REACH forIndependence

&REACH for Work

Take Your Place with Solihull College

Welcome to Solihull College’s offer for young people with a Learning Difficulty. As a college we areseeking to significantly increase our engagement with young people and adults and to increase ouroffer of full time and part time formal and informal learning opportunities to successfully meet theneeds of this sector of the community.

We hope you find the information within this brochure helpful. We are confident we can offer youngpeople a positive experience that will equip them with the Life Skills that they need to move forwardinto work or further independence. Courses are available at our Blossomfield Campus in Solihull andfrom 2014 also at our Woodlands Campus in Smith’s Wood.

Part of our offer includes a formal transition process from School to College. This includes carefultransition planning. Wherever possible we will work with partner schools and other organisations toenable young people to progress seamlessly into the next phase of their learning and development.We would seek to visit prospective students in their current educational establishment where we areable, and would have full access to individual transition plans.

Solihull College Reach programmes are designed to offer all our students an opportunity to developconfidence and independence in a safe and supportive environment. In support of this we also offera range of enrichment activities. Recently these have included:

• A week with Calvert Trust • A range of activities through our Student Liaison Team• Links with Sport and Recreation area to develop the “Special Olympics” event• Birmingham Library• Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery• Sea Life Centre

Welcome to

SOLIHULL COLLEGE

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ContEntsOur Campuses................................................................................................ 04

Partnerships .................................................................................................... 05

REACH for Independence.......................................................................... 06

REACH for Independence Example Timetable.................................. 07

REACH for Work Example Timetable .................................................... 08

REACH for Work Example Timetable .................................................... 09

Progression .................................................................................................... 10

Additional Support ...................................................................................... 11

“David has attended Solihull CollegeAdditional Learning Department for the last

6 years from the age of 19. Having gone from thesecurity of a "special school" setting for 15 years,I faced the prospect of "letting him go" to a huge

mainstream college with "open doors" (the possibilityof escaping!) and hundreds of students. I worried morethan David who just loved his new found independence.

He has flourished with the help of Sallie and the teamand matured into the young man he is today.

It's great to see him greet people whilst outshopping and stop to say "hello" and for him

to tell me he sees them at College.”Jean Thomason

Solihull College Reach for Independence / Reach for Work04

oUR CAMPUsEs

There’s a buzz about Woodlands that makes it an exciting, hands-on place to learn. Recentlydoubled in size, it’s bursting with career-focused courses that offer the chance for students toperfect their skills. Boasting six new workshops for cars, motorcycles, engines and MOTs, inaddition to our existing Engineering courses, Woodlands Campus now incorporate a new state-of-the-art specialist centre for students on all our construction programmes including multi-cra,bricklaying, painting & decorating, plumbing, plastering and carpentry.

Woodlands Campus

Blossomfield CampusA £31m redevelopment scheme has transformed our Blossomfield Campus into one of the country’smost impressive centres of learning. Facilities across a broad range of subjects are second-to-none,much like the setting – a green, relaxing environment with ample parking and handy links to the towncentre. New developments are also in the works, with new classrooms and extended refectoryplanned for the coming year!

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In developing our Reach programmes Solihull College is building on its extensive experience gainedover a number of years working successfully with a range of young people with learning difficulties.We have an excellent, experienced and qualified team of specialist tutors and Learning SupportAssistants. In addition to this we are extending current partnerships in order to offer furtheropportunities for learning, enrichment activities and for supported learning.

• Our current partners include:

• Reynalds Cross

• Newlands Bishop Farm

• Brooklands Hospital

• Parkview Day Centre

• Solihull Action Through Advocacy (SATA)

• Hereward College

• Support Towards Employment and Progression (STEPS)

• Solihull MBC

• Adult Social Services

• Solihull Life Opportunities (SOLO)

We also pride ourselves on our work in partnership with parents and are currently establishing aparent consultative group.

Partnerships

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A supportive, creative, interactive programme designed to enable all students to develop confidence,self esteem and independent life skills.

This programme will include:

• Classroom based activities• Practical activities in a real life environment • Access to the local community and its varied facilities using public transport

Subjects that might be covered as part of the life and living skills would include:

• Household skills• Food safety• Cooking• Time and money• Personal safety• Travel• Shopping• Personal skills

In addition to Life and Living Skills learners will also continue todevelop their Literacy, Numeracy and ICT skills at a levelappropriate to their needs. These skills will also beembedded into the programme including naturallyoccurring learning opportunities

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An example timetable for the REACH to Independence offer would be as follows:

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

9.00-10.30

Partnership Work with STEPS/Newlands Bishop Farm/Colebridge

11.00-12.30 1.30-3.00Lunch

Literacy

Numeracy

NumeracyLife and LivingSkills

Life and LivingSkills

Life and LivingSkills

Life and LivingSkills

Life and LivingSkills

Life and LivingSkills

Group Tutorial

ITC

Literacy

Solihull College Reach for Independence / Reach for Work08

An active learning programme designed to introduce all students to a range of new skills andexperiences in diverse vocational areas.

The core curriculum of this programme incorporates Personal and Social Development wherebystudents can gain skills and knowledge to aid them both in college, the workplace and in everydaylife. Some of the units covered include:

• Healthy Living• Money Management • Career Progression

The vocational options include a sample of some of the vocational based programmes that SolihullCollege has to offer. These may include:

• Hair and Beauty• Engineering and Motor Vehicle• ICT• Business and Administration• Animal Care• Construction• Catering• Design and Art and Cra• Horticulture• Sport, Leisure and Tourism

REACHfor Work

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An example timetable for the REACH to work offer would be as follows:

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

9.00-10.30

Partnership Work

11.00-12.30 1.30-3.00Lunch

Literacy

Numeracy

Numeracy

Personal andSocial

Development

VocationalOption

Group Tutorial

ITC

Literacy

ITC

VocationalOption

VocationalOption

Personal andSocial

Development

Solihull College Reach for Independence / Reach for Work10

Learners may have the opportunity to progress from Entry Level 1 up to Entry Level 3 within theReach for Independence programme. Some learners may progress from REACH to Independence toREACH for Work and vice versa.

Other progression routes would be available. These would include progression onto theEmployability and Personal Skills programme which has clear links with outside employmentagencies. As a college we have excellent relations with local and regional employers.

Solihull College also offers apprenticeship programmes in most areas and we are exploringSupported Internships with local employers and other partners.

We are ambitious in our work with all students with a Learning Difficulty and we seek to raiseaspirations according to the potential of each individual. Our work is focused on progression,personal growth and skills development.

Progression

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Solihull College offers an empathic, holistic approach to meeting the needs of individual learners. We have a specialist highly skilled team including specialist Additional Needs Support with individualsupport tutors with expertise in, for example, ADHD and Autism.

Support is offered from a Learning Support Assistant on an individual basis where appropriate.Support is available during break times if required.

Communication needs can be met through:

BSLMakatonText Help Read and WriteSymbolsDragon Dictate

Students are assessed and support is put into place for those who require additional needs includingbehavioural support needs. However students have to be ready for college and, with support, able tomeet our expectations of reasonable behaviour. Whilst there are specialist ADHD and NLP SupportTutors, students are encouraged to contribute to their own success.

The College's approach to students with additional needs is to integrate them into the life of theCollege. We offer lunchtime clubs for students with Aspergers/ASD to encourage social inclusion andparticipation and we also encourage and develop students to deal with the wider College as part ofour commitment to helping them to progress.

The student initial assessment will make clear the support required and a risk assessment will becompleted. We work with those supporting the student outside of college to ensure a joined upapproach and we support students who require medication whilst at college. All Additional Needsstaff are encouraged to be First Aid trained. Staff are trained in personal care and in, for example, theuse of epipens. The College also employs a nurse.

We have a personal care room with changing and showering facilities and an electric ceiling hoist.Bespoke training for staff is provided for individual students' needs.

Additional Support

Solihull College, Blossomfield Road, Solihull B91 1SB.

Email: sallie.partridge@solihull.ac.uk

www.solihull.ac.uk

For further details please contact Sallie Partridge on 0121 678 7241