Cool UK is an approved centre for AQA / OCNW / ASDAN / OCR and Welsh Board.
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"COOL UK is a dynamic, brilliant company that has transformed the lives of many young people in my constituency" Kitty Ussher MP - Economic Secretary to the Treasury - 18th May 2008
Excerpt from report - Timeout Children's Homes School HMI visit by Honoree Gorden 19th June 2007
Good links operate with other educational providers and outside agencies, such as the local further education colleges, which provide opportunities for vocational education and work-related placements. In this way, the school has been able to extend the range of subjects and activities it can offer, especially in vocational learning and in recreational pursuits. One such example is the very good link with Cool UK, a local provider, for the provision of vocational education. Older pupils follow full-time or part-time courses there in subjects like information and communication technology, and building construction. These provide good opportunities for pupils to gain qualifications, through the ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) award scheme or units of accreditation from the Association of Qualifications Alliance (AQA).
Excerpt from a monitoring visit report of a Trafford Pupil Referral Unit (April 2007) - Vincent Ashworth HMI
"Opportunities for vocational training are being enhanced through the excellent link with a local provider; for example, pupils take part in training in construction and motor vehicle maintenance".
COOL UK in Manchester...
"Undoubtedly a life changing experience" - Connexions Manager
"The COOL UK provision has changed the ethos of our school" - Special School Headteacher
"The provision has been fantastically successful" - Mainstream School
"It's great to deal with an independent company that understands our pupils and their needs" PRU Headteacher
Letter of recommendation from a Headteacher of a Lancashire Pupil Referral Unit (April 2007)
Re: COOL UK
Hargher Clough Centre works with KS4 students who have been permanently excluded from mainstream school. We offer a personalised curriculum tailored to the needs of each student.
As a School we have been accessing COOL UK since January 2006. The personalised learning and vocational education offered by COOL is excellent. Some students attend full time and have a vocational and basic skills programme, some students attend for 1-4 days per week. They have worked with some of our most difficult and vulnerable students and completely turned them around to be students engaged and motivated to learn. Gareth Binding and his team will work to ensure that each student is made to feel welcome, that they are important and that they can achieve.
Retention rates within COOL have been 100%. All students have remained on programme and shown progression. The vocational tutors are skilled tradesmen with whom the students can relate to and build positive relationships with.
Attendance figures are supplied daily and COOL work with parents/carers to ensure good attendance. Progress reports are supplied each term and if a student is cause for concern I am contacted immediately and work with COOL and parents/carers to identify the problems and move forward.
I would wholeheartedly recommend COOL UK and consider them to be a quality alternative provider.
Yours sincerely
Julie Bather
Headteacher
Letter from a Headteacher of a different Lancashire Pupil Referral Unit
Dear Gareth
I wish to thank you for your time and co-operation in facilitating a visit from Mr Jim Bennetts, HMI, during the schools inspection.
I have today received the published report and we are very pleased with the content. The really good news is that the school no longer requires special measures. There are many positive aspects to the report and the good quality placements such as yours have been recognised. Thank you so much for you support.
Yours sincerely
Headteacher
Excerpts from the above HMI Inspection report...
‘The curriculum for pupils aged 14–16 includes many opportunities to learn away from the main school site. These are good quality placements, often with high quality tuition or training’
‘With the assistance of LA advice, the school identified a range of possible progression routes for pupils moving into Year 10 or 11. These include a variety of stimulating forms of education or training or work based learning. The willingness of some employers and trainers to take on difficult pupils is commendable’
‘A few Year 11 pupils are educated entirely at one of the FE colleges and are responding well to that opportunity. Two are placed with an independent trainer and have very good provision’
Dear Gareth,
Ben was excluded from mainstream school and any alternative found just didn’t work for him. He found the work hard and this demoralised him leading to aggression and a total disinterest. He was branded challenging and a trouble maker.
When he came to COOL UK, Ben’s interests were discussed with him and these were used to make a programme tailored to him. Because of this he looks forward to going to COOL UK and would do more days if he could. He is gaining educational, practical and social skills and now wants to go to college when he finishes at COOL, something I never thought I would hear.
One of the most important things about COOL UK for me as a parent is being able to ask for advice and always having a friendly ear. If Ben is having problems or is being negative, I can speak to a member of staff and I will not be dismissed. I will be listened to and given alternative things to try which perhaps I hadn’t tried before.
COOL UK has provided Ben and myself with a positive outlook and I no longer think that Ben will just be another young person hanging around with no real purpose. He is a different person who, not only likes school but looks forward to it.
Thanks
A. Parent
All original copies are available for perusal at our Head Office