Further education in England

This information is for deaf young people and families of deaf children in England. Read our information for Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Many deaf young people will leave school at 16 and move onto a further education or a 6th form college. College can be a very different environment to school. Deaf young people's support needs might change as a result. 

Deaf young people may need additional support to choose a college and course. 

Choosing a college

By law, colleges are not allowed to unfairly discriminate against deaf young people. This means they cannot refuse a place to a young person just because they are deaf. They must make reasonable adjustments so that they can access their education. Find out more about deaf young people’s rights in education.

Sometimes specialist support is needed. This might include a communication support worker (CSW) or note taker. A deaf young person may be expected to have a formal support plan in place, for example, an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). An EHCP makes sure there is funding in place for this support. 

Some colleges have in-house teams with specialist staff, such as CSWs. A deaf young person may prefer to go to a college that has a lot of experience of working with deaf students. The institution may have better deaf-awareness and be able to offer a deaf peer group.

When I finished school, I wanted to focus on practical work. I didn’t want to do A-levels, so I decided to go to college. It covers a lot of areas within engineering, and I loved it because there was lots of practical coursework. I was marked on how well I built things and I got a Distinction.

“I had help from the Disability Support department and I made sure I told them what I needed. If I didn’t speak up for myself, I wouldn’t get the right help. You have to be honest so you can make the most of life – we deserve the same experiences as any hearing person.”

Ifan, who is profoundly deaf and uses hearing aids, studied BTEC Level 3 Mechanical Engineering and went on to complete an aerospace engineering apprenticeship.

Read Ifan's story.

Additional support at college

Additional support received in school may not automatically transfer to college. Some local authority sensory support services work in colleges but many do not. This can mean that support from a Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) stops. 

If a deaf young person has an EHCP with agreed support from a ToD, the support should continue at college. Find out more about the additional support available in education.

Deaf young people can use personal profiles to share with teachers at college. A personal profile is a document that brings together the most important information about them. It can be shared with anyone working with them so they can support them in the best way possible.

Deciding what course to take

This is a decision a young person has to make. 

The choice of courses available depends on the entry requirements and exam grades. Many young people benefit from talking to a careers advisor to help them decide what to do.

Qualifications a deaf young person could get in further education include:

• A-level

• AS-level

• T-level

• international Baccalaureate diploma

• NVQ

• vocational BTEC

If I’d stayed in sixth form and done A-levels, I’d only really have wanted to do the science ones, but I wouldn’t have been able to do just that. One T-Level is equivalent to three A levels so I get to focus on what I want to do. It works out better in the long run for me.”

“We do practicals that you wouldn’t get to do at GCSE level. We’ve done distillation of oils and blood smears – we got to actually prick our own blood and test it! We also learn about ethics, health and safety, and data handling. You get lots of transferable skills too, like using the Harvard system for referencing and IT skills such as making spreadsheets and presentations.” 

Daniel, who is mildly to moderately deaf and uses hearing aids, became one of the first people in the UK to begin a T-Level in Laboratory Science.

Read Daniel’s story.

Remember most jobs are open to deaf people with the right support in place. See our information about work and employment.