Disability Support

Disability Support

To ensure that your needs are catered for we can offer:

  • individual consultation and supportive sessions with the Learning Support Senior Advisor,
  • screening for specific learning difficulties (including Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD),
  • a programme of specialist study skills tuition within the School,
  • assessments, recommendations and adjustments of residential and learning environments,
  • liaison with academic departments to make special arrangements for auditions, interviews, examinations and to ensure students’ needs are being met in learning and performance contexts.

In addition we have counsellors and mentors who are available to support students who need this. The Learning Support Senior Advisor also works closely with the Health & Welfare Officer to ensure that students with longer-term health needs receive suitable advice and support.
We can make referrals for diagnostic assessments, guide students through the process of applying for Disabled Students' Allowance, provide information on alternative financial support where required, support students as they begin to use specialist equipment/software and implement new strategies for studying.

The Learning Support Senior Advisor

If you are thinking about coming to the Guildhall School to study, the Learning Support Senior Advisor can meet or talk with you on the telephone, to discuss your needs, the demands of the course and the provision for people with disabilities – in order to assist you in making a decision about applying or accepting a place. This can take place during an open day or at any time during the academic year that is convenient for you.

Learning Resources

The IT department has provided additional workstations which offer specialist facilities for dyslexic or visually impaired students including large letter keyboards, Inspirations; Read and Write software, Lunar magnification package and Dragon Speech software. There is also a Training Room within the Student Affairs department where students receive support with planning and assembling academic assignments and developing IT/research skills. Please note that support for English as a foreign language is provided by the Academic Departments. The Library is also extremely supportive of students with disabilities – help is available for navigating around library resources, using electronic databases and extended loans can be arranged for those who need them.

Getting Support

The following FAQ should help to guide you through any questions you might have about accessing support for a disability and/or a long-term medical condition, and direct you to the people who can offer more information.

Non-Medical Helper Information for Practitioners/Needs Assessors

The information below is intended for disability practitioners, particularly Needs Assessors who are writing an Assessment of Needs report. It includes the current rates charged for supporting students with a disability and is a requirement of DSA- QAG, (Disabled Students Allowances Quality Assurance Group), that we publish this information on our website.

Non-Medical Helper Support

Guildhall School of Music & Drama aims to provide non-medical helper support to all of our disabled students as required. Where we do not necessarily have the support in-house, we work and liaise with external specialist agencies to provide this.

If you require any further information regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact: