Further education and employment options

On this page you will find information and practical advice about different school, college and setting options for young people with SEND.

We hope that you find this page helpful. If you have any questions, you can contact us and we will try to answer them for you.

Schools and colleges have a responsibility to work with young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) to help them achieve their goals.

The law says that you have a right to be educated in a mainstream school if this is your choice and they can meet your needs.

If you cannot attend a mainstream school because you need more support with your learning, then you would need an EHCP and could apply for a place at a specialist school or setting.

You can read more about what the law says on the your rights page.

You can read more how your school or college can support you on the Help at your school or college page.

There are different types of specialist schools and settings that you could attend these are:

You can find out more about the specialist schools and settings available in Leeds on the Leeds Local Offer website.

You can also contact us for copies of our Leeds provision, out of authority and post 16 provision guides.

Mainstream schools are the schools that most children and young people will be expected to attend.

They are typically able to support young people with mild to moderate SEND, by following what is known as the 'graduated approach'.

You can read more about this on the help at your school or college page.

A SILC teaches children and young people who have more severe and complex difficulties.

They are different to a mainstream school because they have staff with more SEND training and specialist skills and access to specialist resources and equipment to support pupils.

There are schools in Leeds that can support children and young people that have difficulties with their Social, Emotional and/or Mental Health Needs (SEMH).

They have staff that have special training and experience in SEMH and access to specialist resources and equipment to support pupils.

There is a specialist free school in Leeds for young people aged 11 to 19 who have an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) or related communication disorders.

This school is funded by the government, but ran independently (meaning they have more control over how they do things).

Partnership provisions are for children and young people who can access some mainstream lessons, but need some specialist support in other areas

There are mainstream schools that have an agreement with their local SILC to provide additional specialist trained staff and resources to pupils that need it.

You would be on the roll of the SILC but likely go to, wear the uniform of and follow the daily routines of the mainstream school.

A resourced provision is a mainstream school that has additional resources in a specialist area. These include resource provisions for children and young people with:

hearing and visual impairments (secondary only)
physical and medical difficulties
complex communication disorders (primary only)
specific learning difficulties (secondary only)
general learning difficulties

You would be on the roll of and fully included in this mainstream school, whilst receiving any specialist interventions that you need.

You can legally leave school at the end of the year that you turn 16, but you must remain in some kind of education or training until you turn 18. This is known as Further Education (FE).

After the age of 18, you would not remain at the current school or setting as you would now be classed as an adult learner. Some specialist settings offer education for 19-25 year olds, or you might want to consider university. This is known as Higher Education (HE).

You should receive information and advice about suitable options and courses in good time to make the right decision. It is important to choose somewhere that you will feel comfortable and be able to work towards and achieve your goals.

As well as getting information from your school or setting, you can also check the Leeds Local Offer site to see what is available in Leeds, or visit the National Careers Service website.

You can choose from:

Sixth form at your currents school or setting if they have one.
Sixth form at a new school or setting.
A further education (FE) college
A specialist FE college - If you have an EHC Plan.
A traineeship
An apprenticeship
A supported internship - if you have an EHC Plan.
Studying part-time

You can find out more about these options on our planning for your future page.

You can also contact us for a copy of our supported internships, traineeships and apprenticeship guide.

If you chose to go to university, then your EHCP will automatically come to an end. This does not mean that extra support is not available as universities also have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students.

This could include support such as flexible seminar times, support for study skills or access to specialist computer software.

You may also be able to apply for a Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) to help fund specialist support or equipment that you need.

It is a good idea to go and visit any school or setting that you thinking of attending. This would give you the chance to look at the environment and meet the staff.

You could also look at the school or setting's website to see what they offer and read about the way that they run things. This might help you with your decision making.

When making a visit, it can be helpful to take down some notes about what you think or of any questions that come up, to then ask at the end of the visit. It is also helpful to visit a few settings so that you can compare them and see which one feels best for you.

Things to ask or think about:

What SEND support can they offer you?
How does the learning space feel to you?
Do you think you will be able to move around independently
Is anything worrying you?
How is the teaching organised?
what are the class sizes?
Do they have any students with similar needs to you?
If they run any clubs or groups that might interest you?
How would you get there?
How do they track progress?
How do they communicate with home?

More information, advice and support (IAS)

Leeds SENDIASS are not responsible for the content of sites or services offered by third parties.

Leeds City Council - Leeds Local Offer website.
IPSEA-the right to a mainstream education advice.
IPSEA - Year 9 and beyond advice.
Preparing for adulthood (Pfa)- website
MENCAP - transition advice.
Start in Leeds- website.
AET - starting uni guide.
AET - choosing a school guide.

You can find more resources on our useful SEND links and tools page.

On this page you will find information and practical advice about different school, college and setting options for young people with SEND.

Your rights

Types of schools and settings

Post 16 options

Visiting a school, college or setting

More information, advice and support (IAS)