Aurora Foxes

Aurora Foxes is an Ofsted 'Good' specialist college situated in the friendly seaside community of Minehead, Somerset. Our courses are holistic, offering young adults with learning disabilities tuition in hospitality and catering whilst working in a hotel open to the general public. Students train in independent life skills in residential accommodation supported by a highly experienced team.

Aurora Foxes exists for its students. We strive daily to be the very best and we will continue to do so, to ensure that graduates from Aurora Foxes are: work ready, life ready.

Aurora Foxes is also a Disability Confident Leader, an award which recognises that we are changing perceptions about employing people with disabilities.

Our students come from all over the United Kingdom.

RESIDENTIAL PROVISION

Our residential curriculum promotes independent life skills and work-related experience that leads towards qualifications which are recognised by employers, along with outstanding outcomes.

• National Vocational Qualifications - Level 1 & 2 in Hospitality & Catering
• City and Guilds Entry Level 3 - Introduction to the Hospitality Industry 
• City and Guilds Level 1 - Introduction to the Hospitality Industry 
• City & Guilds qualifications in Functional English, Maths and ICT - Entry Level 1 - Level 2
• English Speaking Board – Entry Level 1 - Level 1
• Food Safety & Hygiene in Catering Level 1 or 2 
• Pathway to Life - Independent Living Skills 
• Pathway to Life - Vocational
• City & Guilds 5546 Employability Skills qualification

At Aurora Foxes our curriculum is enhanced by a range of learning and development opportunities: 

• External work experience placements
• Development of soft skills 
• Participation in catering events
• Additional vocational learning opportunities 
• Personal development week workshops
• Student Leadership Team
• Careers, Information, Educational Advice and Guidance - Internal and External 
• In-house therapists - Speech and Language & Occupational Therapy
• E-Safety training

DAY PROVISION

At Aurora Foxes, our day placements offer students access to a variety of nationally recognised and accredited vocational and functional qualifications. Student timetables are 5 days per week and include teaching, study time and work experience, which can include weekends. 

Vocational Qualifications

All vocational training is delivered in the award-winning Foxes Hotel, a fully functioning hotel open to the public. Students can work towards a NVQ Certificate in Hospitality Services - Level 1 & 2; Introduction to the Hospitality Industry - Entry Level 3; Preparing for a Career in the Hospitality Industry - Level 1; Level 1 or 2 Award in Food Safety.

Functional Skills

Maths, English and ICT are core skills taught directly throughout the programme and are discreetly embedded across practical vocational aspects. English Speaking Board qualifications are designed to focus on developing vital communication skills to support transition into future employment – whilst our Employability Skills Course covers the key skills needed for job seeking and gaining employment.

External Work Experience 

All students undertake an external work experience placement in the local community. This supports students to transfer the skills learnt into new working environments and build on their travel training skills and public transport use.

Specialist facilities and resouces include:

• Fully Functioning Hotel, open to the public
• Real life working envirionment 
• Local work experience providers
• National partnerships including Hilton Hotels
• Real life home learning environment
• Supportive community 

Personal Development, Health and Welfare 

We believe that education is about acquiring qualifications and personal development.

The rich, diverse and ever evolving Personal Development time enables students to choose activities that address personal issues of physical and mental health, wellbeing and emotional development.

In order to further a students’ ability to make independent choices about leisure time, the Personal Development Health and Welfare (PDHW) curriculum has been personalised. Our excellent enrichment activities have been developed with a variety of interesting and useful activities which contribute to our students’ enjoyment and achievement, and their personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Enrichment 

Aurora Foxes has an outstanding range of enrichment activities (below) which have been developed in response to interests expressed by students which promote and foster their holistic development.

• Crazy Golf
• Driving Lessons
• Karaoke
• Shopping in Taunton / Minehead
• Theatre
• Multi Sports
• Zumba
• Pilates/Yoga
• Park Run
• Skating/Scooting/Wall Climbing
• Various sports clubs
• Ballroom Dancing
• Choir
• Farmers Market
• Multicultural Days
• Skittles
• Train and Bus Trips
• Visits to Local Attractions
• Church
• Discos
• Football
• Picnics
• Gym
• Swimming
• Visits to Local Towns and Villages
• Art Club
• Bowling
• Cinema
• Drama Club
• Musical Theatre
• Pubs / Restaurants / Cafés
• Talent Shows
• Various Charity Events
• Walking

Celebration 

Throughout the year we organise fun-packed events. Every term we hold a disco and at Christmas there is an awards ceremony followed by a drama performance.