John is a student at our Gillingham campus, and this year he has been applying himself better than ever, continuing to make steady and meaningful progress at EMA.
Developing his communication and staying engaged have been key aims for John, and within a structured and supportive learning environment, he has grown in confidence and is increasingly able to engage with tasks both independently and as part of a group
“Over time, John has developed stronger communication skills, shown a greater willingness to try new activities, and demonstrated increased resilience when faced with challenges. Whether he’s speaking with staff, or fellow students, in lessons, or during breaks, we’re seeing him initiate greetings, listen, and follow instructions – we continue to see those positive outcomes and John should be very proud!” – Natalie, Tutor
Student voice and sensory based tasks can help John with his verbal skills – he enjoys football, and one such activity revolved around commentating, allowing for practice using his voice – which he in turn can apply to other situations around college, with friendships, and expressing his feelings.
This development in his personal and social interactions have also enabled John to move from individualised one-to-one lessons, to now being fully integrated into group lessons with tailored support and individualised work. For John, learning in a group environment is a huge achievement, and another example of the significant progress he has made in peer interaction since he started with EMA.
Consistent routines, regular monitoring of progress, adapting where needed…
EMA supports John through a highly personalised, learner-centred approach which is tailored to him and his goals. Staff work closely with him to understand his individual strengths, needs and preferred learning styles. This is delivered with consistent routines, regular monitoring of progress, adapting where needed, and doing our best to provide a nurturing environment to help John feel safe, valued and motivated to learn, ensuring his days at college enable him to make that progress at his pace.
A key focus of John’s programme is the development of real-life employability and independence skills. This can range from interactive tasks in Maths (which he shows a keen interest in) to help with budgeting and bank statements, which involve visual worksheets, or preparation for adulthood sessions where he’s identifying food groups learning how to stay healthy, and even measuring windows for the purchase of some blinds in our independent living suite, all helping to become more confident in the little things which allow him to be more independent.
His learning is designed to be meaningful and relevant, helping John to build practical skills that link directly to his future aspirations. John has made notable progress in both his academic learning and his digital skills as of late, and we’re excited to see where his next steps take him.
When asked about his experience at EMA, John shared: “I enjoy Maths and making PowerPoints the most… EMA has helped me with maths and digital skills…in the future I’d like to work in finance!”
His current goals include a focus on continuing to build his independence, confidence, and employability skills, this will include further development through those practical and vocational learning opportunities, along with increased opportunities to apply his skills in real-world or simulated work environments (such as in our pop-up cafes, the ILS, or on trips out of college to the supermarket etc)
“a life changing experience for us as a family”
John’s mum, Corrin shared her perspective:
“We feel our son has progressed in his growth being at EMA. In his third year he has reached massive goals in communicating his feelings – talking more while using visuals has been a life-changing experience for us as a family. The progress he has achieved while being at EMA has brought him alive, being happy due to the encouragement, support and kindness of all the staff”
John’s journey highlights the positive impact of personalised support, structured learning and meaningful skill development in helping learners grow in confidence and work towards their future goals. The Gillingham campus in North Dorset is designed for those with SEND and PMLD, and if you’d like to find out more of how our study programmes can help you or someone you know, today, or in the near future – why wait? Reach out today and let’s work towards finding your future!
