Where do I start. Please do not consider this college if your child has additional needs or an EHCP. My child had zero support in their first year. Currently in second year completing another course and from the onset it was nothing but disgraceful. Told they couldn’t return after first year, but got enrolment forms and an appointment to enrol. Child attended enrolment and was pulled out, told they knew they weren’t allowed back, even though the college actively invited said child back. I complained, managed to get my child enrolled. I also attended the enrolment with my child and we both left in tears. The enrolment was 3 female teachers, one including Lois, who works in the beauty therapy department. She was nothing short condescending, discriminatory, judgemental and down right rude, not just to me but to my daughter too. She had the nerve to imply I was a bad parent by saying ‘we’re all parents here, do you think you’re setting your child up to fail by encouraging them to do a course they’re going to fail’. I genuinely feel I’d be setting my child with additional needs up to fail if I held them back and didn’t support them! It was a bloody beauty therapy course, not quantum physics! My child also struggles with reading, I’m well aware of this. I offered to purchase a reader to support my child on the course and Lois bluntly advised they’re not allowed in class! Would she be saying that to a child who is blind??? To be fair, even if my child wanted to do quantum physics, I would be right be their side! I left feeling belittled and bullied. If I feel like that as a 40 year old adult who has a lot of life experiences and rarely upset, how on earth are they making vulnerable students feel when us parents aren’t around? She should not be working in an educational setting! I would happily have allowed my child to go to another college but they absolutely wanted to be at Wilberforce. Since returning 4 weeks ago, my child’s timetable has just randomly changed 3 times now. Even though my child struggles with change, they just update it and don’t pre-warn us. My child missed a maths lesson the other day as it had been changed again and wasn’t on the register for any of the teachers. My child rang me from the canteen upset and shaking not knowing what to do. I feel utterly defeated and let down if I’m honest. I’m past complaining. I haven’t even complained about the issues I experienced at the second enrolment appointment because I don’t want to make things worse for my child while studying there. I will say the head, Colin is generally supportive. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times and he’s always been pleasant and my child really likes him as well. I really wish this college had more training and understanding of neurodiverse conditions to offer the right support. My child is far from incapable and has many strengths but the college focus too much on weaknesses. I hope they can look at training staff on neurodiversity in the future. I feel like this college would only be a positive experience for Neurotypical students. After all, a lot of the reasons my child was told they weren’t able to return was partly down to funding and partly down to then getting into trouble with OFSTED for students failing. Whilst I understand that OFSTED would have questions around a high failure rate for the college, I also believe that if the staff and SENCO’s were trained to a high standard, students with additional needs would have a higher chance of passing their courses. I will say, my child does seem to be getting more support now than she did in her first year, it did only happen because I fought for it. It should be standard practice when needed.