MANCHESTERMETROPOLITANUNIVERSITY

STUDENT SERVICES

STUDENT AND ACADEMIC SERVICES

Procedure on the Implementation ofPersonal Learning Plansat MMU

CONTENTS

1.0Aim of the Document 2

2.0The purpose of a Personal Learning Plan 2

3.0Key Principles 2

4.0Personal Learning Plan–Production 3

5.0Personal Learning Plan - Distribution(for Student Life Office staff) 5

6.0Personal Learning Plan - Implementation(for academic staff) 6

7.0Common queries/useful information (for academic staff) 6

7.1Recommendations made in PLPs 6

7.2Delays in receiving PLPs 7

7.3Difficulty in implementing a recommendation 7

7.4Recommendations on PLPs which conflict with the learning 8

outcomes of the course / Recommendations on PLPs which

are not relevant to the unit of study

7.5Student not engaging with academic staff 8

7.6Extensions to coursework deadlines 9

7.7Reviewing the support and progress of disabled students 9

with complex/ multiple needs

7.8Non-compliance / on-going complaints10

7.9Information for the Exam Board10

7.10Disclosure on placements 10

Appendices

Appendix 1Summary of Key Responsibilities

Appendix 2Guidance on extensions for students with PLPs

1.0Aim of the Document

The aim of this document is to explain the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) process byclarifying the role and responsibilities of the student and staff (Learner Development Service, Faculty Administrative and Academic staff) during the production, distribution and implementation stages of the PLP at MMU.

2.0The purpose of a Personal Learning Plan

All recommendations which are made on the PLP come under the remit of ‘reasonable adjustments’. The aim of the PLP is to indicate suitable modifications to learning and assessment arrangements in order to minimise the impact of the student’s disability on assessment performance. The PLP is the most visible method by which the University demonstrates its commitment to making the necessary ‘reasonable adjustments’ which we are legally obliged to make for any student who discloses a disability.

The PLP is a working document and has separate sections which clearly delineate the respective responsibilities of staff and students. A PLP Rationale document has also been produced which explains what each of the recommendations means, and the type of disability for which they may be appropriate. Separate guidelines and a pro-forma to support pre-placement interviews for disabled students created by Professional Registration are also available. All these guidance documents will be made available on the Learner Development website –

A PLP is a starting point for identifying the reasonable adjustments for disabled students. It is intended to inform Departments/Lecturers/Examiners etc.of a student’s disability/health condition and the impact this is likely to have on their learning. This then allows the recipients of PLPs to anticipate needs and to consider any adjustments (in accordance with the recommendations on a PLP) which the student may require more specifically on the course.

It is important to note that the recommendations made in a PLP are intended to create ‘a level playing field’ for disabled students, not about creating an advantage for a particular group of students. Senior academic staff in departments must play a key role in determining whether the ‘level playing field‘is being maintained by the suggested reasonable adjustments. The Chair of the Board of Examiners must therefore ensure that any alternativeform of assessment is of the same standard, presents a comparable level of challenge, and meets all prescribed learning outcomes.

3.0Key Principles

The context within which the PLP process takes place is informed by the medical evidence and certain Acts of Parliament. A summary of the key pieces of legislation and the processes in place to support disabled students at MMU can be found at:

All Learning Development Advisers have expertise in the disability field and are members of the National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP),which is a professional organisation for disability practitioners in further and higher education.

  • The key to the success of the PLP system is communication at all stages of the process: Communication between the student and the Learner Development Service; Learner Development and the Student Life Office; the Student Life Office and departmental/ academic staff; and between the academic member of staff and the student. If at any stage this communication breaks down, then it can lead to support not being put into place for disabled students, which can lead to increased likelihood of drop-out or delayed progression. Please refer to Appendix A for a summary of responsibilities.
  • The PLP must be drawn up by a Learning Development Adviser and the student. It is important that all university staff involved in the PLPprocess understand that the student is central to it.As such, we all have a responsibility to try and ensure that the student is an active participant within the whole process, and as far as possible, takes appropriate responsibility for managing the process on their own behalf.
  • A PLP should cover a student’s learning and teaching needs throughout the whole of their programme of study. However,a PLP is usually produced early in a student’s academic life and as such it is not always possible to anticipate their every requirement. Therefore, if students change course; have complex needs which need supporting on placement; or the circumstances with regard to their disability change, referral back to the Learner Development Service for a revision of their PLP may be appropriate.
  • This policy should be used in conjunction with the ‘Assessment Arrangements for Disabled Students’, appendix 4 of the ‘Regulations for Undergraduate Programmes of Study’ and of the ‘Regulations for Taught Postgraduate Programmes of Study’ available online at:

4.0Personal Learning Plan - Production

(Responsibility: Learner Development and Student)

4.1Disclosure of disability is required before a PLP can be produced. The Recruitment and Admissions team notify Learner Development of all students who have disclosed a disability on the UCAS/application form and this enables Learner Development staff to make direct contact with the student. However, not all disabled students feel confident about disclosing their disability on their UCAS/application form and can disclose a disability at any point during their study. Some will only do so when they feel confident that the university will understand and support their needs or when they have established a good rapport with a particular member of staff. Other students may not realise that theirmedical conditional counts as a disability and for some students it may not become apparent that they have dyslexia until they are studying on a degree level programme.

If a student has not disclosed a disability to Learner Development (either directly or via the UCAS/application form), but chooses to disclose to a member of staff, the University may still be “deemed to know” and be expected to make any necessary “reasonable adjustments”. It is therefore vital to follow the disclosure guidelines and complete a ‘Disclosure Authorisation Form’.

4.2All students who disclose a disability to the Learner Development Service are asked to provide evidence of their disability. For most disabled students/ students who have a health condition, this will be in the form of a letter from a qualified medical professional (usually a G.P, consultant, specialist nurse).This then enables the Learning Development Adviser to make a judgement on whether the student’s condition means they are covered by the Disability Discrimination Act, and therefore entitled to extra support.

For students who have Dyslexia (or otherSpecific Learning Difficulty), proof of an Educational Psychologist’s report, usually carried out after the age of 16, is required. Students who cannot produce this, or who have never had a formal assessment but think they may have dyslexia, can book an appointment for a dyslexia screening. A referral to the Educational Psychologist is made if there are sufficient indicators of dyslexia and an appointment can be booked once the student has paid a fixed contribution towards the assessment. Only when the final written report is received from an Educational Psychologist which confirms a specific learning difficulty, can the student be booked in for an assessment with an adviser to produce a PLP.

4.3The Learner Development Service is responsible for ensuring that all students who disclose a disability and submit appropriate medical evidence are invited for an assessment appointment. As part of this appointment a PLP will be produced in conjunction with the disabled student, where appropriate. Recommendations made in the PLP are based on the nature of the disability/medical evidence submitted and how the difficulties are likely to impact on their learning and teaching throughout the whole of their programme of study. During these confidential interviews students can disclose very personal and sensitive information, and this, combined with thefact that the PLP recommendations are not meant to be tailored to a specific subject, means that academic staff presence is neither appropriate nor necessary.

4.4Once the PLP is produced, the Learner Development Adviser will go through the recommendations with the student to check their understanding, and give them a leaflet explaining what will happen next. If they are also applying for DSA (which most home students do) the adviser will explain to the student the need to chase up their application with their funding body if they haven’t heard anything within three weeks.

Learning Development Advisers will advise all students who have a PLP to get in touch with their tutor if they haven’t been contacted by a member of staff within 2 weeks of receiving their PLP. The PLP will also clearly state what the student’s responsibilities are, including the need to:

  • Discuss appropriate recommendations with their tutors, as appropriate
  • Liaise with exam officers over any exam arrangements
  • Contact Learner Development if they change course
  • Discuss and negotiate coursework deadlines, where appropriate, in advance

Students should not be passive participants in the PLP process. At all stages they will be actively encouraged to meet with their Departmental Disability Co-ordinator and/or personal tutor to discuss their PLP. In addition, students will be encouraged to access all aspects of support available in the university, including study skills development.

4.5Wherever possible, Learner Development will aim to email the PLP to a named contact in the relevant Student Life Office within 48 hours of the PLP being produced. A copy will also be sent to the student’s MMU email account (or handed to the student during the appointment if the student is seen prior to enrolment). Where known, students that may have potentially complex recommendations will be flagged up to the department at this stage by the Advisers sending the PLPs to the named faculty contact as an ‘urgent’ e-mail. The staff in the Student Life Office are responsible for forwarding these ‘urgent’ alerts to the relevant academic staff.

The Learner Development Service will send this plan to the appointed person in the Faculty (usually the Exams officer) and the Library Manager. These people are responsible for distributing the Plan to relevant members of staff in their area eg. tutors, technicians, librarians etc.

4.6For some students this is the only part of assessment process which they will undergo/need. However, most disabled students also want to apply for the ‘Disabled Students’ Allowances’ (DSA) which is financial support available to UK students from an external Funding Body. If this is the case, Learner Development helps them to complete the necessary paperwork and once funding has been agreed, arranges for the student to have ‘part 2’ of the assessment at Access Summit (local assessment centre). For most students, this is where delays in the process can be experienced, not in the production of the PLP.International and EU students are not eligible to apply for DSA funding. Further information on the options available to students not eligible for DSA can be obtained by contacting the Learner Development Service.

5. Personal Learning Plan - Distribution

(Responsibility: Student Life Office)

5.1The responsibility for ensuring that effective systems are in place for the distribution of PLPs once they are forwarded by Learner Development rests with the Faculty Learning and Teaching Group Manager who nominates the Student Life Office Manager (or equivalent) to ensure tasks are undertaken by staff in Faculty Campus Admin teams to support disabled learners. (add in link to admin role tasks)

5.2Each Faculty will need to set up/ maintain its own database of disabled students for the purpose of keeping and distributing PLPs. Learner Development will send each faculty an update of disabled students who are on the central database each term. The Student Life Office Manager should ensure the list is checked and anomalies, if any, are identified and discussed with the Learner Development Administrator within two weeks of receiving the list.

The process for the distribution of PLPs may vary in the matter of detail in each faculty, but the following good practice has been identified and should be adopted wherever possible.

  • Once the electronic version of the PLP is received from Learner Development, a member of staff from the Student Life Office(usually the Exams administrator) adds it to the Faculty database (or similar). Those sent as ‘Urgent’ by Learner Development should be forwarded immediately.
  • The Exams Administrator (or other nominee) then notifies an appropriate member of academic staff (as determined by local arrangements; e.g. programme leader, Departmental Disability Co-ordinator) who makes the decision about which relevant/appropriate staff, involved in the learning and teaching of that student, needs a copy.
  • The Student Life Office Manager also makes sure that a system is in place to ensure that whoever organises exams gets a copy of the PLP to inform them of any exam/ assessment recommendations.

6.Personal Learning Plan Implementation

(Responsibility: Head of Department/Academic staff and student)

6.1The responsibility for ensuring that effective systems/ resources are in place for ensuring that students with a PLP are given the opportunity to speak to an academic member of staff about it rests with the Head of Department.

6.2Staff should not feel that they need to be an expert in disability. The disabled student will often be the expert on their own disability, so be guided by them. If you do have any queries, contact the Learner Development Service for further advice. The Learner Development Service is available to answer queries from staff as well as students.

6.3The value of the PLP process is two-fold. Firstly as a means to communicate the specific arrangements which need to be put in place to support a disabled student, for example, for assessment purposes. Secondly, as a tool to generate discussion concerning the learning and teaching needs of disabled students. As such, every student who has a PLP needs to be given the opportunity to discuss the contents with an academic member of staff (usually a Departmental Disability Co-ordinator and/or personal tutor).

How this is organised will be down to local arrangements. In some departments this role will be taken on by the Departmental Disability Co-ordinator, in others the responsibility may lie with the student’s personal tutor. The responsible person needs to contact the student (method to be agreed locally), inviting them to come in to discuss their PLP, if they want to. Students may be offered an individual appointment time or asked to call in at agreed ‘drop-in’ times.

The main aims of the session are to:

  • Go through the PLP with the student and check out mutual understanding of the recommendations. Agree with the student which recommendations will be of particular relevance to meet the students’ needs on the specific course and discuss alternative ways of providing support if appropriate/ necessary.
  • Reassure the student that there is someone they can talk to, in confidence, about their learning and teaching needs if they need to.
  • Let the student know that they can come back to see you if their situation changes, or they have any concerns at a later date. This may be particularly important if they are due to go out on placement at a later date in their course and have concerns about disclosing their disability to the placement provider.

Obviously, students cannot be forced to attend if they don’t want to. In these situations it is advisable to keep a record of when and how contact was made.

7.0 Common queries/useful informationfor academic staff

7.1 Recommendations made in PLPs

Recommendations made in PLPs have been approved by a subgroup of theUniversity Disability Network Group. Membership of this group is made up of Departmental Disability Co-ordinators, Student Life Office staff, Learner Development plus representatives from other central services such as the Library, Centre for Learning and Teaching (CeLT), Centre for Academic Standards and Quality Enhancement (CASQE), Information Communications Technology Service (ICTS). The group reports to the University’s Diversity and Equal Opportunities Committee. The PLP recommendations are reviewed annually and suggestions can be fed to this group all year round via the Departmental Disability Co-ordinators or by e-mailing .

7.2Delays in receiving Personal Learning Plans

Based on the information received from the Recruitment and Admissions team, Learner Development will make contact with all prospective students who have declared a disability at least 6 months before the start of the new academic year. Learning Development Advisers will prioritise students with multiple or complex needs and will continue to see and assess students over the summer on receipt of appropriate medical evidence and a completed disclosure form. PLPs are sent out to faculties as soon as possible, usually within 1-2 days of seeing the student, to ensure that faculty staff are given as much notice as possible regarding students’ difficulties.

If a student claims to have a PLP and academic staff have no knowledge of this, the first point of contact should be the Student Life Office. The Student Life Office should be able to check this and clarify whether a PLP has been received from Learner Development. If the PLP has been received then the internal processes should be looked into as to why the PLP was not distributed. If the Student Life Office has no record of a PLP, then contact should be made with Learner Development who will look into the matter.