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Parents and Carers

Working Together to Support Positive Futures

At Oakwood Specialist College, we recognise that parents and carers are one of the most important influences on a young person’s aspirations, confidence and future decision-making. Research consistently shows that conversations at home can have a significant impact on how young people think about careers, employment, education and adult life.  

We therefore believe that high-quality careers education cannot be delivered in isolation. The strongest outcomes are achieved when learners, families and the college work together to explore opportunities, discuss ambitions and plan for the future.  

For Learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), this partnership is particularly important. Future planning often extends beyond employment and may include further learning, volunteering, independent living, community participation and wider Preparation for Adulthood outcomes. By working together, we can help learners develop confidence, broaden aspirations and make informed decisions about the next stage of their journey. 

As a college, we work in partnership with employers across a wide range of sectors to create meaningful opportunities that help Learners develop knowledge, skills and real-world experience, while supporting organisations to strengthen workforce development, inclusion and community engagement. 

Whether you are a local business, national organisation, charity, public sector employer or community organisation, there are many ways to get involved. 

Parents and carers know their young person better than anyone else. Your knowledge of their strengths, interests, motivations and support needs plays a valuable role in helping us create meaningful and personalised future plans. 

There are many ways you can support careers education and future planning, including: 

  • Encouraging conversations about future goals and aspirations 
  • Exploring education, employment and training opportunities together 
  • Supporting independence, decision-making and problem-solving 
  • Discussing strengths, interests and transferable skills 
  • Encouraging participation in work experience and employer encounters 
  • Attending review meetings and transition planning discussions 
  • Helping learners research future opportunities and pathways 

 

Even small conversations can help young people build confidence, develop aspirations and gain a better understanding of the opportunities available to them.  

Many of our strongest employer partnerships have started through introductions from parents, carers and families. 

If you work for, know of, or have links with an organisation that may be willing to support our learners, we would love to hear from you. 

This might include organisations that could: 

  • Offer work experience placements 
  • Host workplace visits 
  • Provide volunteering opportunities 
  • Deliver careers talks or industry presentations 
  • Participate in mock interviews 
  • Attend careers fairs and employment events 
  • Support supported internships or employment opportunities 

 

No opportunity is too small. Sometimes a single conversation, workplace visit or career talk can have a significant impact on a learner’s aspirations and understanding of future possibilities.

Our Careers and Futures webpages contain a wide range of information, advice and guidance designed to support learners, families and professionals. 

Careers Advice and Guidance

Learn about our Careers and Futures programme, how it is delivered and how it aligns with the Gatsby Benchmarks. 

Careers Programme and Policies

Find information about independent careers guidance, personalised careers support and future planning. 

Careers Advice and Guidance

Explore information about employment, independent living, community participation, health and wellbeing, and wider adult-life outcomes. 

Preparing for Adulthood

Understand local and national employment trends, growth sectors and future opportunities. 

Labour Market Information

Read about the journeys and achievements of former Oakwood learners and where their pathways have led. 

Alumni Network

Learn how we work with employers and how organisations can support learners through meaningful opportunities. 

Information for Employers

Access resources and information relating to disability rights, independent living, education and employment. 

Useful Websites and Resources

Explore our extensive collection of careers, education, employment, apprenticeship, university, volunteering and adulthood resources. 

Useful Websites and Resources

Meet the team and find out who to contact if you would like additional advice, guidance or support. 

Careers Team

Career development is a journey, not a single decision. 

Throughout their time at Oakwood, learners are supported to develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and experiences that will help them prepare for adulthood and make informed decisions about their future. Parents and carers play a crucial role in this process by providing encouragement, support and opportunities for discussion at home.  

Whether your young person is considering employment, volunteering, further study, supported internships, independent living or community-based opportunities, we encourage you to explore the resources available across our Careers and Futures webpages and work with us to help them achieve outcomes that are meaningful, aspirational and sustainable.

Advice and Guidance

 

GET IN TOUCH

If you would like to find out more about Oakwood, please fill in the form below or contact:

Principal: Esther Williams
Tel: +44 (0)330 135 8 170
Email: [email protected]
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Autism Accreditation

  • Autism Accreditation is an autism-specific quality assurance programme.
  • It was set up by the National Autistic Society in 1992 to improve the support available to autistic people in organisations throughout the UK and across the world.
  • Over 500 organisations in the UK and around the world are now accredited, including: adult services, colleges, inclusion units, local authorities, playgroups, prisons, schools, short break services and more.
  • To achieve Autism Accreditation, provisions have to meet a standard of excellence and follow a framework for continuous self-examination and development.
  • For more information about Autism Accreditation or to get involved, please visit: www.autism.org.uk/accreditation.

“Outstanding in all Areas”...

A place where young people achieve amazing things!

“Learners regularly exceed the
expectations of their EHC plan, such as
gaining meaningful paid employment”

“Learners make excellent progress
from their starting points”

“Leaders have integrated a range of
highly individualised therapeutic
interventions and approaches into
the curriculum effectively”

“Learners behave impeccably and are
keen to contribute to teaching sessions
and discussions”

“Learners gain an excellent understanding
of appropriate behaviours and
healthy relationships”

“Staff support learners to participate in
high-quality work experience activities
linked to long-term goals and interests”

Esther Williams

I have been College Principal at Oakwood Specialist College since 2018. It is an absolute privilege to lead a team of dedicated and caring people that put the learner at the centre of everything they do.

Prior to joining Oakwood, I held a number of senior posts in large Further Education Colleges in the Southwest including Head of Faculty and Assistant Director with responsibility for Quality and Student experience. I have led and taught on teacher education programmes and worked with schools and prison education. In my early career I was lecturer in Sport, and my first teaching role was in foundation learning working with young people with SEND. I have extensive experience in quality improvement and teaching, learning and assessment and am passionate about supporting teacher development.

Wanda Green

Throughout my life I have enjoyed supporting children in a variety of settings. I started out as a Cub Scout Leader, moving onto an Officers position in the Army Cadet Force. Whilst at University, I took advantage of the long holidays working for a children’s adventure company as an activity instructor. I started work in the children’s residential sector in 2000. Since this time, I have worked in several roles including Support Worker, Children’s Homes Manager, Project Manager and Regional Manager. I held direct responsibility for Safeguarding working as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) within several of the settings I was allocated to.

I joined Phoenix in June 2018 as an Area Manager. Moving into a Quality role in 2020 my involvement across our settings increased to include adults and education. Currently I support the Senior Leadership Team education and care to review safeguarding policies and procedures, provide consistency of systems for the management of safeguarding concerns and oversee wider aspects of safeguarding such as training.

My role within governance is to support and review the processes of Safeguarding within the College. I have regular direct contact with the DSL and Deputy DSL’s across the campus’s in order to reflect on safeguarding approaches with Learners and our Team Members. I oversee that actions set within Internal Safeguarding Quality Audits are completed and that training and mentoring for the College teams is appropriate. It is our responsibility working within a multi-disciplinary team to ensure the safety of the Learners and Team Members both within the College Campus and in their home locations.

Darren Jackson

I have been involved in the governance processes for specialist residential colleges, schools and health care settings from 2004. I joined Phoenix in 2021.

My role within the governance team is to support and challenge the College Principal in ensuring that the highest quality of outcomes is achieved. This includes day-to-day operational efficiency and a culture of continual improvement and self-refection. I have specific responsibility as Link Governor for RSE.

I commenced my educational career in 1998. I helped to create one of Wales’ specialist flagship schools for pupils aged 3-19 with profound and complex needs, including autism. My inspirational approach to teaching and learning was recognised by the Welsh Government and as such I became a standard bearer for the teaching of learners with complex needs. I was instrumental in opening and developing Wales’ first Residential Specialist College for young people and adults with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and behaviours that challenge.

I am an experienced Director for educational services and Responsible Individual which has included formal education, residential care and the day-to-day operations of clinical services, within a team of almost 1600. I was accountable for leading governance and quality assurance proceedings and developing clear robust systems and process for service wide self-evaluation and risk management resulting in a strategic and transparent vision for growth and development. This included scribing company policies, oversee all safeguarding procedures management of teams to fulfil requirements that ensure pupil safety. I remained actively involved in further promoting the understanding of autism within mainstream education and the wider community; delivering training on ASC for schools, colleges and general public as well as the initial teacher training students at The University of South Wales who are studying on the post-graduate certificate of education programme.

I constantly seek to raise awareness of specialist education, including autism amongst professionals and the general public, speaking on TV and radio and writing articles for the local, national and specialist media.

Tom Massie

I joined Phoenix in 2017 as Group Quality & Service Delivery Director with a direct remit for our care operations and quality teams. In 2019 I joined the team of Governors for Oakwood Specialist College with a focus on Teaching & Learning. As an organisation we have during this time developed the robustness of our internal management structures by introducing an Operations Director and a Quality Manager to support in the oversight and governance of the college.

I am educated to Master level with degrees in Economics and Statistics & Management Science. I have worked as a Director within multiple companies spanning a range of care and education services giving me significant familiarity with regulatory and governance standards across multiple regulators and countries.

My experience working with people with additional learning needs gives me the determination that the quality of their education must be inspiring and innovative to meet their individual needs.

Paula Thomas

Having joined Phoenix in 2025, Paula is responsible for leading the company’s financial strategy, performance, reporting, and long-range business planning, as well as stakeholder relations, treasury, tax planning, controlling, and audit.

A fellow chartered accountant with over 25 years experiences in various companies spanning the engineering, and manufacturing sectors, Paula has worked in PE backed, corporate, and private businesses, through periods of rapid growth, complex changes, and numerous global events.

Paula’s career has progressed in organisations such as Wood Thilsted (Offshore Wind Consultancy), Nonwovenn (Technical Fabrics) , Stirling dynamics (Aviation & Marine), Specialist Aviation Services (Aviation), and Knorr Bremse (Rail).

In her free time, Paula enjoys travelling, paddleboarding, self-development, and spending time with friends.

Jon Pain

On joining Phoenix in 2015 I became chair of Governors at the Oakwood Specialist College with a remit to improve financial stability and the quality of the setting as part of overarching improvements to the Phoenix organisation in my substantive role as Chief Executive.

Today the focus is on facilitating high quality education by, in part, improving curriculums and teaching and ensuring Learners are best equipped with communication skills and experiences to ensure they are participative members of society.

I have held senior appointments across a range of sectors including manufacturing, media, logistics, tourism and healthcare with a number of respected well-known companies both at International, national and regional levels. I have worked with numerous regulators including; Care Inspectorate Wales, Care Inspectorate Scotland, Ofsted, Estyn, CQC, The Office of Rail & Road and Ofcom.

I have experience of trusteeship with a range of charities including Ltd, CIC & PLC structures.

I have a daughter who is now in her late twenties who successfully passed through private primary and then secondary state education, college then university and a partner who is an artist.

I strive for our Learners to enjoy their time at Oakwood, to strive to achieve the best they can and to be productive and contributing members of society. I also want to see our Team Members experience fulfilling careers making a positive difference to the People we Support and to enrich in turn their own lives.

Feedback from last Academic year

Philosophy on feedback

As part of our approach to reflective practice Phoenix Learning and Care recognise and embrace the importance of developing a culture of continual learning and development.  We welcome feedback on our achievements and the opportunity to share best practice, however we equally understand the importance of learning from our shortfalls. As such we welcome hearing about where we may have not lived up to our high standards and we truly value the opportunity to reflect and learn about areas that we need to develop further.

Within the last academic year we have received the following number of compliments and complaints.  

COMPLIMENTS
1
COMPLAINTS
0

If you would like to provide feedback to the school or wish to make us aware of a compliment or complaint then you can email the school direct.

Alternatively, you may contact our Operations Director for Education, Darren Jackson on: [email protected]

We treat all concerns appropriately and all complaints are investigated thoroughly following our complaints policy and procedure which can be found within the Policies section of this website.  

REFERRALS

Our proprietors Phoenix Learning and Care, welcome enquiries for placements in any of our services.

Please call us on 03330 150331 or email [email protected]

We will provide an initial response to all enquiries as soon as possible, advising the options available and indicative dates of admission.

The referrals team can discuss the local offer and where appropriate, put you in contact with the respective Registered Manager or Head Teacher to discuss the practical areas in greater detail.

The Young Person and/or Student are openly encouraged to visit along with parents, guardians or Social Workers to see if the placement is suitable.

Once the placement is confirmed, we work to ensure a smooth transition including the completion of required documentation.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

We work closely with our children/young people, their families and professionals to create bespoke programmes of learning for students, which are tailored to their educational and social and emotional needs, supporting them to achieve their full potential. This means that we deliver a personalised curriculum, which, where possible, acknowledges the national curriculum and meets the individual needs of our students, whilst also supporting them to meet the outcomes identified in their EHCPs.

To achieve this, every student has an individual education plan which identifies their areas of need and how we can best address them, both in terms of staff approach and the curriculum that they are provided.  Our goal is to provide access to the best academic outcomes possible as well as preparing our students for adulthood and the next stage of their education by equipping them with the skills required to achieve personal success.