Ensuring young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) have the same opportunities to gain workplace experience, develop industry-relevant skills and progress into employment was at the heart of a Department for Education visit to Inspire Education Group’s Peterborough College.
Representatives from the Department for Education (DfE) and partner organisations visited Inspire Education Group’s Peterborough College to explore how SEND provision is supporting young people to prepare for adulthood and their future careers.
The visit followed a formal review meeting bringing together education, health and SEND representatives to discuss the experiences of young people with SEND in Peterborough and the priorities for developing provision across the city.
A key focus was how education can create clear pathways towards employment while ensuring learners with additional needs are able to access the same opportunities and experiences as their peers.
Discussions covered work experience, preparation for adulthood, progression routes and how opportunities such as T Levels and other vocational programmes can be made accessible to learners with high needs.
Student voice also formed an important part of the discussions, giving young people an opportunity to share their experiences of having SEND in Peterborough and their ambitions for education, employment and adult life.
Following the meeting, representatives toured Peterborough College to see how this approach translates into day-to-day learning and support.
The visit included Health and Social Care and Green Technologies, alongside the College’s wellbeing, Additional Learning Support (ALS) and inclusive learning provision. Representatives explored how specialist support can be integrated into mainstream curriculum environments while maintaining high expectations for learners.
The group also visited Peterborough College’s Centre for Green Technology, where they saw how learners with additional needs can be supported within practical, industry-focused environments and develop the technical and employability skills needed for their next steps.
The visit provided an opportunity to demonstrate IEG’s approach to inclusion across the learner journey – from wellbeing and additional learning support through to curriculum participation, work experience, independence and progression towards employment.
Laura Rees, Head of Faculty – Head of Faculty - SEND, Learner Engagement, 14- 16 Schools Pathways & Inspire Hubs at IEG, said:
“Our ambition is for every young person to be able to see a meaningful future for themselves. Having SEND should not mean having fewer opportunities or lower expectations; our role is to understand what each learner needs to participate, develop their independence and work towards their individual ambitions.
“That means inclusion cannot sit separately from the curriculum. Whether a learner is developing skills in construction, health and social care or within one of our industry-standard technical environments, we want them to have access to meaningful experiences, work opportunities and pathways into adulthood alongside their peers. It was valuable to share that approach and, importantly, ensure the experiences and voices of our young people were part of the conversation.”
Inspire Education Group works with employers and partner organisations to develop opportunities that connect education with the workplace, while its SEND and additional learning provision supports learners to participate in education and prepare for greater independence and employment.
The visit provided an opportunity for IEG to contribute to the wider conversation around SEND in Peterborough and demonstrate how inclusive education, employer engagement and preparation for adulthood can work together to help young people progress.
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