Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Discover our programmes for learners with learning difficulties or disabilities.

We believe that everyone should have a chance to achieve their goals, so we offer a range of programmes for learners who need additional support.

Activate Learning is proud of the outstanding and award-winning Supported Foundation Programmes which offer students the opportunity to develop in the exciting setting of a mainstream further education college.

Download our supported learning guide
Search our SEND programmes

Opportunities for learners

Our learners have the opportunity to learn independent living and self-care skills, employability skills, digital literacy, English and maths, and in some cases, take part in work experience—depending on the programme they choose.

We work closely with colleagues from across our colleges, offering learners the opportunity to progress into new vocational areas. Our partnerships with external organisations and employers are central to equipping learners for successful futures.

Examples from across our colleges include:

  • supported internships with Royal Berkshire Hospital, Mencap and Oxfordshire Employment Services
  • supported employment provision via specialist agency
  • work with two local authorities
  • more than 200 employers providing work experience
  • close links with special schools
Contact us about supported foundation programmes

An award-winning education

Activate Learning have recently been recognised for the work we do to inspire special needs students into employment with a coveted education award. The Association of Colleges' Beacon Awards 'Support for Students' prize 2019 recognises our innovative partnership programme for young people with special education needs and disabilities.

Supported Studies Programmes

We offer a variety of study programmes, however, we know that every learner is different. We will design the right blend for your individual needs.

Tier1: Pathway to Exploration

This programme provides for the needs of individuals with profound and complex learning difficulties including sensory impairment, physical disabilities and severe medical conditions. This programme will sup-port all aspects of your needs including health, care, therapies, medications, and educational development.

Tier 2: Pathway to Independence and Supported Work

This programme provides for the needs of individuals with severe to moderate learning difficulties who want to continue to build on essential skills for living, employment and community

Tier 3: Pathway for Progression

This programme serves as a stepping stone for you to progress on to further studies and prepare you for the world of work in a supported college environment. The programme will help you build confidence and further develop your social communication skills by providing opportunities for you to independently apply skills and knowledge learnt in a range of settings including external work experience.

Pathway to Supported Internship 

This award-winning programme is designed to prepare you for a Supported Internship and supported paid work if you have an EHCP. You’ll spend four days a week in college learning how to work independently in a range of service settings such as retail, postal services, cafés and administration. You’ll benefit from employer progress reviews, job coaching and specific qualifications that support these services, such as GDPR and manual-handling training.

Supported Internships  

Year-long opportunities with rotations in one or several employers that aim to move you into paid work. This programme will provide you with the essential employability skills and experience by getting hands-on with an employer. You’ll be given the skills required to be successful in the job application process and build on your self-management and independence skills. You can expect to complete 3-4 days at work and then 1 day at college.

Adult Programmes (ACE) 

Our part-time programmes provide opportunities for people aged 23 and over to maintain skills and friendships after full-time education has finished. You will attend college Adult Programmes one or two days a week and work on both functional skills and leisure activities, free of charge if you are in receipt of disability benefits.

Search our SEND programmes

Our learning companies

In addition, we provide learners with the opportunity to develop vital employability and independence skills through our learning companies. These are social enterprises run by staff and students and include on-campus shops and delivery services.

Industry partners

We work in close partnership with a number of organisations to provide excellent teaching and learning for our students, including: Optalis choices for living, Project Search, Westgate Oxford, Oxfordshire Employment Service (part of Oxfordshire County Council), Big Lottery Fund and OxLEP.