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Cambian Lufton College
Unlock Your Child’s Potential with Expert Guidance and Unmatched Support – A College Experience That Prepares Young People for Life!
Contact
- 01935 403120
- website@cambiangroup.com
- https://www.cambiangroup.com/specialist-education/our-colleges/autism-colleges/cambian-lufton-college/
- Course
Length
(weeks):
Up to 52 - Residential
or
Day:
Residential and day -
Start
Time:
Any time (although usually September) - Maximum
Number of
Students:
49 - Age
Range:
16 – 25
Main address
Cambian Lufton CollegeLufton
Yeovil
Somerset
BA22 8ST
About the students
Typical Student Profile:
✓ Mixed gender, age 16-25
✓ Autism and other learning difficulties
✓ Moderate to Severe Learning Disabilities
✓ Behaviour and Emotional Needs
✓ A Broad Range of Complex Needs, including Medical Needs
✓ Has an Education, Health & Care Plan
Lufton College provides both day and residential placements for young people aged 16–25 with autism, moderate-to-severe learning disabilities, communication needs, and associated conditions, including ADHD, ADD, and Global Developmental Delay. All individuals have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that reflects their learning needs and support requirements.
Placements are typically 2–4 years in duration, although this can vary depending on individual circumstances, progress, funding arrangements, personal preferences, and identified needs. The College offers both day and residential provision across multiple sites, with residential options including 52-week, 38-week, and weekly boarding.
Catchment
Nationwide
Curriculum
Learning & Development
At Cambian Lufton College, we offer a wide range of personalised learning opportunities designed to support young people with learning disabilities in developing essential life skills, building confidence, and preparing for adulthood.
Qualifications & Accreditation
Students have access to external accreditation through the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). Flexible pathways allow learners to work toward full qualifications or individual units of study, from pre-entry level through to Level 1, leading to awards, certificates, and diplomas. These nationally recognised vocational qualifications help students gain confidence, develop independence, and engage actively in their communities.
Personalised Learning & Goal Setting
Every student follows a tailored programme of study based on their interests, strengths, and existing skills, aligned with their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) outcomes. At the start of each academic year, students complete a Baseline Assessment, identifying strengths and areas for development. These findings, together with EHCP outcomes, inform a multi-disciplinary goal-setting process, with personalised goals reviewed termly to ensure progress.
Our curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop functional, vocational, and personal skills while participating in both the college community and wider society. Students are encouraged to shape their own learning journey, giving them ownership and motivation throughout their placement.
Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement (RARPA) Programme
The RARPA (Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement) programme complements our accredited learning pathways by focusing on small, meaningful steps and individual progress. This approach is particularly suited to learners who benefit from sensory-led, engagement-focused, and highly personalised activities.
Learning aims within RARPA are flexible, responsive, and centred on each student’s wellbeing, regulation, and engagement. Progress is recorded through observation and evidence of engagement, rather than formal academic outcomes, ensuring that achievements are accessible, meaningful, and motivating. Outcomes are regularly reviewed and adapted to meet the student’s evolving needs, supporting ongoing development and overall growth.
Work Placements & Employment Support
Our Employment and Careers Team prepares students for life beyond college. We provide personalised work experience and vocational opportunities in supportive environments, including care homes, healthcare settings, local businesses, and voluntary roles. These experiences foster practical skills, independence, confidence, and professional growth, while enabling students to contribute positively to their communities.
Each student’s employment programme is tailored to their interests, abilities, and long-term goals, with regular reviews to ensure that learning, placements, and skills development remain meaningful and relevant.
Specialist facilities
Cambian Lufton College is set across two campuses in 70 acres of beautiful Somerset countryside near Yeovil town centre. The college benefits from good rail links and road networks.
On-site facilities include:
- ICT Suites
- Life skills kitchen
- Animal centre
- Campus shop
- Craft workshops
- Car valeting bay
- Greenhouses
- Lakeside conservation
- Refectory
- Dance hall
Other information
Life at Cambian Lufton College is underpinned by our ‘FRESH’ values:
- Freedom – The confidence to share ideas, innovate without fear of criticism, and engage in professional challenge.
- Respect – For each other, our students and their families, and our individual differences.
- Empower – Enabling students to develop independence, make decisions, take responsibility, and drive positive change.
- Support – Supporting students and colleagues to achieve and reach their full potential.
- Honesty – Promoting trust, integrity, and transparency, with a culture that embraces learning from mistakes.
We understand that residential colleges can never replace home but we make every effort to create a welcoming, family environment where learners feel safe and comfortable.
Our accommodation provides the necessary step between leaving home and community living that most young adults take during their transition to adulthood.
When students join us for their residential placement, we ensure that they feel comfortable within their new accommodation. We understand that sometimes this can be daunting for families and students and like to ensure the accommodations are as homely as possible. Students are encouraged to be involved with this and are able to personalise their bedrooms with items special to them.
The college will support students in where they are going to live within the campus by looking at compatibility, interests and preferences. We try to accommodate this as much as we can in order for us to support the students to have a voice within where they are going to be living.
Throughout the placement students are able to sample a range of residential settings as they grow within their time with us. This may be living with others, sharing facilities and living within the community. This is great preparation for the next steps after college where we envisage students living as independently as possible. The students are young adults and we encourage and build on independent living skills during their time at the college.
This will include cooking meals, cleaning, laundry, developing menus and budgeting. We understand that these skills are vital for young people to develop in preparation for their next steps.
Enrichment
Residential students enjoy a wide enrichment calendar with activities running in the evenings and weekends. We encourage students to let us know any special interests so that we can ensure that there is something for everyone.
Some examples of these activities are;
• Mindful colouring club
• Football club
• Discos
• Swimming
• Theme park trips
• Sports
• Visiting local National Trust sites
• Rollerblading clubs in the community
And these are just a few.
At some point during their course, learners will have the opportunity to experience community living as part of their Moving on plan. This enables them to optimise their potential for moving on to supported living after college.
Prospectus Request
To request a prospectus from Cambian Lufton College please fill in the details below and click submit.