff and professionals to help promote the voice of their learners:
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Give me time to respond and listen to what I have to say.
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Allow me to make choices for myself.
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Help me to stay safe.
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Let me know what is going to happen.
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Talk to me not about me.
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Treat me with respect and dignity.
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Telling me what I'm good at and praising my efforts builds my confidence.
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Touch my arm, say my name and tell me who you are when you speak to me.
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Always stay calm with me.
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Take time to understand me, I can't always explain my feelings.
For more information contact RNIB Sunshine House on 01923 82 25 38 or email us at shsadmin@rnib.org.uk
Learner Involvement Strategy
RNIB College Loughborough has a comprehensive and extensive learner involvement strategy. This has been recognised by Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) as best practice and recognised as being 'given a high priority' and by being 'comprehensive' by the Ofsted Inspector in March 2010.
The College is pro-active at encouraging learners to feedback and an evaluation of the feedback accessibility led the College to make significant improvements in feedback mechanisms resulting in richer and more diverse evidence. All feedback is action planned and the College informs learners about improvements made through noticeboards, email, one to one feedback, Newsdesk (verbal type assembly) and Tutorials. Learners tell us they are kept informed.
For more information contact Norma Curtis, Quality Improvement Manager at enquiries@rnibcollege.ac.uk or call 01509 611077.
Learner Focus Groups
RNIB College Loughborough holds regular Focus Groups (in-house and for those studying at Loughborough College) and conducts surveys in order to ensure the learner voice goes on to have a whole organisational impact. The College uses the Common Inspection Framework (CIF) and Every Child Matters (ECM) themes as a focus for discussion and any issues identified as significant in the learner survey are explored further as part of this.
Improvements have been made to Focus Groups to ensure they are more inclusive and independent. Focus Groups are held twice per year - action plans are drawn up and monitored. Several groups are held at different times during the Focus Group week to promote inclusion, some are supported by the Speech and Language Therapist where appropriate. The Focus Groups' outcomes are analysed against equality and diversity protected characteristics and type of disability to see if there are any areas of concern affecting a particular group.
For more information contact Norma Curtis, Quality Improvement Manager at enquiries@rnibcollege.ac.uk or call 01509 611077.
Involving our learners in committees
The College has good representation of learners on committees included the Governing Body. The College has a Student Committee affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS).
This Committee is primarily concerned with leisure activities and is driven by the learner body. They produce regular newsletters for all learners. Learners also have access to regular meetings including flat meetings and residents' meetings. Learner representatives sit on key College committees. Representatives meet the Chair of the meeting prior and post meeting for briefings and follow up actions. Additionally, learners have access now to advocates to ensure they can take a full part in the meeting.
For more information contact Norma Curtis, Quality Improvement Manager at enquiries@rnibcollege.ac.uk or call 01509 611077.
Learner Peer Review
Learners positively contribute to the experience of learners with disabilities throughout the region by sharing experiences and getting together with them to promote change in the way their education is managed or delivered.
In March 2010, learners took part in a second peer review conference at a local hotel with learners from the other 5 specialist colleges in the region. The conference is biennial and will be repeated again in 2012. Also, learners join with their peer College colleagues every December for a shared Christmas celebration and event. Learners from each college take it in turns to present excerpts from their own College production.
For more information contact Norma Curtis, Quality Improvement Manager at enquiries@rnibcollege.ac.uk or call 01509 611077.
Learner Survey March 2010
Learner surveys are held annually and are analysed against protected characteristic groups to see if there are any areas where improvements can be made.
Reviewers from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service in February 2011 were impressed with the responsiveness the College shows to this survey and to the parent survey. For example every parent or carer whose response showed any areas for investigation were contacted individually and their query followed up to resolution wherever possible.
For more information contact Norma Curtis, Quality Improvement Manager at enquiries@rnibcollege.ac.uk or call 01509 611077.