THE INTRODUCTION of a new range of national qualifications for students with disabilities attending the specialist college of further education at Pennine Camphill Community, Chapelthorpe, Wakefield, has proved so successful that all students received certificates at the end-of-year graduation ceremony this week.
Of the 37 residential and day students attending the college, 36 gained ASDAN qualifications and eight gained NVQs. The college, which has a 3 Star Excellent rating from the Care Quality Commission, offers young people with moderate to severe and complex learning disabilities the opportunity to develop skills for the next stages of their lives. It began piloting the ASDAN qualifications with its students three years ago. The programme proved so successful with the initial group that it was decided to offer all students the opportunity to achieve validation of their work through ASDAN.
“The value of these qualifications to our students is that they allow them to express their levels of achievement by demonstrating interest, competence, understanding and ability without academic work or even reading and writing,” explained the college’s Catherine Taylor. “As a Camphill college it’s something we’ve always wanted as our aim is to find what interests our students, what they can achieve with support, and then encourage them to develop greater independence so that they need less support.
RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS
“Through ASDAN our students can now gain nationally recognised qualifications to show how far they have progressed.”
At Pennine, learning is not just a 9am to 5pm activity but takes place in all areas of the students’ lives. Most students are residents so in the houses they gain social and independent living skills. In the college’s workshops, garden and on the land, work-related skills are learned including transferable skills such as working as part of a group and taking responsibility for your own work. Leisure activities also provide learning experiences whether it’s taking part in a festival celebration at the college or accessing leisure activities locally and farther afield.
“Introducing the ASDAN qualifications has refocused the way we look at our students’ learning plans and is helping them to achieve more,” said Catherine. “One student took his portfolio to a Leeds further education college and he has been offered a further course there.
“The qualifications and the way our students are now learning will help them achieve more when they leave us. They also show our funders what the students here are achieving.”
SUCCESS STORIES
Among the success stories is one young man who has moved on to supported accommodation. He was able to sign his own lease and his ASDAN course included subjects such as budgeting and how to use advocacy services. Gaining his qualification contributed to a smooth transition to his new life.
Another student’s aim on leaving Pennine was to live in her own home and work in a charity shop. Her course has helped her realise those ambitions and as well as having her own home she has obtained work in two charity shops and is to attend a further education college to gain a Level 2 NVQ.
Farming with the Camphill community at Botton Village, North Yorkshire, was the aim of a third student and his three-year programme at Pennine was designed to equip him with the necessary skills to achieve that.
Over the past year, Pennine’s first and second year students have been working for their ASDAN qualification in Personal and Social Development, with second year students also gaining a qualification in Employability. Third year students have followed similar courses together with units on home management and planning for the future.
“Through the introduction of ASDAN qualifications the focus is now on learning rather than working,” Catherine said. “So, for instance, if a student in a cookery workshop is good at preparing vegetable, we don’t leave the student doing that work but now move on to learn the next skill.”
It is an approach that is proving highly successful as this year all of the college’s students received certificates for nationally recognised qualifications - a 100% success rate.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PENNINE AT www.pennine.org.uk