• Specialism:
  Multi – sensory impairment with profound learning difficulties and/or disabilities
• Residential/Day:
  Day
• Course Start Dates:
  Throughout the year
• Course Length per Year in weeks:
  38 or 45 weeks per year
• Maximum Student Numbers:
  190
• Age Range:
  16 - 60

General Description of College:
Sense College is an Independent Specialist College (ISC), operating in the East Midlands and the East of England. It is part of the national ‘Sense’ parent organisation, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, for deafblind people.

Sense College operates from eight (8) resource centre sites located at Peterborough, Louth, Nettleham, Dereham, Spalding, Bourne, Rothwell, and Knapwell,

The Curriculum:
Sense College has its own deafblind specialist curriculum which identifies 4 phases of development across 5 domains:
* Communication
* Conceptual & Sensory
* Movement, Mobility & Orientation
* Personal & Social Development
* World of Work
Individual pathways are followed depending on individuals desired destination

Specialist Facilities:
Sense College learners have access to specialist Vision & Hearing assessment and all programmes are delivered with access to Multi-Sensory Impaired (MSI) qualified teaching staff.

Learners have access to a college environment where a 'Total Communication' approach is taken focused on the deafblind persons preferred means of communication. This may include Sign Supported English, British Sign Language, (BSL) the Deafblind Manual Alphabet, Braille, Moon & Technological Aids to Communication. We also use pre-formal language communication methods such as Objects of Reference and Symbol based communication systems.

Statements:

1. expertise in working with learners with multi-sensory impairment
2. expertise in meeting the needs of students with profound and multiple learning difficulties
3. expertise in meeting the needs of students with severe learning difficulties
4. expertise in working with learners with communication difficulties
5. expertise in working with learners who are blind or visually impaired
6. expertise in working with d/Deaf learners
7. expertise in supporting learners with behavioural difficulties
8. expertise in supporting learners with a wide range of physical disabilities
9. expertise in working with learners with autism spectrum disorder with associated challenging behaviour
10. expertise in the use of British Sign Language
11. expertise in working with learners with epilepsy and/or associated neurological conditions
12. expertise in working with learners with autism spectrum disorder
13. opportunities to experiment with sound, touch, smell and sight in order to aid learning
14. opportunities to improve and develop communication skills through the use of Alternative and Augmentative Communication aids
15. opportunities to improve communication skills such as the use of Makaton, Bliss, symbols or objects of reference
16. comprehensive support in the learning and use of Braille and/or Moon
17. opportunities to improve literacy, numeracy and/or communication skills
18. a programme to help learners to look after themselves more independently
19. a programme to enable students to learn more about themselves and how to form relationships
20. opportunities to improve Information and learning technology skills