SEND Support

Personalised support at Totton College 

Additional support is not dictated by what course a student is on. SEND support is available and in place across all college departments and courses and is deployed where it is needed. We have courses designed to meet specific types and levels of SEND in both of Skills for Life and Pathways departments.   

Preparation for adulthood is at the core of all provision with a focus on a progressive SEND curriculum. The curriculum is planned to equip students with the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need to progress on to their next, suitable stage of adulthood and/or independence, education or employment.   

Whether it’s managing everyday tasks, navigating emotional challenges, or enhancing academic experiences, we’re here to ensure every student’s journey is smooth, fulfilling, and enriched with opportunities for growth. 

Supporting SEND students 

We offer a variety of supportive services to help students become independent, and progress wile studying with us. This includes:  

Learning Support Assistants (LSAs)

Totton College has a team of over 50 support staff and LSAs who offer a wide range of support across all our subject areas. This is in addition to our therapy team and college nurse. The support the team offers varies depending on the needs of each student, but can often include: 1:1 support, group support, scribing, reading, personal care, supporting anxiety & SEMH, support with eating, medication, support during breaks, lunch and at the beginning and end of the day as well as support with communication and social skills. The team are experienced in supporting a wide variety of learning difficulties and disabilities and take part in a minimum of two annual, compulsory training weeks where their skills, knowledge and expertise are refined and updated regularly to ensure the best quality of support possible. 

Therapy provision 

We have a dedicated team of therapy assistants and therapy-trained LSAs at Totton College. Available 5 days a week, the team support teaching and learning for those with additional needs as well as carrying out individual 1:1 or group therapy programmes. This can include social skills sessions, physio programmes, fine and gross motor skills activities, sensory regulation, gym and movement sessions and support with personal care.  

Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) 

Alongside our therapy assistants we have a team of Speech and Language therapists. These are also available throughout the week and have considerable input into teaching and support strategies for SEN students. The speech and language team are able to support and lead social skills and communication sessions and also train our support and teaching staff in different communication approaches and techniques. The SaLT team carry out communication assessments for speech and language as well as support and deliver 1:1 and group SaLT sessions. They also help to develop support packages for students including the use of zones of regulation and comic strip stories.  

Occupational Therapy (OT) 

 Totton College is able to offer a level of occupational therapy input. We have a dedicated OT available weekly to support our students at Totton College. This support includes full OT assessment including sensory integration where needed, and design and planning new OT programmes and/or support strategies for our students. They also offer specialist training to teaching and support staff.  

Physiotherapy 

 We currently have a physiotherapist available weekly at the college. Their role is to assess new students with physio needs and set up physiotherapy plans which the therapy assistants/LSAs will then carry out. The Physiotherapist reviews these programmes regularly and provides annual reports for students on progress. We use a variety of equipment that assists the therapy roles including therapeutic beds, hoists and slings. Some equipment may need to be provided by the student/parent/carer depending on need.  

College Nurse  

A college nurse is available throughout the day to offer medical support, administration and guidance to students. They are responsible for putting protocols in place in case of emergency and managing the medication kept onsite. They hold a record of all declared medical conditions of students and any medication to be taken during the college day.  

Specialist Tutor 1:1  

We have specialist tutors and support assistants available to facilitate additional 1:1s for students who require it as part of their agreed provision, but also available for students who need extra support, particularly for English, maths or assignment writing. These can be regular weekly slots or one-offs as required and can be requested as well as referred. 

Meeting needs and provision on EHCP 

 Every member of staff working with students will have access to their EHCP, sections B and F (special education needs section and the provision section). This allows all staff working with the student to be aware of what needs to be in place to meet needs as well as desired outcomes, objectives and summary of need. Each student will also have a PEN profile outlining their main needs and learning and support strategies, which is shared with all teaching and support staff working with that young person. Some students will require additional services such as therapy and/or medication or personal care support all of which can be provided as part of the provision outlined in an EHCP. 

Annual Review  

Every student with an EHCP will have an annual review at some point during the academic year. The first term (Sept-Dec) is usually reserved for those students that we expect to be leaving at the end of the academic year. You will receive notification of your Annual Review meeting at least two weeks in advance and will be offered the option of attending in person or via video call. At the review, progress towards outcomes, independence and academic qualifications will be discussed and teaching and support staff will share their views on general progress, progress towards EHCP outcomes and next steps. Local authority and social care representatives will be invited where necessary. Please let us know as soon as you can if there are other professionals, that we may not know about, involved with the EHCP that should be invited to the review. We will always seek the views of parents and the young person prior to a review and parents should receive a copy of the  paperwork in advance of the meeting and then a final copy following the meeting. Part of the purpose of the annual review is to identify if needs are being met successfully, what else can be put in place to continue to meet needs and make progress towards adulthood and independence as well as to identify suitable next steps for the following academic year. 

Find out more 

For more information about the support we offer, please contact:  

Will Rogers – Head of SEND Support  

Call: 07483027605
email: EHCP@totton.ac.uk 

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