What time does the day start and end?

Day starts nice and early around 9:15 with a 10min slot called a tutorial where students can check in with their peers in the tutor group and their education tutor College day finishes for the students around 4pm as a general rule. However, all of our students have bespoke study programmes and the timings of their day may differ a little to ensure that their needs are always considered.

What is the attendance expectation & how is attendance monitored?

We really strive towards encouraging our young people to develop their resilience, achieve academically and personally and so we expect full engagement with their bespoke study programmes – we fully understand that for some this is a bigger challenge than for others and we are keen to work with students and families by offering a truly empathic approach and high challenge and high support.

We empower young people to take ownership and responsibility for their learning and engagement in this – the vast majority of our students really enjoy the experience of being a Wing student and so their attendance and engagement reflect this very well. We do help students figure out why their attendance may have dropped and put relevant support in place to help them make the most of opportunities on offer.

What level of curriculum do you offer?

We review our curriculum annually to ensure it meets the needs of students well. We offer academic and vocational courses from Entry 3 to Level 3 and these include Functional Skills in core subjects, vocational certificates, GCSEs and A Levels. Some subjects are examined and some require students to build portfolios as evidence of their learning.

What is the flexibility of curriculum and timetables?

The study programmes are flexible and so are the timetables to some extent. There are certain subjects that we may not be able to offer as part of our curriculum and on occasions we can source alternative provisions/ courses if this is central to student aspiration. We will always consider what and how subjects could be offered very carefully – and the more notice we have about student aspirations, the more possibilities for consideration of subjects, which may not feature on the curriculum at that point. In terms of timetabling – the level of flexibility depends on student need, teacher and expertise capacity and particular workings of the college during the year in question.

“filling the gaps” in learning – how does CWC do this?

Teachers spend significant time getting to know the students, doing initial assessments and baseline assessments. All of this helps identify the areas of strength that we can help students capitalise on and those areas that they may need help with. Lessons are adapted and teachers are responsive to setting additional tasks to help bridge gaps but our primary drive is for students to fully understand their learner identify and ensure that they engage with any additional work they are supported with to maximise their own progress.

How many students are in a class?

Classes are small – no more than 4-6 students with a teacher and a learning support assistant on most occasions.

What does a college day look like?

A college day depends on each student’s bespoke study programme but in general, there are 7 sessions in a day (one of which is a 10mins education tutorial session). All sessions are no longer than 50 mins to ensure that students have opportunities for maximum productivity!

There are regular breaks in the day, an hour-long lunchbreak, during which you can engage in a variety of games and/or suggest clubs of their interest. We strive for each day to be productive, enjoyable and balanced! Once, each half term students engage in Enrichment Drop Downs – these are days that are filled with activities organised by themes so for example ‘A well me’ theme looked at expanding student knowledge and build new experiences around physical and emotional health.

How/who communicates between home and college & how do I contact staff?

Tutors are vey open to regular and meaningful communication between home and college. We appreciate that the principle of linking in is essential to ensure that we can give students the best experience of education at CWC. Communication is regular, once a week and/or as and when any aspects need communicating out of that structure. Education tutors are reachable via email mainly and contact details are made available of all relevant staff on admission.

Can 1:1 be offered? How does 1:1 support students in class?

We listen to the students and families, do our assessments and work together to establish the best suited support for each student. All students are individuals and so is the support they receive! The type of classroom support can differ from emotional to emotional and academic support. For example, students are supported with communication needs, coursework, managing and planning their work ahead of deadlines.

What kind of students attend the college?

Students are at the centre of all that we do at CWC. There is a real blend of personalities and identities at CWC. A real culture of inclusion enables every student to be accepted and feel like they belong. All students have a diagnosis of autism. All students are unique, empathetic and very welcoming young people who are a pleasure to work and interact with.

What resources do I need to provide?

Students are encouraged to be independent in organising their learning resources. CWC normally provides textbooks for academic courses but it is useful for students to have necessary equipment that they feel would help them work more effectively. All of what may work for students in terms of resources is discussed as part of initial assessments and reviewed with students throughout their education at CWC.

Is accessing external college an option? What links does CWC with external providers?

Some of our students access courses at local external colleges with CWC support. This happens when either a course of interest cannot be offered as part of our curriculum, mainly due to the subject not being on the curriculum or difficulties with suitable facilities. The key to accessing external college is that students feel ready emotionally and academically to access mainstream provisions with CWC support, which can be withdrawn/reduced as confidence and independence builds up. We have beautiful established relationships with external providers and communicate and collaborate openly
in the best interest of each student.

What qualifications do teachers/lecturers have to teach?

Yes, teaching staff hold teaching qualifications and on majority of occasions degrees in the
very subjects they teach or in related fields. We are very keen to mentor and support new
teachers as well and ensure they develop in their roles. Teaching assistants are also qualified
and are supported to obtain formal qualifications in supporting in the classroom.