Overview
The Post‑16 Toolkit is part of Staffordshire County Council’s Graduated Response Toolkit. It is designed to help colleges, sixth forms and other Post‑16 education providers understand how to support young people who have special educational needs (SEND).
The toolkit includes guidance in several key areas:
Introduction
This section explains that the toolkit supports Post‑16 organisations in identifying and meeting the needs of young people with SEND. It is part of the wider Graduated Response, which is the approach schools and colleges use to decide what support a learner needs.
Key Person or Teacher Responsibilities
Teachers and support staff have important responsibilities. They should:
- Notice when a young person is struggling,
- Put support in place early,
- Work with others in the college, and
- Keep records of the support given.
Post‑16 Provider Responsibilities
Education providers (such as colleges and training centres) must:
- Make sure all staff understand their role in supporting young people with SEND,
- Provide high‑quality teaching and reasonable adjustments,
- Work with families and the young person, and
- Review support regularly to check that it is working.
Outside Agencies
Sometimes a young person may need extra help from people outside the college, such as:
- Health services,
- Educational psychologists, or
- Specialist SEND teams.
The toolkit explains that these agencies can offer advice, assessments or extra support when needed.
SEN Support in Colleges
Colleges must follow the SEN Code of Practice (2015) and use the Graduated Response. This means they:
- Assess the young person’s needs,
- Plan support,
- Put the support into action,
- Review how well it's working, and
- Adjust the support if necessary.
This cycle is repeated to make sure each learner receives the right help.
Transition (Moving Into Post‑16 Education)
The toolkit includes information about helping young people move from school into Post‑16 education. Good transition support includes:
- Sharing information early,
- Understanding the young person’s needs,
- Planning support before they start, and
- Involving families and the young person in decisions.
