• Specialism:
  Residential
• Residential/Day:
  September 12th – July 22nd
• Course Start Dates:
  38 weeks
• Course Length per Year in weeks:
  70
• Maximum Student Numbers:
  16+

General Description of College:
Located on 47 acres near Sevenoaks in Kent, with purpose built residential and educational buildings. All learners are blind or visually impaired and many have additional disabilities and needs.

The Curriculum:
Some learners have the opportunity to attend our partner mainstream colleges for a variety of courses. The majority of learners remain on campus attending a 14-19 activity based curriculum. This consists of integrated projects through which learners acquire vocational skills in areas such as horticulture, catering, farming and performing arts with embedded key skills, while also learning the skills for independent living. The residential provision enables therapies including physio, occupation, speech and language and music, mobility, Braille, adaptive technologies and other life skills to be integrated into the delivery on a 24/7 model.

Specialist Facilities:
Dorton College offers everything you need to progress in independence. We encourage students to take part in an environment which is geared towards developing self-sufficiency. A full and varied programme of leisure activities is also offered as the campus has an indoor swimming pool and gym. We also have our own Radio Station, Dorton Radio and farm.

Statements:

1. expertise in working with learners who are blind or visually impaired
2. expertise in working with students who have specific learning difficulties
3. expertise in working with learners with communication difficulties
4. extensive use of assistive and adaptive technologies
5. in-house speech and language therapy
6. in-house physiotherapy
7. an occupational therapy programme
8. specialist orientation and mobility training to enable independent travel
9. specialist staff to meet personal care requirements
10. on site medical provision
11. residential provision linked to the academic year
12. opportunities to experiment with sound, touch, smell and sight in order to aid learning
13. opportunities to improve communication skills such as the use of Makaton, Bliss, symbols or objects of reference
14. comprehensive support in the learning and use of Braille and/or Moon
15. opportunities to attend local mainstream colleges with support
16. opportunities for learners to participate in community activities and to learn about citizenship
17. opportunities to work towards qualifications within Foundation Learning
18. a social skills programme
19. opportunities to follow a vocational course
20. a personal development programme