Employability Skills with us
Employability, Supported Internship and Access to HE Accredited learning routes develop the below skills
Students at Ascent College are supported in developing practical skills such as personal safety, travel training, communication, and self-management, as well as social skills like teamwork and resilience. The College uses various teaching methodologies, including TEACCH and Total Communication approaches, to support the development of thinking skills and to help students adapt to different work placements. Experiential work experience opportunities are also provided to help students build essential skills, personal qualities, and values necessary for success in any workplace.

Max has a Positive Attitude
Positive attitude
Developing the ability to achieve emotional balance, lower stress and improve wellbeing. Ability to remain optimistic about situations, interactions and self.

Ben is practicing Personal Safety
Personal Safety
Recognising risks and identifying how to manage them safely and how to get help

Courtney and Owen are practicing Travel Training
Travel Training
Deliver practical support to students to travel by public transport, on foot or by bike. It aims to help young people travel independently and without fear so they can get to college or work and for social and leisure activities.

Max is showing there is more than one way to use Communication Skills
Communication
Developing, where applicable, the 5 key areas of:
Written communication: Convey ideas and information through the use of written language.
Oral Communication: Convey ideas and information through the use of spoken language.
Non –verbal, AAC and Visual Communication
Active Listening
Contextual communication

On their DofE, the students improve their Team Working
Team Work
Developing teamwork successfully through modelling and experiential opportunities, our students learn and practice each and every one of these important skills.
Successful teamwork builds many social skills including:
1. Patience.
2. Empathy.
3. Communication Skills.
4. Respect.
5. Compromise.
6. Tolerance.
7. Problem Solving.

Max works on Self-Management
Self Management
Develop student’s ability to regulate their behaviours, thoughts, and emotions in a productive way. Example of how students do this; use a to-do-list to plan and organise daily responsibilities. The list allows prioritising of tasks that are more important and helps in setting clear deadlines.

Courtney using her Organisation and Learning skills
Organisation and learning skills
Becoming an independent young adult engaging in learning independently in whatever method is appropriate to the individual.

Ben, Owen and Morgan have a Willingness to Learn
Willingness to Learn
Developing this key behaviour helps our young people get on in life, whether personally or professionally. Simply put, it’s being open to – or seeking out – new experiences, skills and information that improve abilities and enjoyment.

Chris recognises across work placements there are different Expectations
Expectations
Recognising and understanding there are different expectations across different work placements.

Students recognise everyone has different ways of thinking
Thinking Skills
Thinking Skills are cognitive processes that are used to solve problems, make different decisions, ask questions, make plans, organise and create information. We support the development of thinking skills through TEACHH methodology, the use of Talking Mats, tutorials, access to SaLT and OT therapists on site and a Total Communication approach.

Students learn to cope with challenges and have great Resilience
Resilience
Build on student’s ability to cope with challenge and crisis and keep going. All students have a bespoke Resilience Profile that supports them to reduce vulnerabilities and develop self-management strategies.

Chris making lunch for himself and the staff at college showing his Employability
Employability
Building the essential skills, personal qualities and values that enable young adults to thrive in any workplace. Through a range of experiential work experience opportunities students adapt their ‘enterprise skills’, ‘communication skills’ and ‘workplace skills’.
Parents and Professionals
Ascent Autism Specialist College teaching assistant receives national award
Sam Lowe, a teaching assistant at Ascent Autism Specialist College, has received a national award from Teaching Personnel. The SEN Teaching Assistant of the Year Award recognises and celebrates the hard work and dedication of teaching assistants in Special Educational...
Ascent Autism Specialist College shortlisted for three prestigious Educate Awards
Ascent Autism Specialist College, part of the Remarkable Autism Charity, has been shortlisted for three awards in the highly anticipated Educate Awards 2023 shortlist. . The Educate Awards is the largest education awards in the North West and celebrates the...
Community enterprise project awarded community funding from MRWA for the second year
The Pre-Loved Project, part of Ascent Autism Specialist College, has been awarded community funding for the second year running. The MRWA (Merseyside Waste and Recycling Authority) Community Fund aims to support eco-friendly and sustainable projects. For 2022/23 the...
Student named DoE ‘Voice of Neurodiversity’ Youth Ambassador
Student named Duke of Edinburgh’s Youth Ambassador Ascent Autism Specialist College student, Courtney, has been chosen as the voice of neurodiversity for the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Youth Ambassador programme. The DofE UK Youth Ambassador programme involves a...
Remarkable Autism awarded the National Autistic Society’s Beacon Status
Wargrave House School and Ascent Autism Specialist College, part of the Remarkable Autism Charity, have been awarded the National Autistic Society’s highest award accreditation, Beacon Status. The award, given to provisions that have already achieved an advanced award...
Ascent Autism Specialist College student gets a visit from a celebrated author
Fantasy author Wes. M Henshaw recently visited the Preloved Project in Newton-le-Willows to discuss his new book with students from Ascent Autism Specialist College. The distinguished author met with Ascent Autism Specialist College student; Courtney, a...
How Ruby Has Improved Her Employability Skills
Ruby is currently in her third year at college. Ruby is on a pathway to develop her ability to live independently, her community access and her employability skills. Ruby has worked hard to learn new skills through her time with us in various work placements. Her...
Learn Why a Professional Music Producer Invited Our Student to London
Learn Why a Professional Music Producer Invited Our Student to London Like many of his peers, Yanick is an extremely active young person who has progressed with his communication, employability skills, social interaction and preparation for adulthood/life skills....
Building My Future
Ben has worked at Earlestown Cricket Club for two years as part of his employability qualification. In this time Ben has made huge progress in his social skills by working alongside a number of different members of the club. Ben has learned a number of new skills at...
Inspirational LEAP Specialist College student receives Rotary Young Citizen Peacemaker Award 2023
LEAP Specialist College student Yanick has been awarded the Rotary Young Citizen Peacemaker Award after making an exceptional impact on his peers and the local community. Yanick, nominated by LEAP Specialist College, will receive his Young Citizen Peacemaker Award at...