Wirral Met College has been named as a finalist in the Association of College’s (AoC) Beacon Awards.
Highlighting its dedication to creating an inclusive and supportive educational environment for all its students, the Merseyside college has been nominated in the category of ‘The RCU Award for Support for Students.’
The AoC Beacon Awards celebrate best practice and innovation and highlight excellence within the Further Education sector across a range of categories.
Wirral Met College received the finalist status – along with Plumpton College and Barnet and Southgate College – for its innovative and responsive approach to the growing demand for independent living skills training among its High Needs students.
The college identified a significant increase in the number of students with sensory processing differences and heightened anxiety levels.
In response, the college engaged external experts to deepen its understanding of sensory processing needs within a trauma-informed context. This collaborative effort led to a comprehensive review of the curriculum and the physical environment of the specialist high needs provision.
The outcome was the creation of a suite of high-specification, fully accessible training rooms designed to raise students’ aspirations for independent living while addressing their sensory regulation needs.
These state-of-the-art facilities incorporate design features that naturally support sensory regulation and include specialist sensory regulation spaces.
Additionally, the college developed a sensory regulation curriculum, empowering students with the skills and insight to manage their neurodiverse needs effectively.
Access to these facilities has greatly strengthened the learner voice for some of the college’s most vulnerable students, who not only played a very active role in designing the new facilities, but are now also established as a standing body, the Neurodiversity Council, helping to drive further change for the benefit of all students.
These bespoke spaces give students the opportunity to build physical activity and sensory integration into their college day, enabling them to overcome barriers relating to neurodiversity or mental health difficulties which might otherwise prevent them attending a general Further Education college.
Winners will be announced during the AoC’s College’s Week in March 2025.
To find out more visit https://www.wmc.ac.uk/
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