Autism

We understand and recognise the needs of students with autism. We work closely with learners and their families, personalising programmes of study and supporting them to their post 18 destination. We ensure that:

• We effectively support transition for all learners, both from school to college and from college into higher education
• We offer a transition morning and individual visits to the college to familiarise with the college environment and discuss support needs
• We offer timetabled mentoring sessions to support organisation and study skills along with providing wellbeing support
• That all college staff have an understanding of autism and that curriculum staff draw on our specialist expertise to differentiate and develop inclusive teaching methods
• We recognise the impact the physical environment can have on wellbeing and learning and make personalised adjustments aimed at reducing the sensory impact of college life
• We provide a ‘safe space’ for learners to go when anxiety levels get too high
• We offer a weekly nurture group
• We support learners in accessing opportunities across college such as trips, enrichment activities and participation in PAWS week.
• We provide preparation for adulthood sessions which focus on next steps, making choices, careers advice, supported university visits and transition
• We provide ‘let’s talk life’ sessions, exploring how to deal with a variety of social scenarios
• We support students planning to progress to university with their Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) applications.