Catcote Futures Learning & Skills Centre

Catcote Futures Learning and Skills Centre is a unique college offering a stimulating, personalised and fulfilling curriculum which is dynamic in its development. We firmly believe that our students deserve as many opportunities and experiences as we can offer to support them on their journey into adulthood. We are committed to providing realistic opportunities through our exceptional vocational skills centre and with an extensive range of local employers in a friendly and rewarding atmosphere.Catcote Futures is an innovative specialist college for students with moderate to profound learning difficulties/disabilities, autism and complex needs. We offer a vibrant, holistic learning environment with committed, experienced staff and excellent facilities. We provide independent living, vocational, community and work related learning programmes, giving real experiences to ensure the best opportunities for successful transition into adult life.

Our vision is for Catcote Futures to be an innovative FE centre of excellence, providing outstanding, personalised education for all learners.

We are a regional provider and our learners typically come from Hartlepool and the neighbouring authorities including the TeesValley, County Durham and Tyne and Wear.

Our innovative curriculum provides individual study programmes focussing on the needs, interests and aspirations of all our learners based on the four strands of Preparing for Adulthood. This is then differentiated into a further five curriculum pathways matched to the needs and abilities of the learner to ensure the best and most appropriate teaching and learning approach to support accessibility, engagement and progression.

• Sensory Explorers - PMLD classes following a structured and engaging multi-sensory curriculum.
• Aiming High - Complex SLD/ASD classes following highly structured and personalised experiences.
• Reaching Out - Specialist ASD provision focusing on vocational skills, independent living skills and accessing the community.
• Taking the Lead - A fluid curriculum based on learner choice around employability and independent living skills.
• STEPS - An employability-rich curriculum for learners with moderate learning difficulties.

Our Learning and Skills Centre is specially designed to provide genuine and realistic learning experiences in Lifeskills, and vocational options including Horticulture, Hospitality and Catering, Reprographics, Hair and Beauty, Art, Pottery, Woodwork, Office Skills, Creative Media and Retail. In 2019, we were the SEND Award winners in the National Careers Excellence Awards in partnership with the Gatsby Foundation. We have embedded enterprise throughout our curriculum leading to the development of transferable employability skills.

Our offsite shop and café provide ‘real’ work employment experiences and our caravan and bungalow provide opportunities to develop and strengthen independent living skills. We have highly skilled staff who have specialist skills in many different areas.