NEWS
The Supported Learning teams have a very popular
“Transition to College” programme where pupils from
special schools and mainstream schools, who require
a bit more support than their peers attend classes at
college.
These programmes help prepare the student for a
possible later transition to college allowing them to
become familiar with the campus, staff and teaching
styles in advance of any move.
On the 29th March 2017, 55 South Ayrshire school pupils
attended Ayr Campus for Supported Learning’s annual
Transition to College day.
FLEXIBLE PATHWAY
INITIATIVE
This year the College was involved in delivering the Flexible
Pathways Initiative designed by East Ayrshire Council,
Employers and Schools in partnership with the College.
The initiative has three core elements:
1. Three days of work placement weekly
2. Two mornings at school for core skills subjects
3. Two afternoons weekly at college vocational classes
As part of this initiative Employability and Engagement
College staff were asked to deliver units from the Prince’s
Trust Achieve Programme to those school pupils who were not
fully ready to take up places in the third element - the school
link vocational classes. Engagement and employability officers,
Dougie Barnes and Caroline McCulloch, delivered three units:
Presentation Skills; Teamwork; Community Project over the
course of the programme.
As part of the Community Project Unit, the school pupils
organised a lunch day for service users at the local YMCA. The
pupils arranged entertainment, were involved in cooking and
served the lunch for the service users. It was a huge success.
Inclusion and engagement team leader, Tom Marner, said
that, “This year’s cohort of pupils have been fantastic. We
even have a handful of pupils who have completed their
assessments and have continued to attend their Achieve
class through the exam leave period. This is a testament to
the impact of the programme and the commitment of the
learning engagement officers in re-engaging pupils with their
education.”
The Employability and Engagement team also deliver ASDAN
units within the school environment to local authority schools
throughout Ayrshire. These have been received well and all
schools are keen to have the engagement officers deliver
the ASDAN Programme throughout the 17/18 term. As with
the FPI above, the officers are involved in re-engaging those
pupils identified by the school as at risk of disengagement.
The Flexible Pathways Initiative operates on a referral basis.
The programme runs as an agreement between East Ayrshire
Council, Employers, the school and Ayrshire College.
FIT FOR LIFE
Pupils from Cumnock Supported Learning Centre and
Park School (Grange Campus) have been taking part in a
weekly workout session at the College with some of the
HND Fitness students.
The ‘Fit for Life’ Programme offers activities aimed
at improving the physical and mental health of the
pupils. This year the group had a block of training from
Trust Rugby and have had a few events with Ayrshire
Sportsability including the first ASN football tournament
hosted by Bonnyton Flyers.