The Local Offer for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Post-16 Further Education and Training provision

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1 The Local Offer for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Post-16 Further Education and Training provision 2014/15 Academic Year The following information must set out the provision, facilities and support available for young people with SEND to access and progress in Further Education (FE), including sixth form and general FE Colleges, training providers and Independent Specialist Provision (ISP). The information has been split into specific sections and aligns to the draft SEND Code of Practice 1 published in April Amendments, if required, will be made once the final SEND Code of Practice is published. Annex 1 of this document outlines the statutory duty pertaining to post-16 FE and training provision to be included in the Local Offer and should be read in conjunction with this form. Provision through FE and training should maximise young people s potential for independence, focusing on long term goals, with a specific focus on paid employment. The time spent in FE and training should provide each young person with a firm foundation from which to continue their learning in context through living and working in their local community after completing formal learning. Please provide as much detail as possible within the sections below as this will enable young people, families and professionals to understand your provision and navigate the local offer more effectively. Where a web link can be provided to access the information in more detail, please reference this. Provider Details Provider Name: Provider Type: Provision specialism/s: Bromley College of Further and Higher Education Further and Higher Education Learning for Living and Work Programmes for young people with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities Vocational Courses Higher Educational Courses Address: Contact telephone number: Rookery Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 8HE 1 1

2 Provider Details Contact address: Web page: Contact for SEND Provision: Rhona Sapsford Education Provision Curriculum offer for young people with SEND in mainstream settings, including online and blended learning and structure i.e. number of days / hours per week Curriculum offer for young people with SEND in specialist settings (including units within mainstream settings), including online and blended learning and structure i.e. number of days / hours per week Wherever possible, young people with SEND are integrated into all mainstream courses that are offered within the College. All these courses can be found on the Bromley College website ( which gives entry requirements and the structure of the programmes. However, where more specialist provision is required, a range of courses are provided within the Nido Volans Centre. The Nido Volans Centre is a specialist Centre based at the Rookery Lane campus of Bromley College. The Learning for Living and Work team provide a range of programmes to meet the educational needs of young people with difficulties/disabilities ranging from moderate to complex. The programmes aim to develop the skills of the young people in order that they can live more independent lives and as appropriate, develop their employability skills ready to move into employment. Our courses can be found under Learning for Living Work on the Bromley College website, link : Learning for Living and Work programmes Our study programme hours range between hours per year. Young people on our Personal Progression Pathways are offered a timetable that runs for 4 days per week. Our other employability courses vary in days, but current information can be found on the College website. Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Supported Internship offer The Learning for Living and Work team run a Level 1 pre-apprenticeship style programme called Preparation for Retail. The young people come to College one day per week and for the rest of the week, they undertake up to 4 days of work experience with a retail employer. This course is delivered at our Orpington Campus. 2

3 Education Provision Bromley College provides a range of apprentice opportunities delivered through the vocational curriculum areas within the College and are managed by Capital B. Differentiated learning takes place across all courses at Bromley College to ensure all learners individual needs are met. Young people with SEND are assessed, additional support put in place where required and relevant information circulated to teaching staff to ensure they are able to address all the needs of the young people. Approaches to teaching young people with SEND, including adaptations to ensure progress within differentiated learning In addition, Personal Progression Pathway programmes are tailor made programmes for young people with severe to complex learning difficulties. The young person s timetables are created from their own aspirations together with the long term goals highlighted within their Education, Health and Care Plans. Subjects available include, independent living, horticulture for work and leisure, communication through arts and crafts, communication through performing arts, communication through music, employability through manufacturing, media studies for work and leisure, personal development and adult relationships, road safety and travel training, sport and recreation for a healthy lifestyle, employability through business enterprise and work experience and residential experience, English and maths. Extra-curricular activities available for young people that complement the learning experience, including eligibility and access The young people are all invited to take part in the Enrichment programme which is run by the College Student Experience Team every Wednesday afternoon and is supported by our own learning support assistants. We pride ourselves on the use of our local community to enrich our programmes. Young people use the local supermarkets to shop for their independent living classes, they familiarize themselves with local bus and train routes during travel training sessions and use other local facilities such as the local leisure centres, libraries and cinema. Availability of mixed learning across institutions i.e. specialist college and mainstream college Wherever possible, learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are integrated into 3

4 Education Provision courses within the mainstream provision. However, there is also a specialist area (the Nido Volans Centre) based within Bromley College, that has a specialist curriculum, its own discreet entrance and dedicated rooms and workshops. Support to access and progress in education Every young person is treated as an individual and their educational needs and support requirements are assessed individually. Young people with or without SEND applying for mainstream courses must meet the course entry criteria as indicated on the College website. They are then invited for a taster event to assess their aptitude for the vocational area chosen. If the young person is applying for a specialist course, once an application form is received, the young people are invited in and are interviewed with their parent/carers. Eligibility criteria for young people with SEND The young people applying for the Personal Progression Pathway programmes will undertake a period of assessment ranging from 1-4 days Following this period of assessment and with additional information gathered from schools, the LEA and other support agencies, a decision is made as to whether we can meet the young persons needs and equally importantly what support requirements need to be put in place in order that they can be successful on their programme. Some students, where appropriate, would be asked to complete an assessment of their English and maths to ensure they meet the entry criteria for their course. If the level of English and maths does not meet the criteria then further advice and guidance is given by our experienced team to ensure that a more appropriate course is offered. Arrangements for accessible careers advice and guidance, including access to benefits advice All students receive support from their personal tutors in relation to progression opportunities within the Learning for Living and Work programmes, the wider College or transition from College eg into employment. 4

5 Support to access and progress in education The teaching staff within the Learning for Living and Work team are experienced in working with young people with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities. Expertise in teaching and support staff (including basic awareness, enhanced and specialist), including staff training programmes Our vocational teaching staff are all trained and are experts in their area. Teachers teaching English and maths are all trained to a high standard in their subjects. Our learning support staff have years of experience working with young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. The Learning for Living and Work team are trained in the use of Makaton signing. Support available for young people with SEND (where not detailed elsewhere) Assessment process, including partnership working with schools to inform and support assessment Transition support from school, including link courses and tasters etc. All young people with SEND are assessed with respect to any additional support they may require. As a result of this assessment, support plans are put in place to ensure all the young people are able to reach their full potential within their learning programme. Where necessary, reasonable adjustments are made to ensure the learners can access the full curriculum. All young people, whether applying for mainstream or specialist provision are invited in for an interview. This may be in the form of an individual interview or a taster event in the case of many mainstream courses and is the start of the assessment process. Depending on the course and the individual needs of the young person, an assessment process is organized that will include a learning needs assessment to ascertain the additional support what is required, input from their previous educational establishment and the LEA, English and maths assessment (where appropriate) and a transition programme (again, where appropriate). Depending on the individual case, this could be supplemented through meetings with the Transition workers from the LEA s and/or parents/carers, attendance at school review meetings and visits to the school by the College s teaching staff. The Learning for Living and Work team provide a range of link programmes for students attending local feeder schools. The young people take part in a range of activities including media, multi skills, hairdressing and performing arts. 5

6 Support to access and progress in education Other local schools have permission use our facilities but deliver their own programmes in order to slowly familiarize the young people with the Nido Volans Centre which ensures a smoother transition should the young people wish to join the College. In partnership with the LEA, a specialist transition is being provided for a few young people who would not be able to make the transition from school to College without a regular, prolonged programme over their final year at school. Taster days and very short programmes are also provided to aid transition for some learners. The Nido Volans Centre is fully accessible with lifts, ramps, accessible toilets, hoists and changing facilities all within the Centre. Adaptations to the curriculum, learning environment and access to ancillary aids and assistive technology e.g. communication aids Supported by our Speech and Language Therapists students have access and use of a variety of communication aids. These include the use of Makaton signs and symbols, PECS, IPads with assistive technology. Communication aids and other specialist requirements would be identified during our assessment process to ensure they are in place with the young person starts their programme. Access to the Bursary fund, including eligibility and use Assessing and reviewing progress against outcomes, including how you work with parents/carers to do so Bromley College has a Bursary Fund, which students can apply for subject to eligibility. Bromley College provides free midday meals to those who are eligible. All young people on courses at Bromley College have their progress reviewed 3 times per year, the results of which are forwarded to parents/carers for comment. Those young people with an Education, Health and Care plans have an additional Annual Review towards the end of each academic year. The young people, their parents/carers, and any other agency supporting the young person are invited to contribute to the Annual Review. Bromley College encourages regular contact with parents, but in addition, all parents/carers are invited for Parents Evenings throughout the year to discuss the young person s progress and are encouraged to work closely with the staff to maximize success. 6

7 Support to access and progress in education Access to therapies (such as SaLT, Physio and OT) and services relating to mental health that educate or train a young person Facilities available to meet specific medical/health conditions Referral mechanisms in place to access support not ordinarily available i.e. health therapies, mental health and advice for young people around housing, benefits etc. Transition planning support for young people moving on from further education/training (including transition to Higher Education and, where relevant, transition from a residential setting to home/local community setting) Speech and Language Therapists are based within the Learning for Living and Work team and work with the young people, the teachers and the support staff to ensure they can access the curriculum to the best of their ability. The Nido Volans Centre has a medical/therapy room where we can facilitate the provision of therapies provided and funded by the local authorities and relevant health care partners. The Learning for Living and Work team can administer some medications to the young people as long as full training is given and appropriate paperwork is in place. Although there is a medical/therapy room Bromley College does not have the expertise to provide medical care for young people with medical health care needs. If a young person has identified medical needs that could not be met by the College, this is highlighted during the assessment and a request that these needs be met by professionals outside of the College is made to the LEA. Personal tutors and course leaders support the young person and their families with other referrals should they arise during their time at the College. The tutorial system within the College prepares all learners for transition from the College into higher education, further training or employment. For young people leaving the specialist courses within the Nido Volans Centre, the Learning for Living and Work team host a Progression event in May, where the young people and their parents/carers are invited to come and meet with a large range of agencies who offer a variety of opportunities post College and who work with the families to plan their progression. Planning & Reviewing Provision How young people are involved in shaping the offer Young people s views from a variety of sources inform the development of the offer for young people with SEND. End of year feedback from learners is used to shape the offer for the following year. There is also consultation with special schools, with feedback from their learners informing the development of progression paths for them within the College. 7

8 Planning & Reviewing Provision Voluntary organizations also engage with the young people they are working with and feedback to the College the kind of learning and personal development opportunities they would like to see available in the College. How provision is assessed, including evaluating effectiveness of provision The College s self-assessment procedure ensures that all provision is assessed and evaluated for its effectiveness. Regular reviews are undertaken at programme and learner level, with the quality of the teaching and learning reported on regularly through the monthly team meetings. Data reports, learner feedback and external verifier/examiners reports are used during the reviews and these reviews inform the termly monitoring meetings that are led by the Quality Team. Any areas for improvement are recorded and action plans created and monitored. How young people are involved in reviewing the offer and how their views are taken into account (including feedback) Support for learners to make their voice heard including advocacy support Arrangements for communicating with and involving parents/carers in young people s education and training, including reviewing progress The College has a robust Learner Voice process and this, together with informal and formal evaluation processes feed into the quality assurance process to ensure the offer meet their needs. The College promotes this through the You said We did process. Tutors support the young people in the Learner Voice process, acting as advocates as necessary. All young people on courses at Bromley College have their progress reviewed 3 times per year, the results of which are forwarded to parents/carers for comment. Those young people with an Education, Health and Care plans have an additional Annual Review towards the end of each academic year. The young people, their parents/carers, and any other agency supporting the young person are invited to contribute to the Annual Review. Bromley College encourages regular contact with parents, but in addition, all parents/carers are invited for Parents Evenings throughout the year to discuss the young person s progress and are encouraged to work closely with the staff to maximize success. 8

9 The following sections focus specifically on the four key pathways 2 which support young people to prepare more effectively for adult life and align to the draft SEND Code of Practice (April 2014). Please outline how your offer aligns to each of the life pathways. Employment There are a range of mainstream courses that young people with SEND can access (see the College website) that focus on employment. The specialist courses within Nido Volans Centre are as follows: Curriculum offer focusing on employment Personal Progression Pathway options Introduction to Work Employment Preparation Vocational Taster Programme Preparation for Retail Opportunities for work experience and voluntary work within the offer Support to find paid work, including job coach support, vocational profiling, systematic instruction and partnership working with specialist organisations Entrepreneurship support self-employment, social enterprise start-ups, community interest groups etc. The College aims to provide work experience for all its mainstream learners, but this does depend on local availability and the constraints of the programme. With the exception of Personal Progression Pathways, all courses within the Nido Volans Centre offer work experience and/or voluntary work for young people with SEND. Job coach support is available. The College works with a number of voluntary organizations to improve and develop job opportunities for young people with SEND eg Jobmatch. A Personal Progression pathway option sets up a business enterprise through which learners sell goods and items that have been made or grown in the vocational areas. They form a small company and replicate a business organization structure to manage the market stalls that run regularly through the year. In-work support arrangements e.g. Access to Work 2 9

10 Employment Other information that supports this pathway Friends, Relationships and Community Curriculum offer focusing on increasing social interaction and accessing the community Personal Progression Pathway options Introduction to Work Employment Preparation Vocational Taster Programme Preparation for Retail Buddying / peer mentoring support systems for young people Groups and networks that enable young people to make friends and socialise The College runs a nightclub for young people with SEND once a month Wild Goose. Other information that supports this pathway Independent Living Curriculum offer focusing on independent living skills Personal Progression Pathway options Introduction to Work Employment Preparation Opportunities for residential options as part of the curriculum (if applicable) The Personal Progression Pathway offers the young people an option for a residential experience for one week during the course of the programme. Support for young people and families to transfer learning from college to home, including how progress is communicated to families to support consolidation Tutors are in regular contact with parents/carers informally and formally through the review process, parents evenings and contact books where appropriate. 10

11 Independent Living Independent travel training Personal Progression Pathway options Introduction to Work Other information that supports this pathway Good Health Curriculum offer focusing on maintaining and improving health Counselling and support groups for young people to meet emotional well-being and mental health needs Personal Progression Pathway options Introduction to Work Employment Preparation Vocational Taster Programme Enrichment programme A College counsellor is available on request. Other information that supports this pathway Annex 1 Extract from Draft SEND Code of Practice (April 2014) relating to post-16 further education and training provision Overview of the Local Offer Include information about: special educational, health and social care provision for children and young people with SEN or disabilities this should include online and blended learning other educational provision, for example sports or arts provision post-16 education and training provision apprenticeships, traineeships and supported internships arrangements for travel to and from school, post-16 institutions and early years providers support to help children and young people move between phases of education (for example from early years to school, from primary to secondary) and to prepare for adulthood leisure activities Ensure the local offer includes eligibility criteria where relevant 11

12 Involve parents and young people directly in discussions and decisions about the support available to them individually and more strategically Engagement requirements for the Local Offer Development of the Local Offer Involve children with SEN or disabilities and their parents and young people with SEN or disabilities in: planning the content of the Local Offer Content of the Local Offer Educational provision Set out in their Local Offer an authority-wide description of the educational and training provision children and young people with SEN or disabilities can expect to be provided from the funding provided to providers of relevant early years education, schools and the full range of post-16 providers in their area. This includes information about the arrangements in place for: identifying the particular SEN of children and young people consulting with parents of disabled children with SEN and disabled young people with SEN approaches to teaching, adaptations to curriculum, the learning environment and access to ancillary aids and assistive technology, including Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and disabled children and young people and those with SEN assessing and reviewing pupils and students progress towards outcomes, including how they work with parents and young people in doing so supporting disabled children and young people and those with SEN in moving between phases of education and preparing for adulthood and independent living securing the services, provision and equipment required by children and young people with SEN or disabilities securing expertise among teachers, lecturers or other professionals to support children and young people with SEN or disabilities this should include professional development to secure expertise at different levels: - awareness(to give a basic awareness of a particular type of SEN, appropriate for all staff who will come into contact with a child or young person with that type of SEN) - enhanced (how to adapt teaching and learning to meet a particular type of SEN, for early years practitioners, class and subject teachers/lecturers and teaching assistants working directly with the child or young person on a regular basis), and - specialist (in-depth training about a particular type of SEN, for staff who will be advising and supporting those with enhanced-level skills and knowledge) assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of the education and training provision they make for children and young people with SEN or disabilities enabling disabled children and young people and those with SEN to have access to facilities and extra-curricular activities that are available to those who use the setting, and supporting the emotional, mental and social development of disabled children and young people and those with SEN (this should include extra pastoral support arrangements for listening to the views of pupils and students with SEN and measures to prevent bullying) Other educational provision Local arrangements for collaboration between institutions to support those with SEN (for example, cluster or partnership working between post-16 institutions or shared services between schools) 12

13 Health provision Include information about provision made by health professionals for children and young people with SEN or disabilities. This must include: speech and language and other therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy and services relating to mental health (these must be treated as special educational provision where they educate or train a child or young person) services assisting relevant early years providers, schools and post-16 institutions to support children and young people with medical conditions Social care provision Include information about social care services supporting children and young people with SEN or disabilities. This should include: leisure activities support for young people in living independently and finding appropriate accommodation and employment Provide a range of short breaks for disabled children, young people and their families, and prepare a short breaks duty statement giving details of the local range of services and how they can be accessed, including any eligibility criteria (The Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011) Set out the support groups and others who can support parent carers of disabled children and how to contact them Training and apprenticeships Identify training opportunities, supported employment services, apprenticeships, traineeships, supported internships and support available from supported employment services available to young people in the area to provide a smooth transition from education and training into employment Transport include information about arrangements for transport provision, including for those up to age 25 with an EHC plan, and this should include local authorities policy statements, including information about: any support available from the local authority or others with transport costs Support available to children and young people to help them prepare for adulthood Set out the support available to help children and young people with SEN or disabilities move into adulthood Information, advice and support Provide information for parents and young people about where to get information and advice 13