Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
We support a wide range of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) at Callywith College. If a young person has an identified SEND or medical condition that requires specific equipment or adaptations to the college environment, we will endeavour to work with the young person to ensure their specific needs are met.
Our offer
Callywith College is a Full-Time, mainstream 16-19 Further Education setting that offers a wide range of support options for all students enrolled on our T-Level, Level 3, or A Level Programmes. Our Learning Support Team can work with a young person prior to their application all the way through to the end of their studies here.
Please note we are not Specialist Provision.
The Learning Support Team and lecturing staff aim to provide each student with the skills and support they need to access learning effectively and in turn reach their full potential.
Our support offer can include full-time in-class support - where applicable; 1:1 Study Skills support opportunities; mentoring; attendance guidance; Student Services; Progress Mentoring, assistive software and much more.
The level of support each student requires varies and we seek to provide a tailored package which reflects the objectives outlined in the paperwork we receive and/or parent/guardian/student/lecturer feedback.
Support at Callywith
We can offer one-to-one support for identified high needs students, small group work or one-to-one support outside of lectures, as well as regular check ins with a member of the team.
Appropriate provision is put in place for young people with Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCPs) and that information is shared with lecturing staff, so they are able to cater for the young person’s requirements, enabling them to effectively access learning and achieve their very best.
We support a wide range of special educational needs and disabilities at Callywith College. Where specialist support may be required, we can seek further guidance from teams such as the Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment and/or Health Professionals.
In class support
Some learners may have some in class support delivered by our team of Learning Support Assistants (LSAs). This support is available to some learners, often those with EHCPs, to ensure that all learners have equitable access to their learning and the best possible chance of achieving their desired outcomes.
In class support may help with initial note taking, ensuring understanding of tasks, and breaking down longer pieces of work, helping the young person to remain on task, supporting their learning needs and medical conditions etc.
Out of class support
Our out of class support is available to all; the learning services team work on a 1:1 basis with learners. These sessions are tailored through individualised targets and sessions that are scheduled around learners’ timetables.
We also offer LSA support for learners who may have declared SEND but do not require any in class support. This support can act as a check in during the week to discuss any concerns the young person might be having, work through some classwork with a bit of extra support or just a person to chat to and share their successes.
To further enhance this provision, we also have a dedicated quiet calm space designed to meet the needs of our identified mainstream SEND learners on campus. This space is generally staffed throughout the day and acts as a drop in for learners who may need some time and space away from busy classrooms and open access spaces. Leaners can opt to work in there during free study periods, access support from our LSAs who may be in there throughout the day.
Callywith College are able to make reasonable adjustments to ensure all students learning needs are met. This can include adaptions to the college environment, using specific equipment, as well as the use of assistive technology. We can work with the young person, and other specific healthcare professionals to ensure that the young person’s needs are met.
Transition visits
We offer a supported transition to college. If the young person enrolled has SEND, are worried about starting college or have other barriers to learning, they may like the opportunity for a transition visit before starting with us. This can involve visits in addition to attendance at our open events or school taster sessions, perhaps at a time when the campus is quieter or on a 1:1 basis with your parent/carer/next of kin.
The aim of these visits is to help feel familiar with the environment, meet with staff, and ask any questions that the young person may have. It also enables the college to capture additional information to help plan support and provision, if relevant.
These visits take place once GCSE examinations have been completed, either during the last few weeks of Callywith's summer term or during the summer holidays.
For further information on transition into college at Callywith, please contact nickislater@callywith.ac.uk
Education Health Care Plan (EHCP)
For learners with EHCPs, hopefully they have received support from their previous school setting and Careers Adviser to decide on their options, post-16.
When the young person has made some initial decisions, we are contacted by the local authority and begin a process called Consultation. At this point, we always like to be able to talk to the young person, their previous educational setting, and parents/carers/next of kin, to get an idea of the type of support that the young person might have had and might like at college, allowing us to make sure we have everything the young person needs to be successful whilst at Callywith College.
Once the consultation process is complete, the young person’s application can proceed, and if Callywith can meet the young person’s needs identified in the EHCP, a place can be secured pending GCSE results.
How to apply for an Education Health Care Plan
Callywith can support your application for an Education Health Care Plan Needs Assessment.
To initiate this process parents/carers would need to visit:
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk
The process involves collecting robust evidence. The information gathered would need to be for a minimum of three terms and would focus on the young person’s progress/needs/adjustments etc. Often this will involve contacting previous settings, as well as external services who may be working alongside the young person. Callywith can contribute to the process, providing some additional information for the period of time the young person has been enrolled with us.
Specific learning needs
Callywith College supports young people with a range of diverse learning needs. This can include:
Neurodiverse Conditions
Speech, Language and Communication needs (SLCN)
Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
Specific Learning Needs
Physical disabilities
Sensory Impairments
We work alongside a number of external services to support students’ needs. The sensory team visit some of the young people, along with the NHS Community Therapy Team. We also have a range of assistive technology that can support learners.
Diagnosis of ASD/ADHD/ADD
We are unable to offer a diagnosis of ASD/ADHD/ADD.
To initiate this process, we advise you to contact the young person’s GP. A diagnosis involves working with healthcare professionals, including an Educational Psychologist. As part of the process information is collated normally from the young person’s previous settings, as staff will be able to offer robust evidence. Callywith College can contribute to the process, providing some additional information for the period of time the young person has been enrolled with us.
Diagnosis of Dyslexia
We are unable to offer a diagnosis of Dyslexia, for further information on how to initiate this process please visit www.dyslexiacornwall.co.uk
We can complete a screener which identifies the likelihood of Dyslexia.
To be considered for a Screener, the young person will need to discuss this further with their Professional Development Tutor, who will complete a Picture of Need document with the support of lecturing staff. This will then be sent to the college SENDCo for consideration.
Exam access arrangements
If you were in receipt of exam access arrangements or reasonable adjustments in the classroom at your previous educational setting and we have received robust documented evidence on support of this, Callywith College will roll these forward.
For new assessment of exam access arrangements please see your PDT and lecturing staff who may need to complete a Picture of Need document for the college SENDCo to consider.
Medical conditions
Usually, learners will disclose any medical needs at their interview. The staff member interviewing will document this and pass on the details to us. We will send home medical forms and ask for specific evidence relating to the medical condition.
Once returned it may be that a medical risk assessment is needed in case of emergencies when at college. We will share this with you to make sure you are happy with any arrangements made.
For more information on medical conditions, please contact us at learningsupport@callywith.ac.uk
Useful websites/links:
www.dyslexiacornwall.org.uk
www.cornwallautism.com
www.nhs.uk
www.autism.org.uk
www.adhdcornwall.com
www.addiss.co.uk
www.supportincornwall.org.uk
www.cornwall.gov.uk
Contact us
If you would like to discuss our SEND provision further, please contact us at:
General Enquiries: learningsupport@callywith.ac.uk
Transition Visits: nickislater@callywith.ac.uk
College SENDCo: johnratcliffe@callywith.ac.uk