Admissions & Assessment Policy
This policy ensures there are robust and transparent systems in place to support a fair and consistent approach to admissions at Homefield.
Introduction
Homefield College is an independent specialist provider for young people aged 16 – 25 who have learning and / or communication disabilities.
We provide non-residential study programmes across Leicestershire and Warwickshire that help students prepare for adulthood and realise their potential as active citizens.
Increasing independence, developing life skills and furthering travel training are key elements of our curriculum.
Capacity
Our main provision has a maximum capacity of 125 places funded in total (full-time equivalent) across our Mountsorrel, Sileby and Nuneaton sites.
We also offer a number of additional places with Subcontracting Partners (currently MacIntyre, T.E.C.K and Enstruct).
The latest information about the College can be accessed on the .Gov website: Homefield College – GOV.UK (get-information-schools.service.gov.uk) or on our website: Welcome to Homefield – Homefield College
Funding
Placements are funded by the student’s Local Authority following a consultation and assessment process to establish that we can best meet their needs.
Post-16 places are also subject to availability of funding and eligibility criteria as laid out in the Education & Skills Funding Agency’s funding regulations – further details can be accessed via https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-funding-regulations-for-post-16-provision
Programme Delivery
The standard offer is a 3 day study programme across Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday for a minimum of 580 planned timetable hours per year, 36 weeks in an academic year.
The academic year runs from September in order to deliver an effective study programme, but in-year starts may be permitted in exceptional circumstances.
Eligibility
Students must have an active Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and be aged between 16 – 24 as of the 31st August of each academic year.
We can support students who have a wide range of disabilities, neurodivergences and access needs, including:
- Autism and / or ADHD
- Communication difficulties
- Moderate learning disabilities
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Specific learning difficulties
Students must be operating at minimum around Milestone 4 and above academically (no upper limit) and require no more than 2:1 staffing in the classroom and community. We cannot meet the needs of students outside these criteria.
Admissions
Students can only be enrolled at Homefield College once we are named by their Local Authority in their EHCP, we return a consultation to confirm we can meet need, and funding has been agreed.
The following admissions process applies:
- OPTIONAL: Attend an Open Day.
We recommend visiting a College site before completing your expression of interest form or throughout the process. This is a chance for potential students to meet teaching staff and current students, explore our college offering and make sure they feel certain that Homefield is the right place for them. Please refer to the College website for details of our open days: Events – Homefield College.
- Complete an expression of initial interest form.
This information gives us an idea of what the potential student is interested in learning at college and their needs. We use this information as part of the suitability assessment and to know that the student wants to come to Homefield. Once we receive an initial interest form, we can approach the Local Authority directly to ask for a consultation. If we do not receive a consultation, we cannot proceed with the application. If there are considerable delays in receiving a consultation, the College is unable to guarantee positions in any waiting list regardless of how early the initial interest form was received.
- Name Homefield College at the EHCP Review or inform the Local Authority directly.
The potential student and their parents / carers need to say at the School/current provider EHCP review meeting that they want to go to Homefield College and tell the Local Authority this as well. This will enable the Local Authority to send us a consultation.
- Await a consultation, assessment and college decision. (See below)
Once we receive a consultation from the Local Authority, our Admissions and Transitions Panel consider whether we can best support the student’s needs. This may involve a member of our team visiting the student at their current setting, the potential student attending an interview at the College, or other assessment as needed.
- Receive funding confirmation from the Local Authority.
If we can meet the student’s needs, we tell the Local Authority that we can offer a place. The Local Authority then takes account of the student’s preference when deciding whether to fund the place with us. The final decision for a place at Homefield is with the Local Authority.
Places are offered in accordance with the following criteria, provided that we have been sent the necessary pre-screening / assessment documentation and that the places available match the individual support needs of the student.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, applications will only be considered if they have been accepted in time to allow full screening/assessment before the commencement of the programme.
Before offering a place, consideration will be given to:
- the order in which consultations have been made;
- availability of a suitable place to meet individual needs (including support for personal care, mobility and management of behaviours of concern);
- suitability of the nearest site in terms of matching each student’s personal aspirations and goals; and
- the compatibility of the applicant and existing College students.
Priority consideration may also be given in exceptional circumstances – for example, where there are significant safeguarding concerns.
Where a consultation is unsuccessful due to capacity, a choice will be given to remain on the application intake list should a place become available for the current academic year or an application can be submitted for the following academic year, in which case a new consultation will need to be submitted by the Local Authority.
For further information on our college, and the process for obtaining a place here contact:
https://www.homefieldcollege.ac.uk/get-in-touch/contact-the-college/ or call on 01509 815696.
Assessment and Decision Process
Once we receive a consultation, students enter an initial screening to see if they are suitable for a place at Homefield. This is completed by members of the Admissions and Transitions Panel.
At minimum, the initial screening looks at the following information provided:
- An initial interest form (https://www.homefieldcollege.ac.uk/get-in-touch/apply-for-a-place/student-initial-interest-form/)
- Consultation from the Commissioning Local Authority
- Up-to-date and active Education Health Care Plan (EHCP)
From this information, the Panel will either confirm / decline suitability or request further assessment in order to make an informed decision.
Further Assessment
Where needed, students will undergo further assessment for us to make a decision on whether we can meet need.
This assessment to be completed prior to starting at the College and before an offer for a placement can be considered, unless otherwise specified by the Admissions and Transitions Panel.
The student and/or their parents / carers or school representatives should provide the following additional information before being assessed:
- Copy of their most recent school and/or college report
- Details of any qualification achievements
- Any associated medical or therapy reports
- Any other information relevant to their support needs
These will be reviewed alongside the documentation used in the initial screening, along with a suitable form of assessment dependent on their needs and queries arising from the additional information provided.
Assessment will be conducted by Homefield curriculum or therapy staff.
The purpose of further assessment is to ensure that:
- students meet the eligibility criteria
- funding processes are satisfied
- the pathway offered meet the learning needs of the individual student
- resources are in place and appropriate to individual needs
- groupings are appropriate for all students
The assessment process may include:
- face-to-face meetings with the prospective student
- meetings with parents and carers
- visits to schools or homes where appropriate
- conversations/meetings with other agencies or professionals (e.g., therapists)
- completion of questionnaires filled in with curriculum and/or therapy staff
Panel Decision
Decision to offer or decline a place at the College is made at an Admissions and Transitions Panel meeting. This decision is based on the initial screening (and a further assessment where required).
Following a review of the consultation and above information, the panel will make one of two recommendations:
ONE: The College is able to make a conditional offer subject to funding being agreed by the relevant commissioning local authority with:
- The student groupings informed by:
- the needs and views of individual students
- safety of the individual and the group as a whole
- compatibility of group members
- effective and efficient use of resources
- the student’s choice of current timetable of other activities whenever reasonably possible
- Students chosen vocation pathway
- assessment outcomes
- The curriculum pathway being determined by the needs of the individual student
- Staffing levels within groups reflecting:
- the support needs of individual students
- the identified support levels within the funding criteria
Where possible, school leavers accepted for a full time pathway will be offered transition visits during the summer term prior to their placement commencing. This provides opportunities for further assessment and identification of learning outcomes.
TWO: The offer of a place may be declined under one of the following exceptions as recorded Under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014:
- Unsuitability: The setting is deemed unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude, or special educational needs of the child or young person.
- Incompatibility with Others: The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others.
- Resource Efficiency: The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.
It is unlikely that the following applicants can be accommodated, and places would be declined under 2. above.
- whose cognitive ability is assessed as below Key Stage 1/Milestone 4
- those with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD)
- those with significant health needs
- those assessed as requiring 3 or more staff assigned to them individually at any time
Should a placement be considered unsuitable and declined on one of the grounds stated above, feedback to parents/carers will usually be provided by the commissioning Local Authority. Where applicants are seeking advice regarding the next steps, they should speak to the Local Authority.
Appeals
If potential students have been unsuccessful in securing a place on a programme or the Local Authority decides not to name the College in the student’s EHCP and they wish to appeal a decision, this should be made to their Local Authority.
This process also applies to students whose referral is subject to the SEN tribunal process. The College, if requested to do so by an advocate or solicitor, will endeavour to provide all assessments and reports prior to the tribunal hearing.
Transport
The College does not provide transport to or from College.
For information about transport options, please access the relevant websites of the commissioning local authority:
- Leicestershire County Council: School Transport policy documents | Leicestershire County Council
- Leicester City Council: Family Information | Home to school transport (leicester.gov.uk)
- Warwickshire County Council: Apply for home to school SEND transport – Warwickshire County Council
The College is committed to travel training and supports students in appropriate stages of training to reach their full potential in this regard. In many instances, the objective would be for students to be able to travel independently on public transport by the end of their time with us.
Approved by: Trustees
Date: July 2024
Person Responsible: Head of Funding & Compliance