We welcome and value all students and want to ensure you have the opportunity to achieve your goals.

NEC’s delivery model is self-directed and self-paced learning. Many students find this flexibility is welcome. For some, occasional or regular support from a specialist tutor will enable them to reach their full potential. The list below details the types of support NEC can offer.

  • Study Skills
  • Personal Timetable creation
  • Regular Monitoring of progress
  • Meeting deadlines
  • Exam preparation
  • Support to access services for mental health support

Wellbeing For Learning Programme

NEC's Pastoral Officer has created a series of focused sessions throughout the year which provide students with the space to explore any barriers to learning they may have. The sessions provide information and techniques regarding how to be a successful online distance learner.

  • The sessions are free of charge for NEC enrolled students.
  • Live, engaging and supportive.
  • Every other month.
  • Topics include: Getting Started, Motivation and Procrastination, Revision and Anxiety.

Initiating support

You may have had a conversation with our Pre-Enrolment Team about the services we offer to enrolled students, and would like to put this support in place You may have made contact with the NEC Pastoral Officer through the Student Support Team. Or our Pastoral Officer may have reached out to you.

Either route is fine, and will be met with the same professional and supportive response.

Stage 1

The NEC Pastoral Officer can offer Stage 1 support remotely. Many students find this stage to be enough to move them forward with their studies. The Stage 1 pastoral support includes three focused calls with the Pastoral Officer. During these calls the Pastoral Officer will work with you to identify the areas which require support and to address these directly, where they fall into one of the support types listed on page 2. The calls can be over a period of time agreed with the Pastoral Officer and at times convenient to you and the Pastoral Officer.

  1. If you are the parent / guardian of an under 18 student, or of an adult learner who is registered as vulnerable, we will always invite you to attend meetings with the Pastoral Officer and the student.
  2. We also offer the option for the initial meeting with the Pastoral Officer to be between you and the Pastoral Officer, as part of planning for subsequent meetings with the student.

It may be during this stage of support that you and the Pastoral Officer agree that further on a different type of support is required. It is at this point they will discuss the next stage.

Stage 2

Most students find the three Stage 1 Pastoral Officer sessions to be sufficient to help them move forward with their studies.

Student Support

It may be that you do not require specialist support but would like to put in place regular meetings to track progress, enhance your study skills, and to support you to meet your learning goals. These can be weekly, every other week, monthly or ad hoc as you require.

This can be arranged at an additional fee:

  • 30 mins - £45
  • 60 mins - £60

To arrange a Study Support tutorial please email student.support@nec.ac.uk


Specialist Support

For some students further or more specialist support may be required. To ensure NEC can secure expert next stage support we work with our external partner Soli.

Soli allows students to access pastoral support to ensure that they are not hindered by a SEN or mental health concerns.

Areas Soli can support include:

  • Dyslexia
  • CBT
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Dyscalculia
  • ADHD
  • Eating Disorders
  • Dysgraphia
  • Anxiety
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Grief Counselling

By partnering with Soli we can offer students access to professional support. NEC students can book an initial free consultation with Soli. After this call students can take advantage of a partner discount for further sessions. It may be that you have identified your support via other partners, and this is absolutely fine.

By engaging with our Pastoral Support Service you are declaring your understanding of the service as laid out in this leaflet. Information you share with NEC during your engagement with the service will be stored securely on password protected systems, and will only be shared with internal staff and NEC tutors where sharing is considered to be appropriate.

Ready to find out more?

Please contact Student Support if you require any further information.

By engaging with our Pastoral Care Service you are declaring your understanding of the service as laid out above. Information you share with NEC during your engagement with the service will be stored securely on password protected systems, and will only be shared with internal staff and NEC tutors where sharing is considered to be appropriate.