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CBEBP Transitions is a work related learning programme set up to support students aged 14-19 years in the Reading and Wokingham area who are classified at having Special Educational Needs. The difficulties these students have vary enormously, ranging from mild literacy and numeracy problems, to ADHD and Autism. Some of our students also have physical disabilities. Some of the students the programme works with are classified as potential NEETs – this means Not in Education Employment or Training when they finish school. We hope that after working with us, students will have the skills and self confidence to go onto employment or some kind of training or further education. We try to offer all students opportunities in work related learning, and match what we offer to their individual needs and abilities. Our programme has three main strands: living, learning and working. This means that the activities we offer will always have an element which supports and enhances the students learning in one of these areas. Over the course of their time with us, students build up a portfolio of the work they have done with us so that they can see the progress they are making, and refer back to it at useful points in the future. Summary of activities:

One of the main components of CBEBP Transitions is work experience. We endeavour to find work experience of some sort for all students who are able to go out. For some, this may mean for a few hours with support from school staff, but for others, it may mean a whole week with an employer, or an extended placement over the course of several weeks, or even a year. We work hard to find suitable employers who are able to offer the time and support needed for these students to thrive in their placements.

We also run skills courses, which cover four areas: CV Writing, Interview Skills, Time Management and Team Building. Verizon Business kindly let us use their meeting rooms for these courses, which allows the students to experience working in a professional business environment. Students also benefit from the presence of facilitators from local businesses, who help support the day and work alongside the group throughout the day. These courses are run by Diane Smith, an experienced trainer, with the support of staff from CBEBP.

Students are involved on a regular basis in a variety of classroom based activities. The sessions include work on sales, marketing, applying for bank accounts, competitions as well as intensive work experience preparation. Students also have the opportunity to go out and visit local employers, and learn about different working environments.

Over the last year we have been working closely with Novotel in Reading. Students have been visiting the hotel and learning about the hospitality industry. Staff from Novotel have then been going back into the schools to look around and find out more about what goes on there, and how these schools operate differently form mainstream schools. This has been a really good opportunity not only for students to learn, but also to raise disability awareness in the wider community.

Novotel also kindly provided a prize Masterclass for a cookery competition we held, Potty About Potatoes, where students had to prepare a potato based dish for a panel of judges. Students spent weeks researching potatoes, and the restaurant industry, before putting together a booklet of their work, and preparing for the cook-off. This year’s winners were Nomaan Khan and Andy Mitchell from Addington School, with their ‘Spicy Potato and Vegetable Chowder’. The event was hugely successful and helped students not only to learn about cooking, but also to think about healthy meals, budgeting and safety in the kitchen.

Over the course of 2009-2010, we hope to further expand the opportunities we can offer students, to include more employer visits, and a greater variety of activity sessions. All day courses are listed on the What’s On page or please get in touch if you would like more information about other activities.

For more information on Pre-16 students please contact Will Headland