Acknowledging its commitment to supporting students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group’s Further Education provision has been shortlisted for a national award.
Hosted by nasen - the National Association for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – the awards recognise outstanding individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to promoting and advancing inclusion.
The Group’s ambitious and inclusive curriculum design for SEND impressed the judges, which enables students to study a range of vocational and academic courses related to their aspirations, whilst being supported by an assigned SEND Coordinator and additional learning support.
The Group offers SEND students work-based programmes designed specifically to provide them with a route into paid work, such as internships, supported apprenticeships and supported traineeships.
Laura Lavender, Director of Inclusion at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our offer for young people with SEND and to have been shortlisted for this award. The learning programmes we deliver are carefully designed to ensure individual needs are met whilst ambitious outcomes are continuously sought. Our staff team of teachers, SEND Coordinators, SEND Specialist Support and Coaches are exceptional and make a big difference to the offer we’re able to provide.”
SEND students are also able to gain real-life work experience via the DFN Foundation’s Project SEARCH, a one-year transition to work programme for young adults with learning disabilities. The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, Next Distribution Centre and ICS currently offer the programme, enabling students to gain employability and independent living skills, creating a successful transition from college to adult life.
The significant impact DFN Project SEARCH has had on people with SEND was recently showcased on The One Show, which saw Katie and Harvey Price visit students Codie Belford and William Jones in their workplace at Pinderfields Hospital, in Wakefield.
Sam Wright, Principal and Chief Executive Officer at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, said: “Our goal is to ensure every SEND student leaves College with the qualifications, skills and experiences they need to be successful in their adult lives. We do this by creating an ambitious curriculum offer which supports our students’ specialist needs in and beyond the classroom, whilst providing them with the opportunity to build their employability skills and gain their independence in the workplace. Over 76% of our SEND students progressed onto further study or full-time employment in the previous academic year alone.”
Individuals and education institutions from across the UK will gather at the nasen Awards on 6th October 2023, at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham.