• Specialism:
  Severe/profound and complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
• Residential/Day:
  Non-residential
• Course Start Dates:
  Full-time 14th September 2011
• Course Length per Year in weeks:
  Full-time 38 weeks
• Maximum Student Numbers:
  86 Full-time
• Age Range:
  16 – 19 yrs and 19+ yrs

General Description of College:
Orchard Hill College is a non-residential Independent Specialist Provider with 5 Centres in the London Boroughs of Sutton, Wandsworth and Lambeth, supporting students from across London and the South East. All College Centres are located in the heart of their local communities enabling learners to develop long-term community and employment opportunities.

The Curriculum:
Each student follows a personalised learning programme which reflects their individual aspirations, learning needs and choice of progression destination. Students are set individual objectives linked to the curriculum areas of Foundation Skills; Practical Living Skills, Work and Leisure and Personal, Social, Health and Emotional Development. Students are supported on site by the multi-disciplinary team of staff including personal tutors, Occupational therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language therapists, Music therapists and a qualified nursing team.

Specialist Facilities:
Each College Centre is equipped with well resourced teaching areas, state of the art technology and specialist sensory equipment. Adapted teaching kitchens in all Centres enable students to participate in food preparation and enterprise projects. In addition to work placements, students access facilities within the local community including hydrotherapy pools, pottery, sailing, gardening, horse riding, and projects such as a link with the National Theatre, using public transport or the College’s own specially adapted buses.

Statements:

1. a range of vocational courses with opportunities for accreditation.
2. a personal development programme
3. a programme to help learners to look after themselves more independently
4. opportunities to attend local mainstream colleges with support
5. a work placement scheme with local employers
6. opportunities to improve literacy, numeracy and/or communication skills
7. opportunities to improve Information and learning technology skills
8. opportunities to improve communication skills such as the use of Makaton, Bliss, symbols or objects of reference
9. opportunities to take part in a wide range of social, leisure and sporting activities
10. expertise in supporting learners with a wide range of physical disabilities
11. expertise in working with learners with severe autism spectrum disorder
12. expertise in working with learners with autism spectrum disorder with associated challenging behaviour
13. expertise in meeting the needs of students with profound and multiple learning difficulties
14. expertise in working with learners with epilepsy and/or associated neurological conditions
15. expertise in working with students who have specific learning difficulties
16. expertise in working with learners with communication difficulties
17. in-house speech and language therapy
18. in-house physiotherapy
19. an occupational therapy programme
20. on site medical provision