Further education

There are a number of learning options for post-16, which offer a range of courses and job related skills. They can offer support to meet the needs of students of all abilities. This support can include specialist teaching support, personal helpers, specialist equipment and so much more.

EHCP and further education
What preparation can you do yourself?
What are your options?
What services are available?

EHCP and further education

All students aged 16 - 19 (up to 25 with an EHCP) should follow a tailored study programme. Study programmes can:

challenge and prepare young people for the transition into adulthood
can help students with academic qualifications
can help them benefit from work experience and other non-qualification activities

A young person with Learning difficulties and/or disabilities and an EHCP attending a special school, can request help from a Personal Adviser from the Services for Young People SEND team. A young person with an EHCP attending a mainstream school can ask for support from a Personal Adviser in the relevant Services for Young People local area team.

The Personal Adviser will attend their Year 9 review and work with parents and professionals to create a Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) Transition Plan. To do this, they help the young people gather information ‘All About Me’, reflecting what is important to them as they make the transition from school to what comes next. The PfA is updated in year 11 (or years 13/14 for special schools with sixth form) and includes the support needs of each young person. This information can be passed on to the appropriate colleges or training providers to help them plan for that transition. A copy of the young person’s PfA Plan is also sent to the young person and their parent/carer.

Careers information and guidance should be provided by all schools and colleges. Many schools buy in the careers advice services of Services for Young People. To find out about the support offered at your young person’s school, you should contact the school directly.

A young person's education health and care plan (EHCP) can continue until the age of 25 if they choose to stay in education or training. If it's a higher education setting however, where a young person is working towards a higher education qualification in a college or university, the plan will end. The plan will also end if their education progress is complete - i.e. they have met all of their learning outcomes and no more can be set.

For further information visit EHCP preparing for adulthood reviews

What preparation can you do yourself?

Think about what and where you would like to study

Year 9 (ages 13 - 14) is when pupils at mainstream schools choose the GSCE topics they would like to study next year. If your young person isn't working at GCSE level, ask the school about other qualifications to work towards. There are different qualifications out there which suit different learning styles, GOV.UK has helpfully explained what all the different qualifications mean.

Which educational route is right for you?

It is always important to think about your next steps, as there are lots of different education options available to young people. Up until the age of 18 young people must choose one of the following options:

stay in full-time education, choosing to study either academic or vocational courses at a college or school
start an apprenticeship or traineeship
spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

Fill out an 'About Me' profile

'About Me' is a short profile of your young person that contains key information about them. This can be extremely helpful for staff in schools and colleges to know how to support your child the best they can.

It's a great tool which you or a teacher can help your young person to fill in. Here are some example templates - one for a young person attending a mainstream school and one young person at a special school.

Download the About Me profile (DOC 28kb)

You can also read the About Me supporting information and guidance (PDF 901kb).

What are your options?

Schools and sixth forms

You may need to look further than your young person's existing school. Every school has a variation on what they offer, and how it is taught. You may want to contact several schools to find out the differences in teaching, to see if one might suit your young person better.

There's a consortium system in Hertfordshire, meaning that different groups of schools offer a range of subjects between them. If your young person’s subjects are split between schools you’ll need to decide if it’s practical for them to be travelling during the day.

Staying at a SEND school

Some young people may benefit from staying in school after Year 11. A number of special schools in Hertfordshire have post-16 departments where young people with complex needs may continue their learning until Year 14 when they reach 19 years of age.

Dual placement

This is where a student spends some time in school, and some time in a college. It's a great way to access further education with some of the stability and familiarity that school offers. Speak to your current place of education and your preferred college about this.

College

Natspec have a directory of specialist colleges for children with very high needs, usually for young people who have been to a special school or had very high levels of support in mainstream education. These would need to be agreed through the EHCP process.

The are 4 colleges in Hertfordshire - they will all have a SEND team that you can chat to about the courses and support on offer.

Oaklands College, St Albans

View Oaklands College's courses

Enquiries: Springfield/Supported Learning Tel: 01727 737780

Email: life@oaklands.ac.uk

Mainstream Additional Learning Support Tel: 01727 737113

Email: Laura.Ansell@oaklands.ac.uk

Hertford Regional College

View Hertford Regional College's courses

Enquiries: Inclusive Learning Tel: 01992 411854

Email: sfrench@hrc.ac.uk

Mainstream Additional Learning Support Tel: 01992 411617 / 602

Email: djames@hrc.ac.uk / celliott@hrc.ac.uk

North Hertfordshire College

View North Hertfordshire College's Supported Studies (SEND) courses

View North Hertfordshire College's Springboard (SEND) courses

Supported Studies Tel: 01462 424 242

Email: CCondon@nhc.ac.uk

Mainstream Additional Learning Support Tel: 01462 424 363

Email: SDove@nhc.ac.uk

West Herts College

View West Herts College's courses

Enquiries Foundation Studies Tel: 01923 812521 / 01923 812526

Email: mahul.trivedi@westherts.ac.uk sarah.lane@westherts.ac.uk

Additional Learning Support Tel: 01923 812371

Email: susan.lomas@westherts.ac.uk

If you are looking at attending a new school/ college or want to explore your higher education options, be sure to attend any open days that are on offer. Open days give you a chance to get to know your surroundings and meet current pupils and teaching staff.

Free mentoring for 14 - 18 year olds

Head Up! is an organisation run by a group of university students with a variety of disabilities. They want to share their advice and experiences of dealing with these in school, university & in their social lives so that other young people will feel supported, encouraged and able to overcome extra challenges.

Find out more

Help with travel

Travel training gives pupils the confidence and skills to travel to and from sixth form or college.

Here's a guide to doing travel training with your young person.

Independent Travel Toolkit

Independent Travel Toolkit Printable Version

If you're a student aged 16 or over, with an EHCP and home to school travel provided by the council, you may be eligible for 1 to 1 travel training coaching. Talk to your SENCO or someone at the college about this.

Visit our Travel and Transport webpage to find which other options are available to you to help support your independence.

Higher education - University

For some young people higher education is the next step on from further education. When studying at university or college, your young person will work towards one of a range of qualifications, such as a degree, a foundation degree, or a diploma/certificate of Higher Education. Young people can go into higher education at any age but most people enter when they are around 18 years old. There’s a lot to consider if your young person is planning to go into higher education, you'll need to give plenty of thought to:

where to study
the support needed whilst studying
support with day-to-day living
money and funding.

You can find out more through UCAS.

What services are available?

Get guidance on personal development opportunities

If your young person is in school or college, they need to speak to their school or college about meeting with the school/ college’s personal/ careers adviser.

If your young person is not in employment, education or training, call the Services for Young People SEND Team on their duty line or email them.

01438 844999

sfyp.SEND@hertfordshire.gov.uk

SEND home to school transport

Think about how you will travel to work or college.

There is no automatic entitlement to free home-to-school or college travel after 16 years of age. You may have to contribute to the cost of your transport.

Hertfordshire has a transport policy for 16–18 year olds in education and for full-time students aged 19 -25 years.

Hertfordshire can't provide travel support to work experience placements, medical appointments or other off-site visits. Responsibility for this remains with the parents or carers, or school or college as appropriate.

Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)

If you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability you could apply for Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) to help with the costs of studying. The allowance could be used to pay for things such as special equipment, a note-taker or transport costs to and from university.

You can get the allowances on top of your other student finance and you won't have to repay DSA.

16-19 Bursary Fund

If you're in further education or training you could apply for a 16-19 bursary to help with education-related costs.

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Early years (ages 0 - 5 years)

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

Courses and activities in Hertfordshire

Get support with education

Money

Preparing for adulthood

Services for children and young people (ages 0 - 25)

Services for parents, carers and families

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