Petty Pool College

Petty Pool Vocational College is an education provider for young adults with learning difficulties, supporting 122 full-time students from across Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and the North West. Located in the heart of Cheshire, and set in 40 acres of woodland in Sandiway, near Northwich, Petty Pool Vocational College aims to provide every learner with an effective and enjoyable educational experience that empowers them to reach their full potential. We accommodate learners with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities, including moderate/severe learning disabilities, specific learning disabilities, physical disabilities, communication needs, Autistic Spectrum conditions, Epilepsy, Down's Syndrome, Williams Syndrome and Fragile X.

Cheshire, Halton, Wirall, Merseyside, Warrington and the North West.

Our curriculum is centred around developing a personalised study programme for learners which will support them to meet their aspirations and EHCP outcomes. Taking into account students individual starting points and what they want to achieve, a broad and diverse curriculum is designed based on the Preparation for Adulthood agenda, vocational qualifications where appropriate and utilises the staged process or recognising and recording progression and achievement (RARPA) for non-accredited learning and progression.

Our curriculum features: 

• Tutorial which encompasses current topics, promotes democracy and self-advocacy and supports our learners to become active citizens.  
• Enrichment, where learners have a chance to explore and develop wider skills aligned with personal interests, teambuilding and … 
• Employability that centres on building skills needed to enhance career opportunities such as interview skills, CV writing, communication skills, increasing confidence and personal development 
• Life Skills, which allows learners to develop skills needed to live independently or increase personal independence. 
• Functional Skills where English and maths is embedded and applied in everything we do.

Petty Pool In The Community is our service open to young people with learning disabilities outside education, funded via personalised budgets. This additional offer to Petty Pool will see young people accessing additional support on an intensive basis to look at:

• Community activities
• Independent living skills
• Travel training
• Team Building and Social skills

Community Links and Partnerships

• Some of the current projects we are involved with are, Delamere Forest, Delamere Train Station, Northwich Youth Club, Whitegate Station Cafe, we are also looking at expanding our private garden services, where we will be visiting homes in the local area and helping elderly or vulnerable people who struggle to maintain their own gardens. Additionally we work with charities such as Men In Sheds and Down Syndrome Cheshire.

Work Experience

We currently work with a number of national and local business to offer work Placements and Internships to all of our students. All external placements link directly to the curriculum and learner EHCP outcomes. We have a vast offer for external placements including:

• National Hotel chain
• Local Libraries
• Golf Clubs
• Football clubs
• National Trust venues
• Local Farms
• Local schools
• Local restaurants
• Local Cinema
• Toddler Groups
• National Supermarkets