Ms Claire O'Connell:

Yes, an individual learning plan. It probably varies somewhat on how it is approached in every education centre. From my experience of the process where I am working, when students come to school, they are interviewed by one of the teachers or deputy head teacher to establish a bit about their educational background and what they would like to do. We try to establish if the students have any difficulties with reading or writing that they would like to work on. Our literacy teacher does a literacy assessment and I link in with the students as a guidance counsellor and put together a plan moving forward. If students are starting a QQI level 2 award, we get them started on it and see if they can get through a full award. That process is part of an individual learning plan. We check in with students at least two to three times a year, which is documented, to see if they achieved the goals that were set, if we need to re-evaluate their goals, and whether there is anything else they would like to do.