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Opportunities 16 - 25

Post 16 learning in Tameside

Post 16, there are a number of local options for learners with Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs). We aim to offer young people, parents and carers choice and control over provision. These include education, apprenticeships, supported internships and support to access the community through Adult Services.

How Education, Health and Care Plans work for young people who are 16 – 25

 

16 – 19 learners

 

Before reaching the end of Year 11

Tameside special schools don’t have sixth form provision so things can look a little different for our young people who attend them.

When young people are in Year 10 or 11 they will have a transition review meeting at school and the review will look at their needs and long term outcomes in their EHCP. Educational options that are available to the young person after the age of 16 will be discussed should they wish to remain in full time education. Young people will be encouraged to participate in transition activities which may include looking at a number of different options including:

  • Arranging time to visit local colleges and arranging 'taster' sessions;
  • Going to Sixth Form College;
  • Going to a college of further education;
  • Going on work experience
 

If a young person is attending a special school in another borough that has sixth form provision, they will also have a transition review meeting but they will have the option of staying on at their current school if provision available can meet their long term outcomes. However, they can also choose to leave and go to other provision if that is more suitable for them.

In exceptional cases, going to an independent school or college may be considered (possibly residential).

The results of these transition review discussions and following the appropriate consultation as with our pre 16 processes will be that a college or school is named in the young person’s EHCP.
 

19 – 25 learners

Many learners will have had a Learning Disability Assessment (LDA) when they went into college which outlined their support needs. From September 2016, LDAs will cease to exist or have any legal standing. Between Easter 2016 and the end of August 2016, all young people with an LDA will be contacted to see if they want to be reassessed for an EHCP. An EHCP won’t be appropriate for everyone, for example, if they are leaving learning or

Young people with an EHCP will continue to have reviews when they are in 16 – 19 provision. In order to move onto new courses when they are over 19, our SAM panel will require:

  • Clear views and preferences of the young person (or parents/carers if the young person does not have the mental capacity to make this decision)
  • Evidence that educational and training outcomes specified in the EHCP have been achieved
  • Evidence that a further educational placement will enable the young person to progress and achieve the outcomes specified in the EHCP
  • Evidence that the educational and training outcomes identified in the EHCP will enable the young person to move on to the next stage of their lives, including employment or higher education and independent living
 

If this is agreed then provision will be named in the young person’s EHCP as with at any other education transition point.
 

Further Education

Most colleges will offer additional support for students with a learning disability and/or other disabilities or additional needs. The Council has a Post 16 transport policy statement that outlines what support is available.

There are several further education options available for young people leaving school. Most colleges offer a large range of courses, both full-time and part-time. These include general education courses such as A levels and GCSEs or more work related options such as motor vehicle maintenance, catering and hairdressing.

Colleges will be able be offer extra support for people with a learning disability and will be able to offer advice around the different types of courses available and support arrangements.

Most students will be able to attend their local college to take a course that they have chosen, with extra support if required. However, some students may need provision that their local college cannot offer and it may be necessary for them to attend an independent specialist college out of the area. They may also offer a residential placement in conjunction with Social Care Services.

The majority of these specialist colleges belong to Natspec (an organisation of special needs colleges); this organisation produces a directory, which lists and gives information about these colleges. There is also a list of the specialist providers Tameside currently uses on the local offer.
 

Local options

Local education options include our local further education college, Tameside College, sixth form college (Ashton Sixth Form College) and mainstream school 6th form (Audenshaw School; New Charter Academy). There is a whole range of qualifications are on offer, from entry level qualifications through to foundation degree programmes. Learners can access foundation, vocational and personalised programmes.
 

Tameside College

For further information visit the college's website

Tameside College also has specialist post 16 provision for our learners with learning disabilities at Dovestones. For further information visit the Dovestones website.
 

Ashton Sixth Form College

For further general information visit the college's website

Further information on support available can be found here
 

Audenshaw School

For further general information visit the Academy's website
 

Tameside Adult and Community Education

Who are we?

Based in the heart of Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside Adult and Community Education gives you the chance to continue or return to learning. Our small, friendly classes provide a comfortable and supportive environment for you to achieve your goals.

Our courses focus on essential skills for life and work, including IT, maths, English and employability. Whether you’re looking for a beginner course or something more advanced, we can help you get the skills, confidence and qualifications you need to get ahead.

We are committed to helping you achieve success, improve your life chances and your employment prospects.
Our mission is to:

  • Engage and enthuse learners who may have experienced barriers to learning 
  • Provide learning opportunities that enable learners to gain the knowledge, skills and qualifications needed  to secure sustainable employment and support health and well being
  • Enable all learners to achieve their full potential
  • Have a positive impact on the economic health of the borough
 

For more information click here
 
Alternatively give us a call on 0161 342 4063 or drop in at:
 
Tameside ACE
Stamford Chambers
68 Old Street
Ashton
OL6 7RX


Our work based options

 

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study.

As an apprentice you’ll:

  • work alongside experienced staff
  • gain job-specific skills
  • earn a wage and get holiday page
  • study towards a related qualification (usually one day a week)
 

Apprenticeships take 1 to 4 years to complete depending on their level.

Find out or information on apprenticeships and in Tameside in particular
 

Traineeships

A traineeship is an education and training programme with work experience that unlocks the great potential of young people and prepares them for their future careers by helping them to become ‘work ready’.

Designed to help young people aged 16 to 24 who don’t yet have the appropriate skills or experience, traineeships provide the essential work preparation training, English, maths and work experience needed to secure an apprenticeship or employment.
 

Supported Internships

Supported internships are structured study programmes based primarily at an employer. Internships are intended to enable young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to achieve sustainable, paid employment by equipping them with the skills they need for work through learning in the workplace. Internships normally last for a year and include unpaid work placements of at least six months. Wherever possible, they support the young person to move into paid employment at the end of the programme. Students complete a personalised study programme which includes the chance to study for relevant substantial qualifications, if suitable, and English and maths to an appropriate level.

In Tameside, supported internships are available at Tameside Hospital and Active Tameside and they are provided by Pure Innovations. Further information can be found by clicking here.
 

Supported employment

Routes to Work are a supported employment service within Tameside Council. We offer support for people with disabilities, /mental health /drug and alcohol issues / substance misuse,/ autism/ or acquired brain injury who resides in the Tameside area. We help you to achieve your employment goals.
We will advise on all aspects of gaining employment to volunteering, training and education to enable you to work independent.
 
Further information can be found by clicking here
 

Other local options

Works 4U

Works4U is an Independent Specialist Provision which works to promote a safe, learning environment for young people ages between 14-24 who need one to one support in developing their academic learning, social skills, independent living skills or behavioural management. When a young person attends Works4U a comprehensive basic skills assessment will be carried out to establish their particular needs. This enables us to place the young person within the most suitable learning environment with tailored individual learning plans to be able to set rewarding and achievable targets. Our highly skilled staff work one to one with every learner and provide a specialist environment that will promote every young person's development.

For more information click here
 

Adult Day Services

Day services offer the chance to meet new people and make friends. All sorts of activities are available, including working with computers, numeracy and literacy, doing gardening, playing sports, shopping, learning to cook, community visits to places of interest. Many more activities are available and new activities are being developed all the time.

For a young person with an EHCP, the transition to adult care will be well planned, integrated with the annual reviews of the EHCPs and reflect existing special educational and health provision that is in place to help the young person prepare for adulthood.

As with EHCP development in general, transition assessments for adult care and support will involve the young person and anyone else they want to involve in the assessment. They will also include the outcomes, views and wishes that matter to the young person - much of which will already be set out in their EHCP.

Assessments for adult care or support will consider:

  • current needs for care and support
  • whether the young person is likely to have needs for care and support after they turn 18, and
  • if so, what those needs are likely to be and which are likely to be eligible needs
 

Having carried out a transition assessment, the adult social care team will give an indication of which needs are likely to be regarded as eligible needs so the young person understands the care and support they are likely to receive once children’s services cease.


Housing in Tameside

As young people move through the transition process and into adulthood it is normal to begin to think about leaving home.

Options around housing can be discussed in the Transition Reviews and information will be available about different types of accommodation. Various schemes are available in Tameside.

Support may also be available to enable young people with a learning disability to move on from home and into their own accommodation. Some people may live independently whilst others may need some help, perhaps with looking after their new home, paying bills, cooking meals or shopping for example.