Oakwood Court News

New Cornwall Campus Vacancies

pcollings — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 09:03:00 +0000

We are looking for residential staff at our Cornwall Campus. See Vacancies page for details.

Oakwood Court youngsters run coffee morning and lunch club

pcollings — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:08:19 +0000

It is always good to get feedback on how our students are progressing, particularly when this is linked to our partnership work within the local community. Here is a report from Marie Whitehead of the Dawlish Strand Centre.

“It is wonderful having the young people from Oakwood Court College run weekly events at the Strand Centre!

At the coffee morning, the girls were very shy at first and nervous to talk to any of the customers, but now they chat to familiar faces and tell them any news. They are always nicely dressed and polite. One girl said she was enjoying doing the coffee morning “because the old people are so nice!”

For the Lunch Club, the boys are always so neatly dressed and follow instructions well. They seem very proud of their special catering clothes and we are impressed that they wear their plastic gloves at all times. They are still quiet but when spoken to directly respond with simple responses. The elderly folk who come to the Lunch Club speak very highly of the boys and a couple have change from another Lunch Club to attend with the students.

At the centre we have learnt more about Food Hygiene standards from the staff at the College so that has been excellent for us too.

Oakwood Court College has always been a part of Dawlish but I think this experience is enhancing their part of the community in a very happy way.

Thank you very much to all the staff and students - it’s a pleasure working with you!”

The Strand Centre is run by the Strand Community Trust.

The Trust’s objects are:

1. to maintain and manage a community centre for the use of the residents of the town of Dawlish and visitors to the town

2. to provide or cause to be provided educational, social, physical and spiritual programmes or events in or related to the Centre

3. to support the activities and charitable purposes of Dawlish United Reformed Church.

The Centre’s building

The Trust has leased the building of Dawlish United Reformed Church so that it can become a community resource in the centre of the town. The Strand Church (formerly Dawlish United Reformed Church) fully supports this proposal, and is working closely with the Strand Trust to develiop programmes for the community.

http://strandcentre.org.uk/

Information for Commissioners

pcollings — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:46:26 +0000

Oakwood Court College offers young people with learning disabilities individually tailored education and independence skills programmes, set within an extended curriculum. Students are supported according to need through a combination of complimentary and compensatory support to ensure they are enabled to make informed choices and advance their independence.

Curriculum learning is embedded and extended through practical life skills set within everyday settings in order to progress the learner’s ability to independently cope with life choices, daily living and develop a creative life style.

A primary strand of this individually tailored programme is assisting learners to become economically active members of society through securing meaningful vocations, increase their independence and establish their autonomy through becoming less dependent upon benefits and state intervention. This is achieved through a measured acquisition of hard and soft skills, therapeutic intervention, direct and indirect learning and realtime practical experience.

The success of this total programme is not in it’s constituent parts but that it’s is a thoroughly integrated and finely coordinated process, aimed at the young person achieving their desired outcome.

New Section on How to Apply

pcollings — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:09:58 +0000

Click here for further details.

Student Council Newsletter Available

pcollings — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:45:19 +0000

Please click here to read the latest Student Council Newsletter.

New Oakwood Court College Cornwall Campus

pcollings — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:54:53 +0000

Phoenix Learning and Care Ltd have purchased a property in Torpoint, East Cornwall to form a new satellite Campus to its successful Oakwood Court College site based in Dawlish. This new venture will extend the work of the College serving Cornwall and Plymouth areas. It is anticipated that the first students will commence their programmes at the new centre in September 2011.

The College is keen to work with partner organisations to produce bespoke programmes of learning, independence and vocational skills. Watch this space for further details or please contact the Principal for further information. email

Click here for more information.

Partnerships

pcollings — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:47:12 +0000

Exeter College Second and Third year students are to experience learning at a General Further Education College. Supported by Oakwood Court Staff, students will take part in a Fun-Science programme at Exeter College over the Spring and Summer Term. This will not only extend their learning programme, but give a taste of community learning with a view to enabling students to continue their education once they have left college. Watch this space for student’s reports.

West of England School and College Oakwood Court College, in partnership with the West of England College and School, is embarking on a work experience project funded by the Learning and Skills Council. Working through a Social Enterprise scheme, the two Colleges will utilise the West of England’s former charity shops as enterprise outlets. Students will not only experience this work at first hand but help run and organise the enterprise.

South West Peer Review Development Oakwood Court is taking the lead on two Learning and Skills Improvement Service projects. The first is a Peer Review Development Group involving 5 other Independent Specialist Colleges, West of England College, Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education, Fairfield Farm College, Farleigh College (Swindon) and William Morris House. The purpose of the group is to share best practice across a range of activities with the express aim of improving the learning experience of each student.

The Second is that of Developing Best Practice in the area of Equality and Diversity through a research project involving both Independent Specialist and General Further Education College. This website will shortly contain more information as the projects develop.

Oakwood Grows Wings

pcollings — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:17:07 +0000

Oakwood Court students are set to work in partnership with one of Europe’s biggest regional airlines. Exeter based FLYBE are keen to lead the industry in catering for the needs passengers with special needs, especially young passengers on the Autistic Spectrum.

Using the expertise of Oakwood, students and staff, FLYBE want to develop a special passengers guide that will assist passenger, parents/carers and airline staff. Students will also act as mystery passengers, visiting the airport to further develop the guide. In return, students will have the opportunity of experiencing at first hand different jobs associated with the airline industry. Watch this ‘air’ space for further news as the project develops.

Oakwood Court features on the Excellence Gateway

pcollings — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:07:32 +0000

The work of Oakwood’s ILT department led by Karen Kelly-Markwick is featured on the prestigious Excellence Gateway. The Excellence Gateway is the leading online service for everyone who works in the post-16 learning and skills sector in England. With quality improvement at its core, the Excellence Gateway offers you an unrivalled breadth of resources, support and advice, and opportunities to participate and share good practice.

The site reports that “Oakwood Court College has helped to enhance the education and lives of its students through the use of innovative practices and technology. The College has successfully used webcams with avatars to breakdown the communication barriers between tutors and students with autism.” Click here for more information.

£2,000 awarded to Oakwood Court College for Inclusion and Accessibilty Show Case from eCPD Programme

kkelly — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:49:42 +0000

A show case using specialist hardware and software supporting Inclusion and Accessibilty was put forward to the new government initiative “eCPD Programme “ Click here for detials

Oakwood Court College’s show case was chosen from many colleges around the UK and will be awarded £2,000 to develop the project.

KC loaned hardware and software from the South West Regional Support Centre (RSC) and evaluated the pros and cons with a class that had various impairment. Charlotte – Visual , Dean – Hearing and Michael – Physical. Presentations have been created to cascade the results directly to the tutors and will be featured on the QIA website as well as RSC web site.

KC would like to thank the Thursday afternoon group for all their hard work and insight on this particular project.