Local Offer

Information about services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

The Aurora Centre is our specialist, non-residential centre for young adults with autistic spectrum disorder and complex needs.

You’ll need to be aged 16-24 and have a statement of special educational needs (SEN statement) or EHC plan. The Centre is separate from the rest of the College and has its own entrance, a garden, music room, kitchen, laundry facilities, a greenhouse and more.

The curriculum is practical and tailored to your needs. It focuses on three areas: living, work and community. You’ll also be able to take part in supervised work experience.

Your support may include:

• One-to-one support
• Sensory support
• Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, or physical therapy
• A social skills group
• British Sign Language communicator and/or note-taker
• Personal care
• A health and safety plan

The programme is tailored to your needs and is likely to include:

• Communication and numeracy
• Social and behavioural development
• Citizenship
• Life skills such as travel training, shopping and meal preparation
• Expressive arts
• Employability skills and volunteering opportunities
• Health and wellbeing.

There are opportunities to use the main College facilities or enrol on other courses.

Courses run for four days a week from 9am- 3pm. Your course could last up to five years depending on your progress. If you have an EHC plan, you might need extra provision on top of your course. Please contact your local authority about this.

Each group has six to eight students with one specialist teacher and some additional support staff depending on the needs of the group and the individual learners. You may need one-to-one support initially.

You should visit us to talk to our staff to check that this is right for you. Places fill up quickly so when you know you want to apply:

1. You complete the application form at least one year before your planned enrolment.

2. Our staff may visit you in school to assess your needs. We carry out full assessments for all prospective students in September and October the year before you enrol.

3. Offer letters are sent out in December or January for places the following September. The College and your local authority agree funding. Your local authority will issue a new EHC plan by March 31.

4. If we can we’ll attend your final annual review at school and talk to any relevant professionals involved in your care.

5. We’ll invite you to attend transition days once a week during the last half of the summer term before you start.

We have open events and activities throughout the year. You can find out details and register on our open days and events page on our website

If you would like to arrange a separate visit to find out more about the Aurora Centre, please contact them on 020 8408 6536

You can tell us when you apply for your course – there’s an area on the course application form for this. You, your school or local authority need to send us your EHC plan, SEN statement and any other documents explaining the support you currently receive.

If you prefer, you can discuss your needs with one of our learner support officers.

If you are on a mainstream course, you may need support after you start your course. In this case, you can fill in a support referral form and take an assessment.

You could qualify for a grant under the Government’s 16-19 bursary scheme. Read our financial support page for more information: http://www.merton.ac.uk/help-and-advice/fees-and-payment-information

If you've been accepted on a higher education course:  and you have a disability, learning difficulty or medical condition that affects your learning, you could be eligible for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA).

You should apply for DSA as soon as possible and we can help you with this.

If you are aged 16-25 and have an EHC plan or SEN statement you could get free college meals. This is a daily allowance of £2.41 which is automatically uploaded to your college ID card to spend in college canteens.
To receive this, you or your parents or carers must be in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
• The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Universal Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided there is no entitlement to Working Tax Credit and the household annual gross income is no more than £16,190)
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Pick up a Learner Support Fund application form from the Advice Centre or Student Services. You can apply at the start of your course and will need to provide evidence of your household income. You’ll be told if you are eligible when you submit your form. After your application has been handed in, you’ll receive an email to your college email address to let you know you when your first payment will be put on your student ID card

If you don’t have GCSE maths or English you’ll need to do an online assessment when you enrol. Please let your assessor know if you need a paper copy, large print, coloured paper or any other format.

You can track your grades with a system called ProPortal. You can use this to see your success, attainment levels and progress on your course. You can get onto ProPortal outside of college.

If you have a personal tutor they will monitor your progress and review your social, emotional and educational needs.

All staff are trained in disability awareness, health and safety, equality and diversity, and safeguarding.

Many staff are also trained to work with people who have a range of learning needs such as autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Staff supporting higher needs students have training in other specialist areas. These include Makaton and continence management.

Our staff have an annual observation and appraisals to identify additional training needs.

Our staff have an annual observation and appraisals to identify additional training needs.

We have recruitment and business teams to help you progress into apprenticeships or traineeships by matching you with placements and helping you with your application. For more information visit the apprenticeships page on our website here: http://www.merton.ac.uk/help-and-advice/employers/585-apprenticeships?highlight=WyJhcHByZW50aWNlc2hpcHMiXQ==

Our communal areas can be used by all students. These include libraries, a gym and a social room with computers, a pool table, Wii, PS3 and Xbox. In these areas you can get support such as extended book loans, ergonomic equipment, adjustable tables, and stations with accessible software and enlargement apparatus. If you need additional support to help you use these facilities, we will work with you to provide this.

You’ll receive career advice when you are approaching the end of your course.

If you have an EHC plan or SEN statement, we will talk to you about your aspirations during each annual review. This will include careers advice and planning for adulthood.

Throughout your course you’ll work on employability, interview practice, CV writing and workplace skills.

If you’re unhappy with any aspect of the College, you can speak to your tutor or the head or the school or service concerned. If this hasn’t resolved the issue, you can read our complaints policy and procedure and fill in the complaints form online. This can be provided in an alternative format of your choice.

Learner support for Skills for Working Life

• 020 8408 6356
• learner.support@south-thames.ac.uk