AIBU to wonder if an EHCP will be at all helpful for college?

[Iamconfused1]

Primary and secondary have always well supported child however now starting Year 10 in September and worrying about the sixth form / college that she will go to in case they don’t support as well due to no EHCP.

Are they that helpful when it comes to college or mainly only beneficial for school?
Thanks

Bump

DD missed y11 with mh issues. When she got to college it became clear she couldn't cope. We applied for and got an ehcp. It was invaluable to her. Not so much for the content, but for the support and flexibility it gave.
Basically when I asked for support or flexibility in the first 2 weeks, the standard response was 'does she have an ehcp?'. Once I was able to say 'the la have agreed to assess' they were much more amenable.

Suggest you write down support she currently needs and go along to some open evenings and talk to SEN departments.

An EHCP can cover a child up until the age of 25 so if you can still get one - get one.

Yes! I got one for my dd for collage, she is able to go on a programme tailored to her needs now as she was not able to access school before.

It’s worth it.
My DS is starting college in September. He’s starting with a transition year course and then potentially could take courses at level 1, level 2 and then level 3 - that would mean 5 years of funded education.
DS can go straight to level 3 after his transition year but it’s good to have options.

Definitely worth it

Can I ask how they help whilst at college?

Well it depends on the need your DC has. For DD suffering with anxiety, depression, low stamina:
. Time out card if overwhelmed
. Permission to go a diffetent route when covid one way systems were in place
. Choose location to sit in classroom
. Access to learning support area as quiet place, known support person
. Permission not to be entered for both maths and english
. Flexibility on attendance

And the big one for us. She has done 2 years at college, is having a gap year, but is returning to college in Sept.

Can I ask what you mean by permission not to enter both maths and English?

We have ADHD / ASD / Dyslexia here so concerned they won’t pass GCSEs to enable college without having to resit, particularly English

Dd was awarded 3s for maths and English based on teacher assessment. So funding rules say you have to work towards resitting to get 4s.
It was clear that DD couldn't cope with a full timetable, and she wouldn't cope with taking maths and english exams (5 in total) in the same sitting. So she resat one in yhe first year, and the other in the second. Couldn't cope with the length even then.

(Still had both subjects timetabled and went to lessons when she could)

You may be able to ask for your child to sit functional skills instead
of retaking Maths and English GCSE if needed.

EHCPs can be helpful at college.

In some ways they can be more important than for those of compulsory school age. The LA has a duty to ensure compulsory school age pupils who can’t attend school still receive an education under s19 of the Education Act 1996. This doesn’t apply post 16, so while an EHCP is still important for CSA children, it can become even more important in where post 16 pupils can't attend college. An EHCP can be in place until 25, or 26 in some cases. Without an EHCP, non-advanced education wouldn’t be funded in the same way for that long.

What provision is included in EHCPs depends on DC’s needs. It could include specialist teaching, 1:1 support, assistive technology and training to use it, SALT, OT, mentoring, ADHD coaching, pre-teaching…

If DS doesn’t get at least a 4 in English or Maths, whether he can sit functional skills instead of resitting GCSEs will depend on the grade he does get and the college he attends. That is unless you get an EHCP which includes it.

If very unlikely to pass English GCSE is this something that could be written into the EHCP then as in not to keep resitting over and over!

If GCSE isn’t appropriate, an EHCP can include provision for a course that is suitable.