The St Albans campus at Oaklands College is home to Learning for Independence and Future Employment (LIFE). Through LIFE, the college offers a variety of full-time Entry Level to Level 2 courses for students with special educational needs. The courses aim to help them become more independent at home and in the community and progress into employment for those who wish to do so.
Springfield
Springfield is a specialist provision based at the St Alban’s campus. It offers a supported learning programme for young adults aged 16 to 22 who have a profound, complex or severe learning difficulty or disability and who may require additional medical support in order to access the curriculum.
This also includes young people whose needs may fall within the autistic spectrum and who may have associated communication difficulties and require behavioural support.
Courses are intended for students who need a supportive programme in a setting which offers high levels of staff support before possibly moving on to another entry level programme. There are several pathways which provide educational, social, personal, independence and work-related skills for the future, all individually tailored to meet the needs of the student.
Following initial assessment, students will be placed with the most appropriate peer group that best reflects their needs and abilities, and curriculum delivery will be led by the aims and outcomes set out in their education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Individual supported learning
This programme is for students aged 16-24 who have a learning difficulty and/or disability and provides educational, social, personal and work-related skills for the future.
Students can choose from a number of routes within a range of related options and subjects. There is a clear focus on developing life skills and vocational opportunities to enable students to have greater independence and develop their skills.
We have a co-ordinator and a travel trainer to support students into work placements and independent travel. In addition, the college works with a range of partners throughout the programme to ensure that individual student’s aspirations remain the focus of our work.
All students have the opportunity to work towards nationally-recognised qualifications which underpin our curriculum offer.
Supported internships
The college offers a supported internship programme for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. Internships are unpaid work and last for a minimum of six months. The on-the-job training supports students to move into paid employment at the end of the programme. Students will be at their work placement for up to 16 hours a week and at college for one day a week.