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Arden College

Welcome to Arden College

Arden College is located near to Southport, a vibrant coastal town surrounded by natural beauty. We are a specialist further education college for young people aged 16 to 25 years with autism and complex barriers to learning.

The learning and support that we provide is tailored to the individual needs, strengths, interests and aspirations of each young person. Our students are supported to design their own personalised curriculum, with the help of their family and other key people in their lives.

Our values and ethos

We use young people’s interests to engage them with learning and build the skills and confidence they need for an independent and fulfilling future. Our learning programmes focus on supporting students to be happy and healthy, gaining employability skills and contributing positively to the community.

Our students are fantastic ambassadors for Arden College and their achievements are inspirational. They leave us ready to live their best lives and we are very proud of the work that we do to support them.

We equip students to navigate the complex challenges of becoming adults, and the transition from school into employment, education and greater independence.

Our mission statement - building skills for a happy and fulfilling future

Arden College students have a right to belong; to be part of a community; to develop emotional resilience; to communicate effectively; to be healthy; to achieve their employment or active citizenship potential and to develop independence now and for the future.

We work together to ensure that our students are happy; understood; treated equally and with respect; valued for their unique contribution; able to try without fear of failure; defined by their future not by their past and encouraged to be the best they can be.

Specialist facilities and small class sizes

Our class sizes are very small, with typically no more than five students. This is key to providing the intensive specialist support our young people need to achieve their potential.

Wherever possible, students learn in real-life settings within the community. Our college has a range of exciting facilities, including Arden Café, a hair and Beauty centre, Duke of Edinburgh Centre, Horticulture Centre, Employment Hub and our Performing Arts Studio. The college buildings are designed to meet the sensory and learning needs of students with autism and provide low stimulus and visually structured learning environments.

Arden College is structured by phases. (Phases relate to the identification of a student’s ability to regulate within social situations and their resilience and application of executive functioning).

Phase 1

Phase 2       

Phase 3 

Phase 4 

Students within the phases have up to 4 potential Destinations pathways relating to their abilities and needs, they are: 

  • Developing greater independence 
  • Developing greater independence and becoming an active citizen 
  • Developing greater independence and gaining paid employment 
  • Developing greater independence and further study / career

Ardens curriculum incorporates the 4 areas of Preparing for Adulthood: 

  • Health 
  • Independence 
  • Community Inclusion 
  • Employability 

A commitment to safety and welfare

Arden College is well-equipped to protect the vulnerable young people in our care. The college has a robust safeguarding culture, which means that the safety and welfare of our students is at the forefront of everything we do.

Our specialist services

The range of services and facilities available at Arden College include:

  • Person-centred learning programmes, tailored to the specific needs of each young person
  • High staff to student ratios
  • Access to accredited qualifications
  • 2 education campuses and a range of additional facilities
  • A highly experienced teaching team, who use successful approaches and interventions to support effective learning
  • A wide range of therapeutic support provided by a specialist therapy team, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and behaviour support
  • A specialist learning environment with a broad curriculum offer
  • Meaningful practical work experience in association with a range of community partners
  • Residential options, which offer an extended curriculum

Our students are keen to showcase what they do and we always welcome visitors to the college. Please feel free to contact us to arrange a visit.

Siobhan Partington
Principal at Arden College

Who to contact

Telephone
E-mail
ardencollege@aspriscs.co.uk
Website
https://www.aspriscs.co.uk/

Where to go

Name
Arden College
Address
41, Church Road
Banks
Southport
Postcode
PR9 8ET

Time / Date Details

When is it on
9:15 to 3:15, Monday to Friday during term time (residential provision is available outside of these times)
Time of day
Afternoon
Morning

Other Details

Costs

Please contact provider for cost details.
Offering Tax Free Childcare.

Local Offer

Contact Telephone
01704 534433
Contact Email
ardencollege@priorygroup.com
Local Offer Age Bands
Young Adults (16 to 25)
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