Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Support

Two students on a child education course doing arts and crafts

Are you a student with special educational needs and disabilities that needs specialist support? We’re here to help.

Our friendly SEND team acts as a safety net for students. They ensure measures are put in place so that everyone has a positive experience at the college and their needs are supported.

By the end of college, our helpful team will ensure you’ve developed skills for adulthood, including employment, community, inclusion, independent living and health.

Contact us

Further information

A three wave approach is in place to ensure students get the support they need

To ease the transition into college life, we offer a comprehensive programme of support before students join us. This includes:

  • Multiple campus visits
  • Meetings with SEND staff and/or curriculum
  • Taster sessions
  • Information exchanges between schools and college

Once students have started, we implement a three-wave support system to ensure they receive the assistance they need throughout their college journey.

Wave 1 - Quality First Teaching includes:

  • In-class differentiation
  • Support from a coaching tutor or key person support
  • Access to assistive technology
  • Risk assessments
  • Medical storage and access arrangements
  • Oasis rooms

Wave 2 - Targeted Support includes:

  • Small group work
  • Specialist assistive technology
  • Exam access arrangements
  • Independent time out of class
  • Aids and adaptations (including adjustable tables and chairs)
  • Learning Support Assistants
  • Specialist SEND professionals provide advice and guidance to staff and students
  • Risk assessments
  • Transition support

Wave 3 – Specialist/High Needs Support

All of Wave 1 and 2 and then the following:

  • Meet and greet
  • Personalised timetables
  • Transitions to support familiarisation of campus and classrooms
  • Personal care, including access to hoists and changing tables
  • In-class and out of class support at ratio as stated in EHCP provisions
  • Therapeutic interventions
  • Support to develop independent living skills, in-line with EHCP provisions
  • Out of class support and additional interventions, in-line with EHCP provisions
  • Referrals to specialist support services, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), careers, and mental health and wellbeing services

Additionally for Adult (19+) and ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) students, the following will be in place:

  • Supported visits
  • Life skills
  • Lunch peer groups
  • SEND drop in sessions

We also have dedicated quiet and safe spaces – for students during times of crisis, sensory overload, mental health issues or periods of sudden change.

Support will be assessed on an individual basis and will vary depending on your assessed needs or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

A support plan will be created with the student and, if appropriate, will be shared with tutors and co-professionals such as learning support assistants or teaching assistants.

If you have any questions, including EHCP queries, contact: SENDteam@leedscitycollege.ac.uk

Learning support team contacts

At Leeds City College, we provide a service for students across the college. The EHCP & High Needs team is committed to helping people with learning difficulties/disabilities to overcome the barriers within learning, identify strategies that will help them in adulthood, build on personal and social skills and be fully integrated into the college community.

Students who do not have an EHCP but require some support will receive this through Wave 1 (Quality First Teaching) and targeted support. You should apply for your chosen program and discuss your support requirements at the interview.

We have a range of facilities that allow us to meet the needs of our students.

EHCP & High needs support

Click on the titles below to read about the support available.

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder

    Communication and interaction support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Personal care
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room
    • Makaton
  • Hearing impairment

    Communication support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room
    • Communication support worker
    • English support classes
    • Access to a learning support specialist for the deaf
    • Social peer group
  • Speech, language and communication needs

    Communication and interaction support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room
    • Makaton
    • Speech and language report followed
    • Referrals to speech and language therapist
  • Visual impairment

    Communication support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room
    • Mobility support
    • Braille embosser
    • Braille note (if funded through EHCP)
    • Braille resources
    • Read and write software
  • Moderate learning needs

    Cognition and learning support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Personal care
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room
    • Makaton
  • Multi-sensory impairment and medical needs

    Sensory, physical and medical support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Personal care
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room
    • Makaton
    • Gastro feed
    • Personalised medical interventions (The Vine Campus or if specified in EHCP)
    • Read and write software
  • Specific learning difficulties

    Cognition and learning support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster session
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Personal care
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room
    • Makaton
  • Physical

    Physical and medical support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Lunch time supervision (The Vine Campus and Joseph Priestley Centre)
    • Personalised timetable
    • Personal care
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Hoist
    • Changing table
    • Gastro feed
    • Read and write software
    • Mobility support
  • Social, emotional mental health needs

    Support available:

    • In/out of class support at ratio required
    • Specialist assistive technology
    • Transition plan, including visits, maps, and visuals
    • Meet and greet
    • Familiarisation of campus and rooms
    • Taster sessions
    • Personalised timetable
    • Access to tablet/apps
    • Oasis room

Please note, available support is determined by an individual’s EHCP and their unique circumstances, and may vary by campus.

College Campuses on-site facilities

All of our campuses have disabled access to the building, accessible toilets, designated disabled parking, accessible cafe facilities and lift access to all levels (only lift access to level one at Mabgate).

The following campuses also have additional facilities:

First aid room

  • Park Lane Campus
  • Printworks Campus
  • Quarry Hill Campus
  • Joseph Priestley Centre
  • Enfield Centre

Hygiene suite with bed/hoist

  • Park Lane Campus
  • Printworks Campus
  • Quarry Hill Campus
  • Mabgate Campus
  • Somerville House
  • Joseph Priestley Centre

Deaf alert

  • Park Lane Campus
  • Printworks Campus
  • Quarry Hill Campus
  • Enfield Centre
  • Deacon House

Accessible shower facilities with hoist

  • Park Lane Campus
  • Printworks Campus
  • Quarry Hill Campus
  • Joseph Priestley Centre