Heart of Birmingham Achieves Centre of Excellence

At the Heart of Birmingham?

The Heart of Birmingham Vocational College (HBVC) is an oversubscribed college for young adults with SEND. This organisation is undoubtedly fully inclusive, and it is a communication accessible college. It serves a wide area with all its students being transported into the main base and to its satellite bases where vocational learning is undertaken enabling all learners to become more independent and more employable.?

Increasing Capacity?

Its core values of ‘openness, determination, excellence, progress, respect and empowerment’ are truly embedded in the culture and ethos in this 16-25 vocational SEND college. Covid has had a massive effect on its current cohort of students and where required additional time at HBVC have been given – to ensure that all students can reach their full potential. Some previous students have now been employed by HBVC, working in Reception and in the canteen. It has been at its current site for two years and is now in negotiation to increase capacity utilising additional space nearby and adding further learning paths to include horticulture and HS2 apprenticeships to its current vocational programme on and off site.?

Holistic Provision?

The college staffing structure has inclusion at the core of its format – and provision includes Speech and Language Therapists, Mental Health Counsellors, Transport Team, College Curriculum Leaders, work experience and employability, offsite vocational learning, and the SEND Team, with a dedicated team of support staff. These teams come together to offer a safe, secure site, where teaching and learning staff work collaboratively to deliver bespoke vocational packages with employment and employability at the very heart of each pathway. Qualifications and experience are gained through outreach programmes, internships and inhouse social care programmes with Functional Skills. The three main areas of learning are Employment, Community Inclusion and Health and Wellbeing, working alongside the Preparation for Adulthood Framework and many enrichment activities that students can access to further develop their independency. The HBVC curriculum is skills based and includes focused knowledge and understanding of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, ICT skills, Independence skills and British Values so that students are holistically ready for the world of work. ?

Effective Communication?

The students access their learning through having a standard use of widgets, text, etc as forms of communication in each class on and off site. Staff are also trying to ensure that employers are trained in Makaton to support work experience placements. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) with easy hearing systems are all embedded in life for all staff and students at the College. It uses augmented technologies to further support access for all students – additional funding is being allocated as part of a rolling programme to ensure quality IT is available for all to use. ?

Popular, Unique SEND Provision?

Over the last few years, the college has drastically increased in terms of numbers on roll, due to the demand for places at this unique SEND provision. HBVC is continuing to develop courses in social care for greater independent living and has supported actual independent living by purchasing a large house near the main base to enable those learners who need additional community outreach as they move through the college. HBVC is working with HS2 – a clean service centre that is being established nearby to enable its learners to gain employment, apprenticeships, and experience. Likewise, the College is working with the local wildlife group to clean up the nearby heathland to restore it back to its original glory. This will also underpin the new horticultural course that will start in September 2022 with Edgbaston Priory Club. Students can also access internships in animal care, catering, and hospitality. The Open Awards BTEC Vocational Awards enable flexible bespoke learning to gain nationally recognised qualifications.?

‘Thinking Outside the Box’?

The Heart of Birmingham Vocational College is working with over 16 business partners, from small local businesses to international ones. This collaboration offers its students paid and unpaid opportunities in the world of work and also it offers the businesses opportunities to become more inclusive of its work force. Likewise, HVBC works with over 10 community partners to enrich the colleges offer and enable its learners to become part of the local communities across Birmingham – where the learners reside. It is not surprising that HBVC was judged to be Good in its last OFSTED Inspection in 2018. It is initiative and continually ‘thinking outside the box’ that ensures that all its learners get the best provision and opportunities to enable them to become independent or more independent and employed or more employable that is underpinned with qualifications.??

Forward Thinking and Dynamic?

It is evident that the Principal and her extended team of staff work together to ensure that each student’s learning journey is safe, secure, bespoke, and accessible. This can only be achieved if talented, qualified, experienced staff at all levels are appointed and continue to professionally develop too. All the staff have inclusive approaches and attitudes - from the fantastic individual welcoming students and visitors into college, to giving medication during the day, learning in and out of the classrooms, to then getting everyone onto the right minibus to leave at the end of the day.??

Enabling Success?

The leaders are clear about the vision and the next steps for this oversubscribed college, and they are committed to continually drive the college forward to further develop the existing provision whilst developing new learning opportunities. Team Leaders are clear about their roles and responsibilities and how each team ultimately contributes to the success of this College. The lessons that were seen on the learning walk enabled learners to access the topics and tasks in a variety of ways, all of which enabled different learners to access and challenge themselves. There was a good blend of humour and reinforcement to enable the students to reach their individual targets. Staff were on hand to record progress and celebrate success.?

Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award?

If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team, please feel free to telephone: 028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm) or email: [email protected] for further details.?