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An article by Sharon Pearson, Chief Operating Officer
This year, The Aurora Group is celebrating its eighth birthday and the achievement of a significant milestone, I am proud to say that we are now supporting over 1,000 children, young people and adults. We are immensely proud of this achievement and it feels time to pause for thought and reflect on our journey to date.
On Thursday 30th November, Aurora Foxes, a specialist college and training hotel in Minehead for young adults with learning disabilities, came away from the Bristol Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards with two awards.
Aurora Foxes, a specialist training college in Minehead for students with learning difficulties, and Hilton are helping employers overcome the barriers to employing people with learning disabilities. Almost nine in 10 people with a learning disability in the UK have experienced difficulties finding a job and 80% of people with a learning disability stated a fear of being judged at interview stage, putting them off applying altogether according to the results of a survey commissioned by Hilton this year.
Top US magician Kevin Spencer visited pupils at Aurora Hanley School on 10 October to deliver interactive workshops. He’s recognised as the leading authority on the therapeutic use of simple magic tricks in physical and psychosocial rehabilitation.
The only specialist college and training hotel in the UK for young adults with learning disabilities has received an Ofsted ‘Good’ grading with one out of the five areas reviewed as ‘outstanding.’
Kian, aged 12, has turned his school life around after a move from mainstream schooling to the independent specialist school Aurora Hanley, which supports young people aged 6 to 19 with complex needs associated with Autism spectrum conditions.
The principal of Aurora Hanley School, Tracy Whitehurst, was recently interviewed in episode one of a new documentary about the challenges faced when trying to find the right support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Aurora Hanley School in Bucknall, Staffordshire has been awarded Autism Accreditation by the National Autistic Society, the UK’s leading charity for autistic people.
Aurora Cedars School, a new school for pupils aged 5-19 has opened today (12 June) in Wolverhampton.
Aurora Cedars School provides personalised, tailored education and therapeutic support in a calm, nurturing environment for students with a range of complex learning needs including social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties and autism.
Liz Scott, Vice Principal of Aurora Boveridge College been shortlisted for the Central Team Leader of the Year award.
Liz says;
“It’s incredible to be nominated by colleagues, and shortlisted, for the Tes award. It’s one of the highlights of my career and I feel proud to have this opportunity, and that my work has been recognised. It’s an exciting time for me – I‘m going to the ceremony, which will probably be a once in a lifetime occasion. I cannot quite believe it... I smile a lot more at the moment!”
Boveridge College are thrilled to have been shortlisted in two categories by the Natspec Innovation Awards, which recognise and celebrate innovative practice in the specialist further education sector.
The categories they’re shortlisted in are Innovative Partnership Working for their Beyond Boveridge project, and Innovative Use Of Technology for their Techno English.
Clare Howard, Natspec CEO said: “We had over 50 entries for the awards this year and were very impressed by the innovation on show.”
