City College Plymouth Launches Dynamic Range of New Courses for SEND Students

City College Plymouth has launched a new suite of courses called Pathways for Progression, designed for young people aged 16 to 24 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who have Education, Health and Care Plans.

Developed in partnership with local authorities, schools, and employers, Pathways for Progression provides a highly personalised and purposeful curriculum that supports every student on their journey towards further education, employment, or adult life. The courses promote personal growth, social development, and employability skills, tailored to individual needs and offering a clear route from pre-entry level to mainstream education, work, or supported adulthood. Students learn in dedicated teaching spaces within a secure and supportive environment at the College’s Kings Road campus.

The new suite of courses were officially launched on Friday 7 November at a special event at City College attended by students, staff, and special guests, including local Plymouth MP Fred Thomas.

Officially unveiling the courses, the College’s CEO Jackie Grubb said:

“At City College, we believe strongly in the power of inclusive education and the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for young people and adults with SEND. We’re proud to be offering students with SEND more tools and more opportunities than ever before to help them move forward in their lives with confidence.”

Special guest speaker Fred Thomas MP said:

“Every young person in our city and in our country deserves to have the best chances of living a productive, happy, rewarding life. I’m always blown away by the work that everyone at City College does. And I know it’s not easy to pull something like this together. I know it takes a lot of collaboration. This project is so important to give people the best chance in life, and to give our city the future it deserves.”

Pathways for Progression represents a significant step forward for SEND education in the area, furthering the College’s aims of improving accessibility, widening participation, and strengthening support for young people with high needs across the region.

• City College Plymouth holds the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for leading the way in marine and maritime skills, and AoC Beacon Award for Digital Innovation.

• City College Plymouth achieved a Gold Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) rating for its higher education provision in September 2023

• City College Plymouth is the South West’s first Google for Education Reference College. This recognition, announced in March 2022, is testament to the College’s commitment to digital skills and incorporating this into all curriculum areas where suitable.

• 94% of City College Plymouth higher education students agreed that the teaching on their course had ‘challenged them to achieve their best work’ (source: National Student Survey 2024).

• Ofsted rated the College as ‘good’ in its 2024 inspection visit (source: Ofsted Inspection Report 2024).