Post 16

Welcome to the Post 16 Department.

In Post 16 at Merefield School pupils will follow a 5 day per week timetable. The study programme is a continuation from the Key Stage 4 with pupils progressing towards their qualifications and accreditations. All learners should achieve a Diploma in Personal Progress or Life skills by the end of Year 14. We are constantly reviewing the accreditations that we offer to ensure that they meet the needs of all pupils. Personalised pathways will be designed to ensure that each learner has gained the necessary skills to equip them for their next stage in education, training, supported employment or social care placement.

The curriculum will continue with an added focus on preparation for the future and transitioning to adult placements or further education. Work experience is available to pupils where it is relevant with some longer term placements currently available at the local library, a DIY store, a riding school, Sefton Coastal Rangers and Bridge Inn Farm. College visits and taster sessions will begin to allow pupils to make informed choices about their future. A lot of our learning will take place outside of the classroom and within the local area or in other placements/settings. The post 16 department also organise a range of Enterprise Education events and work through a business model to make products to sell, make a profit and decide what to purchase or how to donate the proceeds.

Careers education and guidance is delivered and pupils will experience how to apply for college placements, interview skills, personal skills and communication skills. A small number of pupils will also take part in independent travel training with school and can continue this with the Sefton Travel Team should parents wish to do this. Pupils have developed road safety skills and can confidently use public transport to travel to the nearest specialist college.

For pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) their pathway will prepare them for social care placements that are currently available. They will follow the Merefield curriculum and their day is usually structured around medical, health and physiotherapy programmes. They will take part in a curriculum that is based around sensory approaches to learning while experiencing independent living skills such as shopping, food technology and Enterprise education.

During year 14, applications to placements or colleges will be finalised and transition will begin once placements have been agreed by Education, Health or Social Care.

Qualifications and Accreditation.

At Merefield School we offer a wide variety of courses to suit individual learners. See what we can offer in the table below.

Awards and Qualifications

Merefield awards and qualifications.pdf

Qualification and Accreditation Mapping

p scale mapping at merefield school.pdf

Post Merefield Destination Options

Throughout Key Stage four we offer work experience placements to those who express an interest and for whom it is most suitable for. We also access block placements with local service providers to introduce our pupils to different locations of learning and different people.

In Post 16 the pathway becomes much clearer and we prepare our pupils for their next destination. We offer families and pupils as much information as is required to inform their decisions. For those who it is suitable, we arrange visits, tasters, work experience and careers information and guidance. We work closely with Health, Social Care, Transitions and Connexions to make applications for placements and funding.

Once a destination has been decided upon, we can then begin a transition programme to share information and make the process run as smoothly as possible.

100% of our pupils over the past 5 years have remained at their post Merefield Destination for a minimum of 2 years.

Pathway	Pathway 1	Pathway 2	Pathway 3	Pathway 4	Pathway 5
	Personal Budget With high level of support/care.	Personal Budget To access work based learning or social enterprise placements.	Specialist College With High level of support	Specialist College With low level support and could progress to mainstream college with support.	Mainstream College With high level of support.
Local services	Day services St Josephs, Formby At Home Care	Bridge Inn Farm The Learning Rooms 1:1 in the community Coastal Rangers Midstream Activate	Arden College Activate	Thornton College	Hugh Baird College Southport College
Expected Outcomes	High level of personalised care with parents creating a tailor made care package.	Provides training and real life work experience or social skills.	Working towards suitable and relevant qualifications/accreditations such as ASDAN and diploma in life skills. Continuation of communication skills (Arden).	Preparation for mainstream college. Education and life-enhancing skills development for students who could not access further education in a mainstream environment	Access to Entry level vocational qualifications or Essential skills courses.
Preparation	Multi agency planning with health and social care to provide the right level of support. Social care coordinates the placements and authorise the budget. Transitions will offer information on placements available and offer visits to parents/families. School can contribute to the transition once a placement has been agreed.	Multi agency planning with social care, school and families to decide on the right package and budget. Transitions and school to provide information to parents and pupils about placements available. Taster days can be arranged. Work experience placements may be suitable. Longer term placements may be accessed through post 16. School can organise transition once a decision has been made on budget and placement.	Information on local colleges provided to parents and pupils. Taster days and short visits offered to pupils and families. School and connexions work together to make an application to the placement and connexions submit a funding application to the LA. School support transition days and communicate with the college to provide the best possible transition between placements. Pupils may also access work experience placements and access some other provisions to support them making a choice.	Information on local colleges provided to parents and pupils. Taster days and short visits offered to pupils and families. School and connexions work together to make an application to the placement and connexions submit a funding application to the LA. School support transition days and communicate with the college to provide the best possible transition between placements. Pupils may also access work experience placements and access some other provisions to support them making a choice.	Information on local colleges provided to parents and pupils. Taster days and short visits offered to pupils and families. School and connexions work together to make an application to the placement and connexions submit a funding application to the LA. School support transition days and communicate with the college to provide the best possible transition between placements. Pupils may also access work experience placements and access some other provisions to support them making a choice.