SEND at Riverside College
Riverside College Halton offers a wide range of full time vocational courses from entry to level 3, apprenticeships, foundation for life and work, adult courses and Higher Education courses
Specialist Support Available
- Personal Tutor: all students are assigned a Personal Tutor who will guide them through the course, track achievements, help students access the wide range of support available and celebrate all of their successes.
- Pastoral Support Team: this team will support students with their attendance, in meeting deadlines and liaising with students to ensure they maximise their learning; providing help and support with any other issues that could be affecting their College life.
- Study Support: this support team helps students who may be experiencing difficulties coping with their College work or feel that they could do better with some extra help through 1:1 sessions and group workshops.
- Inclusion and Learning Support: the team work alongside students who have special educational needs and disabilities e.g. Autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, physical disability, visual impairment and deafness.
Inclusion and Learning Support
Riverside/Cronton Sixth Form College is an inclusive college. We aim to provide all students with the information, resources and support needed to achieve the best possible outcomes in their studies. If you have a learning difficulty or disability, our Inclusion and Learning Support service has a range of ways we can support you to achieve your potential, reach your goals and enjoy your time at college.
We have a team of qualified, experienced staff who are passionate about enabling students to achieve their aspirations. We help students who need support with their learning. Once a referral has been made for learning support, an appointment will be made with a team member who will get to know you and your support needs. We will listen to you and share with the teaching and support teams the support strategies that will help you in your learning. Where appropriate we will complete an Exam Access Arrangements assessment and make the necessary request to awarding organisations.
Some students may require practical help and resources, others may simply need to be certain that their teachers are aware of their needs and know how best to meet them. The support we offer will be different for every student according to their need. Its most useful if you provide us with a copy of your support plan from your existing or most recent education provider and in some cases, we may need information from your local authority to ensure we can put the most suitable support plan in place. Students with a medical condition that may affect their studies should also inform the Inclusion and Learning Support team.
Students with an Education, Health & Care Plan
Our EHCP team can be invited to your transition annual review at school. At your review we will get to know you, we can identify support needs and then share inform with the Inclusion team to prepare our staff for when you start. During your time at college, we will use your EHCP outcomes to inform our planning and work with you to prepare you for your future. You will have an annual review in conjunction with the local authority where we can update your plan with any changes to your inclusion needs, track the progress of your outcomes, and capture your voice. Teaching and support staff will also track your outcomes on our college system throughout your programme.
During your time at college and dependent on need, we can offer support with your learning in a wide range of ways including:
Technology for All
- Access to assistive technology which can help with reading, writing, planning, revision and promote independence in preparation for next steps
- Sessions to teach you to use immersive readers, dictate your assignments or change the background colour of your screen/ laptop to suit you.
- Help setting up a study support calendar to support time management, meeting assignment deadlines etc.
- Equipment including pen readers, laptops, and tablets.
- Specialist software
- Reading pens and electronic readers for exams support (if EAA is in place)
Out of class support
- Extended learning sessions with small groups
- Access to other resources and equipment such as coloured writing pads
- Exam preparation sessions
- For some students personal or wrap around care may be needed
Support in class
- Adapted and accessible course materials for example handouts on coloured paper, coloured overlays, enlarged font size, access to electronic materials.
- Small group support
- One to one support
- Support staff may also support with notetaking, organisation, time management, prompting, confidence and resilience building, study/revision skills
Exam Access Arrangements including:
- Modified papers
- Extra time
- Separate room
- Rest breaks
- Reader (computer/person)
- Scribe (handwritten or typed)
*Please note supporting evidence may be required
Contact: courses@riverside.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 424 1515
Address: Kingsway Campus, Kingsway, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7QQ
Website: www.riversidecollege.ac.uk
Riverside College Foundations for Life and Work
The Foundations for Life and Work department provides specialist further education for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
We will work with you and your circle of support (parents/ carers and other professionals) to get to know you, create a study programme with you and support you to have a clear plan of what you will do after college.
There are three pathways designed to provide a personalised learning programme. They are:
Foundation – Pathway to Independence:
This programme is focused on preparing you for adulthood:
- Being safe in your community
- Managing your health and wellbeing for a long and happy life
- Getting a job – voluntary or paid work is a real option for most young people with learning difficult/ disability. We will work with you on a vocational profile and a plan for your future. We will help you to know how you will be better off in work and link you with a disability advisor.
- Living independently – what ever that looks like for you.
This programme gives you the opportunity to develop a range of skills that will allow you to live as independently as possible and achieve your aspirations. You will be provided with a practical, engaging, and enjoyable programme of learning.
Foundation – Pathway to Progression:
This programme is focused on preparing you for progression to cross college provision. The programme is designed to give an enhanced transition experience as a steppingstone from smaller settings to a college environment. This course will provide you the opportunity to develop a range of technical skills (such as Hair & Beauty, Construction and Catering) and improve your maths and English skills (and take qualifications if you want to) to progress to the next level of study in the subject area of your choice. You will be provided with a practical, engaging, and enjoyable programme of learning to help you on your next steps.
Foundation – Pathway to Employment
This programme is focused on preparing you for progression to employment and to help you achieve your aspirations in the workplace. We will build a practical, engaging, and enjoyable programme of study to help you get and keep a job.
Students with an Education, Health & Care Plan
Our EHCP team can be invited to your transition annual review at school. At your review we will get to know you, we can identify support needs and then share inform with the Inclusion team to prepare our staff for when you start. During your time at college, we will use your EHCP outcomes to inform our planning and work with you to prepare you for your future. You will have an annual review in conjunction with the local authority where we can update your plan with any changes to your inclusion needs, track the progress of your outcomes, and capture your voice. Teaching and support staff will also track your outcomes on our college system throughout your programme.
What support is available to enable your success?
During their time at college students will be provided with support from many different people:
- Personal tutors
- Teachers
- Learning Support Workers
- Health and Wellbeing Team
- Our college Learning Disability Nurse – who visits us
- Careers Team
We work with your external support team who may include
- Social Workers
- Social services support teams
- Your Local Authority SEN advisor
- Welfare Services
- Counselling Services
- Other professionals such as Teachers of the Deaf, Visual impairment and Speech and Language specialists.
For further information about Foundation Studies department please visit: www.rchfs.net
For further information on the courses on offer please visit: www.riversidecollege.ac.uk/school-leavers/course-areas/foundation-studies/
Contact: foundation.studies@riversidecollege.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 257 2062
Address: Foundation Studies, Kingsway, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7QE