Preparing for adulthood is central to everything we do.
Our post 16 provision supports young people with SEND to develop the confidence, independence and life skills they need for their future. Every learner’s journey is different. Some may move into employment or further education, while others may transition into adult social care pathways or meaningful post 19 community provision.
Our curriculum is built around four key areas:
- Education and employment
- Independent living
- Community inclusion
- Health and wellbeing
Through practical, real-life learning and strong partnerships with families and professionals, we ensure every young person leaves us with a clear, personalised and positive next step.
Our goal is simple: to help every learner move into adulthood feeling confident, capable and prepared.
Every young person’s journey into adulthood looks different and we celebrate that. Some learners progress into employment, supported work placements or further education. Others may transition into adult social care pathways or meaningful post 19 community-based provision. Our role is to ensure every learner leaves us with a clear, personalised and positive next step.
Our education and employment offer includes:
- Careers exploration – identifying interests, strengths and future goals
- Creating CVs and personal profiles
- Interview preparation and workplace communication skills
- Understanding workplace behaviour, teamwork and expectations
- Enterprise projects – running our own business activities and working on a market stall
- Practical task management and following instructions independently
Volunteering opportunities
We are proud of our strong links with local organisations, giving learners meaningful, supported volunteering experiences, including:
- Supporting at Rummage Rescuers
- Gaining customer service experience at Mad Hatters Cafe
- Community work with Benefit Mankind
- Environmental projects with ‘Keeping Blackburn Tidy’ at Audley Sports Centre
- Leaflet distribution for Herbert Parkinson
Through these experiences, learners develop:
- Reliability and responsibility
- Confidence in real workplace settings
- Communication with customers and colleagues
- Problem-solving and independence
- Pride in contributing to their local community
We work closely with families, employers, social care teams and community partners to ensure progression pathways are realistic, aspirational and meaningful.
Our goal is for every young person to leave us feeling capable, valued and ready for their next chapter.
At Post 16, we help young people build the practical life skills they need to become as independent and confident as possible in adulthood.
Our independent living program focuses on everyday skills that make a real difference at home and in the community. Learners are supported step-by-step to develop independence at a pace that suits them, with lots of opportunities for repetition and real-life practice.
We support learners to develop skills such as:
- Practical cooking and cleaning sessions at Height Nook, where learners practise skills in a real-life home environment
- Shopping for food and everyday items
- Managing money and understanding spending
- Road safety and keeping safe in the community
- Cooking simple meals and preparing snacks
- Cleaning and keeping personal spaces tidy
- Washing up and kitchen safety
- Laundry and caring for clothes
- Setting tables and serving meals
- Making beds and organising personal belongings
- Personal organisation and routines
- Time awareness linked to daily activities
- Problem-solving in everyday situations
Our aim is not just to teach a skill once, but to build confidence so that young people can use these skills in real life — at home, in supported living, or in the wider community.
We celebrate every step towards independence and work closely with families to ensure skills can be practised and reinforced beyond the classroom.
We believe that being part of the community is an important part of preparing for adulthood. Our community inclusion programme helps young people build confidence, independence and social skills through meaningful experiences outside the classroom.
Learners are supported to explore their local community safely and successfully, with staff gradually encouraging greater independence as confidence grows. Our community experiences include:
- Travel training on local buses – learning how to plan journeys, read timetables, pay fares and travel safely
- Library visits – choosing books, using community facilities and developing independent access skills
- Café visits – ordering food and drinks, handling money and practising social communication
- Shopping for clothes – choosing appropriate items, budgeting and paying at the till
- Visits to the local hospital – identifying key departments and understanding how a hospital is organised
- Walks in local parks such as Witton Park and Queen's Park – promoting wellbeing and community awareness
- Sports sessions delivered by the Re:Fresh team
- Team Games – developing teamwork, coordination and physical confidence through structured games
- Dance sessions – building self-expression, movement skills and confidence in a fun and supportive environment
Through these activities, learners develop:
- Social communication skills
- Confidence speaking to unfamiliar people
- Understanding of community rules and expectations
- Teamwork and co-operation
- Emotional regulation in public spaces
- Independence in real-life situations
Our aim is for young people to feel confident accessing their local community, enjoying social opportunities and developing friendships. We want every learner to feel that they belong, that their voice matters and that they can take part in the world around them.
We work closely with families to support the transfer of these skills beyond college, helping young people continue to grow in independence and confidence.
We know that good health and emotional wellbeing are essential for a happy and successful adult life. Our health and wellbeing programme supports young people to understand their bodies, manage their feelings and make positive lifestyle choices.
We provide regular, structured opportunities for learners to develop knowledge, confidence and independence around their physical and mental health.
Our offer includes:
- Regular PSHE lessons – covering relationships, personal safety, managing feelings and making informed choices
- A wellbeing curriculum linked to the Five Ways to Wellbeing – helping learners to:
- Connect with others
- Be active
- Take notice
- Keep learning
- Give to others
- The Re:Fresh healthy lifestyle programme – promoting physical activity, healthy eating and positive routines
- Health-focused English lessons – including learning how to make appointments, describe symptoms and communicate with professionals
- Annual health check sessions delivered by learning disability nurses – supporting understanding of medical appointments and health monitoring
- Access to the Medii App – helping learners manage their health information and build independence around appointments and communication
Through these experiences, learners develop:
- Confidence talking about their health
- Understanding of healthy choices and daily routines
- Emotional awareness and self-regulation skills
- Knowledge of how and when to seek help
- Greater independence when attending appointments
Our aim is for every young person to feel confident, informed and empowered to take an active role in their own health and wellbeing — both now and in the future.
We work closely with families and health professionals to ensure learners are supported holistically and consistently.
