College Curriculum

Skills for Life

This pathway is designed for students with highly complex physical, learning and medical needs, working largely at pre entry level. Students will be based in small tutor groups with an emphasis on multi-disciplinary and integrated delivery of the curriculum. There is extensive multi-positional learning, providing opportunities for maintaining and developing the student’s physical skills, posture and mobility. A wide range of therapeutic and educational opportunities are provided, through which the student may consolidate and further develop skills. Speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are embedded into an individual’s programme and are addressed, not just by the specific therapist, but by the whole team supporting the student. Individual targets are set by this multi-disciplinary team, following a detailed assessment process (using the IMPACTs assessment tool) and achievement is celebrated with students.

Students receive a high level of specialist support, where learning will be undertaken in a range of settings to expand the horizons of the students and work holistically on their development, involving sensory and experiential activities. There will be an emphasis on developing intentional communication, using symbols as required and developing the students’ ability to express and understand their own wants and needs as independently as possible. The students will be supported to become as empowered as possible to make decisions about their own life, alongside developing a greater understanding of themselves as a person.

Sessions in this cohort are highly bespoke and timetables are created to enable student needs to be met in the most appropriate format. Whilst the students are encouraged to work with others in their cohort and within their class, the targets are highly individualised to develop their own skills. Sessions delivered, for example include, communication through music, intensive interaction, community inclusion and access, domestic skills, enterprise options, leisure enrichment options, mobility skills and multi-sensory communication. If appropriate, the students may work towards units from the OCR Life and Living suite of qualifications.

The students in this group aspire to move into residential living environments and develop their opportunities to maintain their interests in the community.

Skills for Independence

Students in this pathway aspire to develop their independence and extend their learning. Most students in this pathway do not initially aspire to work but are given the opportunity to experience work-based learning both onsite at Treloar’s and out in the community. Students in this pathway tend to be working between Entry Levels 1-3 and looking to develop a set of core skills preparing them for their future and adult life.

This pathway looks to support students’ transition into their life beyond Treloar’s developing their good health, exploring independent living options, making friends, maintaining relationships and community inclusion. Across the pathway there are a variety of sessions which are individualised to support student needs and aspirations. These can include access and use community facilities, improving shopping and budgeting skills, domestic independence development, confidence communicating with others, as well as the use of ICT to aid independence and communication.

All students are able to access a range of creative options to widen their experience and enable them to engage further in chosen pursuits in the future. For some students development of these skills raises their aspirations towards an employment-based future, developing their own enterprise or a job in their chosen field. As appropriate, students will be able to access bespoke programmes of work-related learning, accessing a wide range of internal and external work placements alongside developing their employability skills and to allow them to explore the idea of a work related future.

The learning in this pathway is supported by the Pearson BTEC Entry Level Pre-vocational Study qualifications which are focused on developing independence and life skills which can be tailored to the level and aspirations of the individual.

They are skills-based qualifications designed to help learners develop the personal and social skills needed to help them to progress to meet their own future living option and having a fulfilled daily life whether that be activities, volunteering options or further vocational study. The course structure is based with each individual student depending on their needs and interests but is based around a core structure that includes Functional Skills, Independence skills, community inclusion, health, employability and enrichment.

At Level 1 students can also choose vocational options from those on offer based upon their primary learning goal. At the end of this course students will be ready to make a focused progression choice or be ready to enter adult life with skills to be part of a wider community and to live with a greater independence.

Students in this pathway aspire to a range of future living arrangements and will be supported to explore all options available to them so they can make an informed choice. Their transition team with work closely with them and their family to support them to access their desired outcome.
 

Employability and Vocational

Students in this pathway generally aspire to work in their future. This may be full- or part-time employment, self-employment or volunteering; the Employability and Vocational pathway offers students the opportunity to access both internal and external work experience placements as well as studying and developing key skills for employment and future independence. Some students in this pathway may progress into the HSDC Alton College partnership to further pursue their study while others may conclude their time at Treloar’s in our supported internship programme which you can find out more about here. Students in this pathway tend to be working between Entry Level 3 and Level 2 study. All students in this pathway will have access to discrete and bespoke support with their functional literacy and numeracy skills. This may be provided at HSDC with a GCSE outcome or at Treloar’s campus.

The Employability and Vocational pathway also supports students’ independence and help them to develop their future living aims alongside their academic and employment aspirations. Students in this pathway aspire to a range of future living arrangements and will be supported to explore all options available to them so they can make an informed choice. The transition team work closely with students and their families to support them to access their desired outcome. Students get the opportunity to develop their independence skills and prepare for life beyond Treloar’s with a variety of sessions designed to practice and progress key skills. Cooking, Community Skills, Transition/Independence sessions are all built into the curriculum for our learners.

Skills development is supported by the Skillsbuilder platform. Students look at the eight essential skills for life and how nurturing these skills can enable their future success. The Skillsbuilder programme helps our students to recognise the importance of these skills in all aspects of college life. Click here to find out more about Skillsbuilder.

Community inclusion is an important part of our student’s independence and all students will regularly access their community and plan both their trip and the support they may need.

In addition, all students are able to access a range of creative options to widen their experience and enable them to engage further in chosen pursuits in the future.

HSDC Alton College Partnership

Treloar College has a successful and long-established partnership with our local general FE college, HSDC Alton. This attracted a nomination for partnership working in the 2022 Natspec Awards. Our partnership allows our students to access their education alongside their non-disabled peers whilst having their therapeutic and care needs met by the team at Treloar’s. This provision is unique in ensuring our students have equity of access despite their physical need. Most students in this pathway access Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in a wide variety of subjects. The core of this pathway receive all their education at HSDC Alton College but some will only access one or two subjects and then be attached to another pathway for their time at Treloar’s campus.

For Level 2 and Level 3 students are generally required to meet the standard entrance requirements for such courses, normally five or more GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade 4 or better for an Advanced Level course. For more information on HSDC Alton, please visit their website.

Many students in this pathway aspire to go on into higher education and in addition to their qualifications their transition and multi-disciplinary team will work with them to develop their independence skills to achieve their future aims.

We provide daily transport to HSDC Alton Campus and Treloar’s students are supported both in, and outside, their classes by a team of dedicated and specialist Learning Support Assistants who will also carry out any personal care required.

Learning Independence Skills

Treloar’s has a 24-hour curriculum: after classes finish other learning takes place in a residential setting. Students can plan meals to cook with their friends, prepare a budget, obtain the food, cook and then enjoy the results! They work as part of a team, helping one another to succeed, and are supported by staff. For some students this means they do the task, for others it means directing.

Our staff are from all multi-disciplinary areas – tutors, literacy and numeracy staff, speech and language, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. This multi-disciplinary team (MDT) is central to devising and reviewing the student’s learning programme, namely the Individual Learning Plan (ILP). Students work closely with their MDTs to set challenging yet achievable targets.

We help our students to achieve their full potential – independently, socially and academically. At the same time, we help them become more self-assured so they can make realistic and achievable choices about their future – whether that is securing paid or unpaid employment, further studies or living more independently.