Family Information and Services Hub
Local Offer

HSDC Alton & HSDC Alton Independence Hub

Offering services to:
  • Adults 19-25
  • Young people 16-18
Supporting people with:
  • Education, training and development

We are a mainstream F.E. college offering a wide range of courses that are both academic and vocational from Entry level 1 to A Level and Level 3. HSDC Alton was also one of the first providers of T-Levels starting in 2020.  This provision is expanding yearly to encompass new and exciting subjects.

We offer a range of specialist SEND courses from Entry level 1 to level 1.  We have a strong Supported Internship running with a full time dedicated job coach supporting the provision.  We also have a specific Performing Arts course for young people with SEND, who may wish to develop their skills in this area.  This course is called "Expressions" and is run at Entry 2/3 levels.

HSDC Alton also has a resourced provision for young people with more severe and complex needs.  Students will generally be working at Entry 1 or below. The Independence Hub is a provision for young people aged 16-19, with potentially some young people aged 19-21 to do a reduced timetable, dependent on spaces and the YP's progress.  The Independence hub is funded and run based on the special school model and is open 5 days a week for 39 weeks a year.  Admission is in agreement with HSDC Alton and Hampshire County Council.  Places will be allocated via a panel of HCC and HSDC staff to ensure that the 8 places a year go to students who require this specific provision and are not able or ready to access general FE provision.  Your HCC caseworker will need to make a referral to the Independence Hub if you are interested in taking up one of the places.  The Independence hub has a healthcare assistant, wet room, adapted toilet facilities, a physio / OT therapies room, a sensory room, a sensory garden, a simulated independent living flat with height adjustable ovens and sinks, 4 accessible classrooms and a low sensory quiet room.

HSDC welcomes applications from people with additional learning needs at all levels.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Debbie Collinson-Bolles
Contact Position
Director of SEND
Telephone
01420 592200 / 02393 789999 (x4489) 01420 592200 / 02393 789999 (x4489)
E-mail
d.collinson-bolles@hsdc.ac.uk
Website
HSDC Alton
Scan to visit this website
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/altoncollege
Notes

Additional contacts for specific services:

For all EHCP enquiries please contact sam.hywood@hsdc.ac.uk

For Vocational and Foundation Learning enquiries please contact Dave How david.how@alton.hsdc.ac.uk (Recruitment Adviser for VfL)

For any information about the Independence Hub please contact sophie.owen@hsdc.ac.uk (Independence Hub Manager)

 

Where to go

Name
HSDC Alton College
Address
Old Odiham Road
Alton
Hampshire
Postcode

GU34 2LX

View GU34 2LX on a map

Availability

Referral not required
Referral Details

We are able to cater for a wide variety of students with additional needs including learning disabilities, specific learning difficulties, sensory impairments, autism spectrum conditions, physical disabilities, personal care, SEMH and sensory processing needs. Additional  learning support is available at all campuses.  The Alton campus also has a braille printer and some braille trained support staff.

Local Offer

Description

Additional contacts for specific services:

For all EHCP enquiries please contact sam.hywood@hsdc.ac.uk

For Vocational and Foundation Learning enquiries please contact Dave How david.how@alton.hsdc.ac.uk (Recruitment Adviser for VfL)

For any information about the Independence Hub please contact sophie.owen@hsdc.ac.uk (Independence Hub Manager)

 

Contact Name
Debbie Collinson-Bolles
Contact Telephone
02393 879999 (x4489)
Contact Email
d.collinson-bolles@hsdc.ac.uk
How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

We use lots of different ways to find out if any student has special educational needs or disabilities. Before starting college we talk to students and their parents about their support needs. Parents and students are welcome to come along to College open evenings to talk informally to specialist staff. We attend many year 11 annual reviews and have good relationships with local SENCos, attending regular SENCo circle meetings.

The SEND Co-ordinators work closely with the local authority Special Educational Needs Officers to get to know the student as well as possible. The local authority sends an EHCP consult and requests a reply to their EHCP from us before they arrive.

On the application form students are invited to share any additional learning, health or welfare needs they have. Students will then be interviewed by an appropriate member of staff. At enrolment every student who declares a need is seen by a specialist member of staff. This enables students to feel confident that we are fully aware of their needs and familiarises them with the staff who be supporting them to be successful.

We screen all students on enrolment to detect any signs of learning difficulty. Students are then set an assessment in their subject areas early in the term to highlight their strengths and weakness to staff; particular attention is given to students’ Maths, English and Study Skills. Support is then organised on an individual basis. Any further information you wish to share with us is warmly welcomed. 

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

HSDC Alton College has a whole college approach to supporting students.  There is a Learning Support team who organise and allocate support for students. All support is student focused and discussed with parents where relevant. This support will be reviewed regularly and adapt to suit the needs of the student. Teachers are all aware of the individual needs of students in their groups and have been trained in the. As a result of a long-standing relationship with a local independent specialist provider, staff are used to working with students with a wide variety of disabilities.

There is a qualified and experienced team in the Learning Support Department which is highly committed to ensuring success for every student. Learning Support Assistants are widely used to support learning and develop independence both in and out of the classroom. There are dyslexia specialists who assess, plan and deliver teaching for students with learning difficulties.

Examination access arrangements are put in place for students that need it, such as extra time, a reader or a scribe etc.

Counselling is available through our health and wellbeing team with appointments across the week. Alongside this there are student progress mentors to support. Referral is made to outside agencies such as CAMHs, the Hearing Impaired Advisory Service, Italk. Ethnic Minority Achievement Service when appropriate. We foster good relationships with self-help voluntary organisations including ME Association, Mediation First.

Students on foundation learning programmes will access courses designed around the Preparing for Adulthood outcomes.

 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

We match the ability, ambitions, prior experience and interests of each student to the programme of study that they follow. There are general entrance requirements for each course which are designed to ensure that the curriculum matches the needs of the student; appropriate adjustments are made where necessary. Teachers plan and adapt tasks to address the individual needs of students within the class. Students are assessed regularly to ensure that they achieve their potential and are challenged and supported effectively. There is a careers service available to all students so that their future plans are matched to their aspirations.

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

Student progress is regularly reviewed and target grades are set. Students are at the heart of the reviewing and monitoring process and are invited to contribute through 1-1 meetings with their subject staff and tutors. These reviews are recorded on the college’s online monitoring system called Promonitor.  This tracks the student’s progress and is openly available for parents to read via Proportal. Parents / guardians will be invited to Student Progress Evenings, where they can directly speak to different teachers and tutors.

For students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), an annual review will take place to which parents/carers and other relevant professionals will be invited. Student and parent/carer contributions to this are considered valuable and are welcomed.

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

Student wellbeing is of upmost importance to all of the staff at HSDC Alton College. There may be times when students experience difficulties outside their studies. Every student has a tutor who will be their first port of call. Alongside this there are Learning Support Assistants, student progress mentors, college counsellors and the learning support team who support the safety, happiness and care of students within the college. We also have a trained ELSA to meet the emotional literacy needs of students with EHCPs.

Staff across college are regularly trained on how to support students with health and welfare difficulties . Referrals to external agencies are made where appropriate. Some students benefit from supervision during break and lunchtimes to enable them to access the wider college, develop social skills and pursue enrichment activities. 

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

The Learning Support Department has a team of specialist teachers who are qualified to assess students for examination access arrangements and offer specialist tuition for students with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties. Learning Support Assistants are suitably qualified and experienced. There is a team of first aiders who can advise on medical matters. The Welfare Manager works in close liaison with the department and trains the student mentors who provide a positive and student focused understanding of the challenges of moving up to College; this has been a very popular resource for students. The student mentors are available to help at all College wide events such as Open Days. College also has access to: • A careers advisor • CAMHS • Counselling (internal and external) • Specialist Teacher Advisory Service • Training from professionals where needed • Anxiety and Stress busting workshops. Other interventions that take place include physiotherapy, communication and language support and liaison with external Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapists. We have access to Hampshire's Specialist Teacher Advisory service for students with Visual and/or Hearing Impairments. We have staff trained in braille.

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

HSDC Alton College continually evaluates the training needs of its staff in order to fully respond to the needs of the student population.  Staff have received training on SEND reforms and we will continue to update staff as required. We have a comprehensive programme of staff development including: • SEND reforms • Supporting students with disabilities • Safeguarding training • Challenging discrimination • Mental health  • Eating disorders • Self-harm • Working with students with dyslexia • Behaviour management • Autistic Spectrum Conditions • Examination Access Arrangements • Diabetes and other significant health conditions • Young carers.  Some staff have had training in Speech and Language (ELKLAN), emotional literacy and Lego Therapy.

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

At HSDC Alton College we believe that extra-curricular activities should be open to all. We aim to develop the whole person and extra-curricular activities play a vital part in this. Students in Foundation Learning have a dedicated sports club each week run by the Chelsea Football Foundation as well as access to the college’s general enrichment programme. Every effort will be made to ensure trips are accessible for every learner. Individual needs are carefully considered and where necessary extra measures are put in place to allow for participation. Every trip is risk assessed. The Additional Learning Support Department works with all departments in the college to ensure the safety and well-being of our students.

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

HSDC Alton College is fully wheelchair accessible with ramps and lifts to enable access throughout the college. There are dedicated hoisting, changing and toilet facilities for students with disabilities. We have assistive technology and equipment available to students, or equipment can be ordered based on individual EHCP needs. Students with ASC benefit from a ‘quiet’ area called "The Calm Cabin" within the ALS department and  can also access an outdoor ‘quiet garden’. We use various software packages and other technological aids to support the individual students we have at college including In Print 3 (Widgit) symbols. A number of key staff are trained in Makaton and we also have our own registered Makaton trainer, who does regular training sessions with teaching and support staff.

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

Familiarisation and transition visits can take place as part of the application process. Some college staff visit local schools and meet prospective students. These can enable the student to feel comfortable around the college campus and meet specialist staff. Students with significant special educational needs and disabilities are invited in for a taster day where they can try out the courses and experience a college day. Students can discuss their needs with us and share any worries or concerns that they may have. Often the SEND Coordinator will visit a student at school as part of the planned transition process. We understand that students may find the first few weeks of college difficult and work hard to support students to settle into college life as smoothly as possible. We have a successful Supported Internship programme in Foundation Learning which has resulted in employment for many of our students. This helps students to make choices about their future and develop employability skills. The college careers advisor is actively engaged in the curriculum, working with students to develop their career plans. There is a cross-college programme to advise and support students who wish to progress on to higher education. The Additional Learning Support Department works with individual students advising them on the suitability of courses and helps them apply for the extra support they may need at university. 

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

All students with SEND across college, achieving at all levels, can access Additional Learning Support. Students can book up for a weekly 1-1 session if they need it or if one of their subject teachers refers them. This may take the form of one session, a block of sessions or continued weekly sessions throughout the student’s time at college. Students with high needs will receive ‘top up’ funding from the local authority to enable the college to meet the needs of the young person. This is then allocated for the support requirements of that individual. For example a student may need supervision at breaks, travel support and 1-1 support with their studies. The cost of this provision is likely to be high and college will apply to the local authority for ‘top up’ funding.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

The professionals working with the young person will make the decisions about the type and amount of support they will receive. The young person is at the centre of any decision making and will have been involved in the development of their EHCP. We use lots of different ways to find out if any student has special educational needs or disabilities. Before starting college we talk to students and their parents about their support needs. We analyse Year 11 annual reviews and have good relationships with local SENCos, attending regular SENCo circle meetings. The SEND Coordinator works closely with the local authority Special Educational Needs Officers to get to know the student as well as possible. On the application form students are invited to share any additional learning, health or welfare needs they have. Students will then be interviewed by an appropriate member of staff. At enrolment every student who declares a need is seen by a specialist member of staff. This enables students to feel confident that we are fully aware of their needs and familiarises them with the staff who be supporting them to be successful. We screen all students on enrolment to detect any signs of learning difficulty. Students are then set an assessment in their subject areas early in the term to highlight their strengths and weakness to staff; particular attention is given to students Maths, English and Study Skills. Support is then organised on an individual basis.

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

At HSDC Alton College we welcome involvement from parents/carers at all stages in their young person’s education. We value and encourage positive working relationships with parents/carers and young people and carefully plan and manage the transition period from school to college. Parents have opportunities throughout the academic year to liaise with staff and monitor the progress of their young person. Consultation takes place through parents’ evenings, subject and progress reviews and direct contact with staff. There is also parental access to Proportal which provides live, online up to date information on your young person’s progress. Parents/carers are also welcome to discuss any questions they may have with a relevant member of staff. Students are encouraged to be independent and proactive about their own learning and welfare, and through their personal tutor and relevant staff, to seek additional support and advice whenever necessary. We have an online referral system to support them in doing so.

Offering services to:
  • Adults 19-25
  • Young people 16-18
Supporting people with:
  • Education, training and development

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Last Updated: 05 June 2023

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