Rationale
The Post-16 Department at St. John’s has existed in its present form since 1993. The school has strong links with York College and Askham Bryan College, and if required, has negotiated provision with other Colleges, notably Leeds College of Building. This collaborative provision is of huge benefit to our students for the following reasons –
- We are a small school. Partnership with large Colleges allows us to access students to the fullest curriculum choice possible at Post-16.
- We are aware that students are ‘sheltered’ in a Special School environment. Attendance in local Colleges, with high levels of support, helps to bridge the gap back into mainstream education.
- As students remain on the school roll, we are able to provide high levels of support for their College studies both in the College classes and as tutorial back-up. Students also undertake an extended curriculum within school in Literacy, Numeracy, Speech and Language Therapy, PSHE and Careers.
The Post-16 Department follows the Oral Philosophy of the school. Sign Language instruction is not used.
Implementation
During Year 10 and 11 Careers lessons, students are made aware of all Post-16 options open to them. Staying in St. John’s Post-16 is one of these options. It is not an automatic progression – students and their parents make an informed choice. Students choosing to apply to St. John’s Post-16 have a short interview and students and parents sign a contract.
The school is happy to accept students from other educational placements, following a visit and extended assessment.
Students consider vocational or A-level courses at York and Askham Bryan Colleges. They attend Open Days and interviews. They are expected to fulfil the same entry criteria in terms of GCSE grades etc as all other students.
The Colleges deliver the vocational or academic course, however St. John’s Post-16 provides a high level of support in the following ways.
- Deaf Awareness to College staff via formal training, liaison and printed materials.
- Support tailored to the student’s needs in discussion with the course tutors and the student. This can be varied as the course progresses.
- Experienced, trained, specialist notetakers for deaf people, employed by St. John’s, support students in as many classes as required.
- A Teacher of the Deaf acts as Post-16 Co-ordinator. She is based on the York College site but visits Askham Bryan College and St. John’s several times during the week. She co-ordinates all aspects of support, timetables the notetakers, advises College staff and deals with all day to day matters which arise.
- Teachers of the Deaf from school act as support tutors for each student. The teachers are ‘matched’ to the students course ensuring specialist subject knowledge and the skills of a Teacher of the Deaf are both available to support the student with course vocabulary, assignments etc. Support Teachers meet with the student once or twice a week.
- Additional literacy and / or numeracy classes at St. John’s for students who have not yet achieved GCSE Grade C English and / or Maths. Classes vary from year to year but can range from Basic skills to GCSE support.
- Personal, Social and Health Education information provided in informal group classes at St. John’s by the School Nurse and a team of teachers. Subjects vary from year to year and there is a high element of student choice / input into the subjects studied.
- Speech and Language Therapy provided at St. John’s for individuals, groups or on a ‘drop-in’ basis.
- Careers Education at St. John’s – small group classes for students working at Level 2 and below and individual support for University applications for Level 3 students. A Specialist Advisor from Leeds Careers Service meets with each student during the Autumn term and attends Annual Reviews and liaises with local services as necessary.
The vast majority of students are residential as this eases access to school – college minibus transport and to the extended curriculum, much of which is delivered in ‘twilight’ slots. Students live independently in a discrete group in a separate area of the school. They have single study bedrooms. They undertake independent living activities such as budgeting, shopping and laundry. Many learn to drive. Some, if time permits, are able to undertake Work Placements.
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