Choosing a college

Tips on what to consider when choosing a college

Size and Atmosphere

The best way to find out what a College feels like is to visit it when students are around:

• Does the college feel like it has a welcoming community?
• Is the atmosphere friendly?
• Do students sound interested when they talk about what they do?
• Do you feel that people have got time for you?

Location

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:

• Can you access the community outside the College?
• Is there a town near the College with shops and other community activities?
• Is there a partnership with a mainstream college you can use if you want to?

Subjects

You may be looking for academic subjects but remember you also need to learn to be an independent adult:

• Can the College provide the subjects you want at the correct level for you?
• Will you be able to learn independent living skills to help you become more independent?

Planning for the Future

In the future you may wish to go into paid or voluntary work or activity:

• Does the College have good links with employers?
• Are there good work placement opportunities?

Eventually you may also want to move into independent or supported housing:

• Does the College prepare you for independent living or supported housing?

Expertise in Your Needs

It is important that the staff at the college understand your needs and can support you:

• Does the College have the staff skills and facilities to support your disabilities?
• Are there already students at the College with similar needs to you?

Inspection Grades

Don’t just rely on what a college quotes on its web site, look up the inspection reports on the Ofsted web site.

Make sure you are looking at the Education inspection report since Ofsted also report on care for 16-18 year olds in some residential colleges. Look at reports from Annual Monitoring Visits. They should be reporting “Significant Progress” in most areas.

Colleges that are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have their care inspected by it. Look up the report on the Care Quality Commission web site.

Colleges that are not registered with the CQC do not have to meet its standards.

The most important thing is to go and visit. Everyone is different. Do the College and the people there feel right to meet your individual needs?

Find out what RNIB College's inspection reports say about the College.