The Rationale behind setting up a Training Restaurant for students with learning difficulties and disabilities

Employment-led provision has been developing within guide-lines set down by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications. Although NVQ's were initially devised to be carried out in the workplace it was seen quite early on that colleges would need to play a role in their assessment. To deliver NVQ courses colleges have had to adapt courses in hne with performance criteria laid down by Industry Lead Bodies. This has radically affected courses, making some of them almost impossible to dehver in colleges. Vocational areas such as hairdressing and catering have an advantage over odier areas in tiiat they usually have a commercial operation, a hakdressing salon or restaurant. In order to gain NVQ status courses must have realistic assessment criteria, similar to a business. They are then awarded RWE status (Reahstic Working Environment) by the Lead Body or Examining board. This shift towards work based courses was seen as an ideal way for students to progress from C&G 333/1 which looks at personal development to the competence based Vocational Access Certificate course. The rationale for tiiis dissertation is to look at the development of special provision in colleges through to the development of the employment-led curriculum. Central to this piece of work is the development of Staples Restaurant which gives the students an opportunity to learn in a realistic working environment and enables them to gain credits towards Level 1 NVQ. Chapter 1 Outiines the development of special provision in colleges over the last 20 years and courses available to students with leaming difficulties and disabiUties. Chapter 2 Outiines the development of the Transition course at Somerset College and the differences between general education courses and the development of vocational based courses. Chapter 3 OutUnes the development of die V A C and it's implications in terms of teaching and leaming strategies. Chapter 4 Outhnes what Employment-led provision is trying to achieve and whether from the perspective of student, staff and parent/carer it achieves these objectives. Comparisons are made between two groups of Transition students to highlight whetiier the curriculum is appropriate for all students, irrespective of their own particular needs. By evaluating data from questionnakes given to students, staff and parent /carers it is hoped that flaws in the programme can be identified and rectified and good practices developed further. Chapter 5 Summarises the results of the questionnaires and makes recommendations on how the employment-led provision may develop in the future