Moving from school to college (post-16 education)

All young people must remain in education, employment or training until the age of 18. Learning can be academic, vocational or work based.

The Transition Guide Brochure has information on colleges and what courses are available, and details the levels of qualifications offered in each of the colleges. The Post-16 Admissions Guidance for Young People page describes the step-by-step process of applying to post-16 provision when you have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan.

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Where can young people with SEND study?

Young people with SEND have many options for post-16 education.

  • Mainstream schools, special schools and academies often have sixth forms which offer courses for all young people, including those with SEND.
  • General Further Education (GFE) colleges which offer mainstream and supported learning courses.
  • Sixth form colleges, offering mainly A-levels.
  • Approved Independent specialist providers of further education for young people with SEND

The Transition Guide Brochure has information on the learning providers and courses available in Surrey, and details the levels of qualifications offered.

The Post-16 Admissions Guidance for Young People page describes the step-by-step process of applying to post-16 provision when you have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan. Young people without an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan should apply using the admissions process of the post-16 education provider they have chosen.

Local providers of post-16 education in Surrey


View larger map (Post-16 education and training providers in Surrey)

Supporting the move to college

The young person's school will work with post-16 providers to ensure the young person experiences a smooth transition to college, training or employment.

This should first be planned in the young person's Year 9 Transition Review Meeting and at subsequent reviews until the move. The ways that the school can help the young person to prepare for moving to college can include the following.

  • Taster sessions at colleges.
  • Discussions between the Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCO) at each provider to ensure the young person's needs are understood.
  • Events held by the SEND Post-16 Team and Transition Team. Details can be found on the Local Offer events page.
  • Link Courses at college before leaving school. These are to assist in transition planning, vocational tasting and shared understanding of need.

Support for SEND in college

If the young person has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, this will be with them until they achieve their identified learning objectives, leave education or training permanently or turn 25 years old (whichever happens first).

The support outlined in their plan must be fulfilled by their education provider, such as a further education college. Annual reviews will continue to take place to ensure the support is appropriate, effective and outcomes are being achieved.

Colleges have similar responsibilities to schools to provide reasonable support to young people with special educational needs, including when they do not have an EHC plan. This could include access to a teaching assistant, specialist teachers, one to one support, therapy input, independence skills and adaptations to resources or technology to make them more accessible.

If a young person arrives at college and is assessed to need more support than the college could usually provide, the college can request an Education, Health and Care assessment, up until the young person achieves their learning objectives, leaves education or training or turns 25 years old (whichever happens first).

SEND: 19-25 year olds entitlement to EHC plans is guidance provided by the government about the support which must be available to young adults with SEND.

Supported Internships aim to equip young people aged 16 to 24 with the skills they need to help them into employment. If you would like more information, you can contact employability@surreychoices.com.

Maths and English

Good skills in maths and English are often essential for employment.

If a young person has not achieved a GCSE in maths and English at the end of Year 11, there are courses available in further education colleges to help them gain a pre-GCSE or GCSE qualification. Achieving a qualification in maths and English may be a requirement to move onto other courses.

Adult learning

Surrey Adult Learning offers a wide range of courses and learning opportunities for adults of all ages in Surrey. Some of these courses are taught in-person and others are taught online.

Surrey Supported Learning offers courses for adult learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. These courses cover a wide range of subjects and interests, including creative skills, business, gardening, cookery, photography, computing, dance, yoga and performing arts. They also offer English and maths skills courses.

Surrey Supported Learning also provides Makaton workshops for parents, carers, teaching staff and other professionals, and lip-reading courses for adults with hearing difficulties.

Young person not in education, employment or training

All young people must be in education, employment or training until the age of 18.

Surrey Adolescent Service supports and helps protect adolescent children and their families facing complex challenges and where extra-familial risks or harms are the key concern impacting safety

If you feel your young person would benefit from support through Surrey Adolescent Service, please call Surrey's Children's Single Point of Access (SPA) on 0300 470 9100 to discuss a referral.

Paying for Further Education

Whether you need to pay for your further education course, depends on:

  • your age;
  • the type of qualification; and
  • whether you have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are nine qualification levels. For example, a GCSE at grade 3, 2, 1 is a Level 1 qualification, a GCSE at grade 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 is a Level 2 qualification, and an A Level is a Level 3 qualification.

Courses in maths and English, up to GCSE level, are usually free. Other further education courses are free until the age of 19, up to level 3.

If your child has an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan, their course may be fully funded until they are 25 years old, if the course meets the targets outlined in their plan and the course is below level 4.

16-19 Bursary Fund is available to students in receipt of disability benefits to help with the associated costs of education, such as lunch, books and travel.

Further education courses and funding outlines a range of funding accessible to young people studying a further education course, without an EHC plan.

Discretionary funds can sometimes be offered to students whose education will be impacted by financial deprivation, SEND (with no EHC plan) or some kind of hardship. You will need to contact your college directly, as each will have their own eligibility criteria and level of grant available.

Higher Education and Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)

If you go to university, your Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan automatically ends. It is not possible to have an EHC plan at university.

However, if you need additional support and incur extra costs as a result of your disability, you might be eligible for a Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA).

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability.

This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get.

The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs - not your household income. You do not need to pay it back.

Both part-time and full-time students can receive DSA, for both undergraduate and post-graduate degree programmes.

If a young person with an EHC plan has a confirmed higher education place, with their permission, Surrey County Council will pass a copy of the EHC plan to the relevant institution and to the assessor for Disabled Students Allowance.

Students without an EHC plan can also apply for DSA.

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has information and advice for students with disabilities, including access arrangements and financial options.

Note: Higher Education is funded through the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice does not apply to students in Higher Education.

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