National Star College (Local SEND Offer)

As part of the Children and Families Act 2014, all colleges in Redbridge are required to make available their Local SEND Offer to families which details how they can support young people with a special educational need and/or disability (SEND).

Scroll down or click on the headings below to see details of this college's local SEND offer:

An overview of the College

National Star is an exciting and ‘Good’ (Ofsted 2023, CQC 2017) independent specialist college for disabled students, providing personalised learning and transition services for people with disabilities. We work with students with complex physical, learning, sensory and communication difficulties and acquired disabilities.

We offer full and part time, day and residential places, 36-52 week places, focusing on transition and achieving individual goals. Our college is a vibrant, inclusive and active environment – students have a wide range of abilities, come to us from varied social and ethnic backgrounds and participate in a wide range of community activities.

Identifying additional needs

How will the college know if a young person needs additional help and how do they keep parents/carers informed?

How will the school know if a pupil needs additional help and how do they keep parents informed, e.g. regarding assessments?

All young people wishing to use our service will have an assessment where they will meet and engage with staff from Therapies, Education and Residential services. Those staff will then meet to reflect on their findings from the assessment process to ensure we are able to meet the need of the young person.

Learners are inducted into college over a number of days and careful consideration is given to the views and wishes of them and their parents. Parents are given contact details in college and frequency and method of communication is agreed at admission.

Dedicated contacts at the college

Who should parents/carers contact if they have any questions or concerns about SEND?

All learners will be assigned a Personal Learning Co-Ordinator. They will act as the first and main point of contact for parents and carers.

Involving young persons and parents/carers in planning support

How does the college involve students and parents/carers in planning to meet SEND?

  • Planning and review meetings
  • Regular contact between home and school
  • Advice on how to support learning at home
  • Other

    • We support and facilitate an active Parent and Carer Forum within the college.
    • We have a transition team comprising of a careers advisor and housing specialist who work with learners and their Personalised Learning Mentors to plan for their future living and occupational destinations.
    • Learners are empowered to be involved in all aspects of the organisation. We have an active Student Union, student parliament and two student governors. 

Range of support available to pupils with SEND

What different kinds of support are available to young people with SEND?

  • Curriculum adaptations/differentiation
  • Specific teaching interventions
  • Support for behaviour
  • Groupings of pupils
  • Specified individual support
  • Support for health needs
  • Specialist teaching groups
  • Support for communication needs/assistive technologies

Programmes can be built up flexibly around learner needs so many learners do not follow a pre-prescribed study programme, but may access a range of programmes to meet their needs.

All learners have individual and personal timetables (currently 180).

The number of support staff required in education sessions are assessed according to individual needs and activities, and staff/student ratios range from 2:1 to 1:6.

Support and training for staff

Have any staff received specialist training in SEND?

  • All teachers hold teaching qualifications
  • Personal Learning Coordinators hold teaching qualifications (minimum CTLLs)
  • All therapists are qualified and registered in their own particular disciplines
  • All residential (care) staff hold Diploma in Health and Social Care (or equivalent) at level 2 or above or are working to achieve this.
  • All staff are trained in Safeguarding, Safer Working Practice, Health & Safety, Equality and Diversity, Moving and Handling and where necessary, Team Teach, Autism, Working with people with ABI and other specialist training

Accessibility of the college

How is the college accessible to young people with SEND?

The National Star College has many years’ experience of working with people with limited mobility. Approximately 75% of learners are wheelchair users.

All student areas are accessible for people who use wheelchairs including a ramped stage, hoists in some class rooms and in all accommodation areas, high low tables in most areas, specialist equipment where necessary.

All college transport is accessible for people who use wheelchairs.

Transitions

How will the college support pupils with SEND to make a good start and eventually to move on to further training or employment and independent adult living?

  • We have a transition team comprising of a careers advisor and housing specialist who work with learners and their Personalised Learning Coordinators to plan for their future living and occupational destinations.

Support and training for parents/carers

What support and training is available to parents and carers?

We support and facilitate an active Parent and Carer Forum within the college.

Further information for families and practitioners

Please refer to the college website for further information

Who to contact

Telephone
01242 527631 01242 527631
E-mail
enquiries@nationalstar.org
Website
www.nationalstar.org
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Where to go

Name
National Star College
Address
Ullenwood
Cheltenham
Postcode
GL53 9QU
View GL53 9QU on a map

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