When You Need Support in Secondary

The Secondary Learning Support HUB at DCC is a busy, bustling place filled with both staff and students. When entering, you’re welcomed by our Support Admin Assistant Madeline Ius, and you’ll likely cross paths with one of our 19 dedicated Learning Assistants, our two part-time Learning Support Teachers, or the Head of Learning Support Sharon O’Connor. 

This year, the HUB was renovated and redesigned to better meet the needs of our students. The updates include dimmable lights for a calmer atmosphere, a new kitchen space, fresh furniture, and an expanded HUB room that allows more students to access support at the same time. We’ve also added extra desks for small room assessments, making it easier for students to work in a quiet, supported environment. The result is a space that is both practical and welcoming, one that reflects our commitment to inclusion and student wellbeing. 

Currently, Learning Support at DCC supports over 300 of our secondary students. Inside you will find: 

• A place where students attend HUB classes - small-group assistance that provides help with organisation, executive functioning, and social/emotional health and wellbeing. 

   

• A setting for small room assessments, where students can demonstrate their learning in a quieter, more supported environment. 

   

• A wellbeing space, where students can pause, breathe, and reset before returning to class. 

   

• A private room for SSGs (Student Support Group meetings) where students, parents, teachers, and support staff meet to plan strategies that best support the needs of our learners. 

   

• A place where senior students can make a cup of tea and find a moment of calm in the middle of a demanding school day. 

There are many reasons why a student might come through our doors. A student with dyslexia, for example, may find decoding written words challenging, even if they are insightful, articulate, and creative. 

Others come because of anxiety, which makes it hard to focus in class, sustain energy, or cope with the pace of school life.  

Some students have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a lifelong difference in the way the brain processes social communication, sensory input, and change. They might find social interactions confusing or exhausting, or need consistency and structure to feel safe. 

Others live with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a developmental condition affecting the brain’s self-management system. While all young people show inattention or restlessness at times, those with ADHD experience these at a persistent, developmentally inappropriate level. It can make school overwhelming, even though their ideas and creativity are often outstanding. 

Sometimes students have more than one diagnosis. Research shows co-occurrence is common: many with ADHD also have learning difficulties, and many autistic students also experience anxiety. 

The percentage of students needing adjustments and provisions in secondary school is increasing. Unfortunately, not every student feels able to ask for help. Some hide their struggles, hoping no one notices. Some would rather “blend in” than admit they need something different. 

The HUB is here to change that. We want every student to know: different is not less. Needing help is not weakness. And walking into the Learning Support HUB is not a sign of failure; rather, it’s a sign of strength. 

What matters most isn’t whether you fit perfectly into a box. It’s whether you’re learning, growing, and discovering the wonderful ways your brain can thrive.