Here are some tips on what to consider when choosing a college.
The best way to find out if a College feels right for you is to visit it when students are around.
Independent specialist colleges are much better resourced than mainstream colleges. However to get funding for a specialist college you need to show that a mainstream college cannot meet your needs. There is an appeals system if you don't think the decision is fiar. If you want to go to a specialist college you should apply in plenty of time.
It is important that the staff at the college understand your needs and can support you:
When you visit ask yourself:
The location and facilities available will have an impact on your time at college and the potential you have to develop skills in the community:
You may be looking for academic subjects but remember you also need to learn to be an independent adult:
In the future you may wish to go into paid or voluntary work or mainstream education:
Eventually you may also want to move into independent or supported housing:
Don't just rely on what a college quotes on its web site, look up the inspection reports on the Ofsted web site.
There will be a report for education and there may also be an Ofsted report for residential care. As well as full inspection reports from Ofsted, you may also see Annual Monitoring Visits which report on progress.