CLaSS

Waltham Forest Community Learning & Skills Service

Supporting Learners

If you have a health problem or disability that might affect your learning, please let us know. We may be able to give you extra support to help you to complete your course. We would like to help you meet your needs as early as possible, so please let us know about them when you book on your course or speak to your lecturer or centre staff at any time during your course.

We can provide a range of equipment such as:

  • Hearing loops
  • Magnifiers
  • Brailing machine
  • Computer hardware and software

We can provide support staff, for example:

  • Communicators
  • Learning Support Assistants

    • Support can also include help with:

  • Writing - for example, for course work
  • Study skills
  • English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL)
  • Dyslexia support
  • Numeracy

Childcare

CLaSS runs crèches for pre school children aged one to three in four main centres. As the number of crèche places is limited they are available to learners on certain courses only - ESOL, English Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Family Learning. The crèches are free, but there is a small charge for refreshments. Our crèches work to Ofsted Standard and provide high quality childcare. Our aim is to keep every child safe and to support their development through quality play. If you need a crèche place please speak to staff when you enrol on one of these courses. You may need to be placed on a waiting list. We will contact you as soon as a place becomes available.

Please note: Sometimes schools are closed when our courses are running. When this happens you cannot bring school age children to our crèches.

The Learner Support Fund

CLaSS has a small hardship fund which can assist learners on a limited number of government approved courses leading to specified qualifications. This is available to learners who can demonstrate financial hardship. This includes learners on an income-based benefit or those on a low income. Help may be available for course fees, course books and materials, examination fees and accreditation costs. Contact any CLaSS centre for further details.

Equal Opportunities

CLaSS, as part of Waltham Forest Council, is committed to the active promotion of quality of opportunity, valuing and celebrating diversity and challenging and eliminating discrimination. CLaSS works hard to provide local people, communities and employers with high quality learning opportunities and to increase the number of learners from under represented groups and areas.

  • "I want more cooking skills and I want to learn how to follow a recipe."

    "I'm useless in the kitchen. That's why I'm here. I attempt to cook for my family - but I'm no good at it."
  • "It's the highlight of the week. I really look forward to my Spanish class - and it feels great being able to speak Spanish in Spain."
  • "The standard of most work is excellent, with some better described as exceptional."

    City and Guilds examiner reporting on CLaSS's fashion and textiles work.
  • "I'm getting on for 84 now. I couldn't believe my luck last year when I realised I could attend basic computer classes. I started with the complete basics and I now have qualifications in word processing and databases - and have started my own blog."
  • "My friends in other parts of London are astonished by what you can do here in Waltham Forest. The British Wheel of Yoga Foundation course was inspirational - and I am now well on the way to becoming a fully qualified yoga teacher. Carry on the good work, CLaSS!"
  • "My brother was born deaf. None of us - my parents or my other brothers - ever learnt sign language. I can't believe that now. It seems so wrong. Now thanks to CLaSS I've really learnt to communicate properly with my brother"
  • "I work at an estate agents as a receptionist. I mentioned I was taking a photography course with CLaSS and now I do all the property shoots. I'm even getting paid a bit more!"
  • "I speak four languages and have been an interpreter for five years - but I've never had any formal training before now. This course is amazing - if we discuss something on our course one week,it always comes up at work the next - like not going inside the house before the social worker arrives."
  • "Parenting courses are great! You realise that everyone has the same worries as you - and that there are practical strategies you can learn that really do work. I thank the Lord for the Calm Parent - Calm Children course I attended."
  • "I cook - but I don't follow recipes and amounts. My daughter is doing cookery GCSE at school and I'd like to help her with that."