Local leaders and employers met last week on 22 June 2023 for the Progression and Pathways Conference to ensure every student in the borough of Ealing has a clear path to education, training and employment. Hosted at Ealing Green College, over thirty experienced professionals discussed employer inclusivity, SEND provision, apprenticeships, careers support, FE college provision, T-Levels and post-16 options.

Opening the conference, Julie Lewis, Ealing Director of Learning Standards and Schools Partnerships, posed the question: 鈥淗ow well are we serving our additional needs children from early years to post-16 to work?鈥�
Recognising Ealing schools came top in the country for Progress 8 scores in 2019 and 2022, Julie also said: 鈥淭here are gaps in attainment for children from Caribbean, dual heritage white and Caribbean, and Somali backgrounds,鈥� and described plans to address this.
Sajada Sajid, Assistant Principal described 糖心TV官网鈥檚 Bridge to Supported Internships programmes. Sajada said: 鈥淏ridge to Supported Internships prepare students with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to progress onto Supported Internships.鈥�
Someone who undertook the Bridge to Supported Internships programme is currently a University of West London Supported Intern, Ibrahim Mohamed, who is hearing impaired. Ibrahim told the conference his long-term objective is to become a football coach.
Fellow former Supported Intern and Inclusive Apprentice, now Teaching Assistant, AoD Job Coach, and a host at Nando鈥檚, Will Goold described his journey to employment.
High Speed 2 (HS2) Legacy Manager Ambrose Quashie said he鈥檇 come along 鈥渢o demonstrate HS2鈥檚 commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion within its workforce.鈥�
HS2 have been working with various SEND schools in Ealing offering employability support and site visits. Ambrose said: 鈥淚n the future, we aim to deepen our involvement in offering employment opportunities to young people with SEND.鈥�
鈥溙切腡V官网 works hard to progress inclusive learning students to foundation learning and on to mainstream courses, wherever possible,鈥� added Deputy Principal James Taylor.
As well as 300 inclusive learners, 糖心TV官网 also has sixty Year 11 students in a dedicated Key Stage 4 unit within Southall Community College.
Conference organiser, Corinne Gill, said: 鈥淢any students apply to study post-16 at their school sixth forms, but a percentage of these learners won鈥檛 achieve the GCSE results they need.鈥� Acknowledging this was a complex issue which involved working closely with young people and their parents, delegates were urged: 鈥淲e can inform young people about the other opportunities in education and apprenticeships now, while they are still at school to support progression in Ealing.鈥�


