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A specialist further education college providing day and residential support for young people with Autism spectrum conditions or additional social, emotional and mental health needs.

Aurora Boveridge College

Welcome to our Special Needs Further Education College in Dorset

We believe that every student, no matter their starting point or previous experiences of education, therapy or care, has the potential to make significant and lasting change, and to achieve great things. We aim to inspire and motivate all our students to be ambitious and be certain they can succeed; we help them to realise their full potential, maximise results and accomplish success.

I am pleased to introduce Aurora Boveridge College and share our unique way of working, which enables young people to achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives of their own choosing.

Our multidisciplinary approach places students at the centre of everything we do. Our highly skilled and specialist teaching, support and therapeutic teams work with each young person to ensure their needs are fully met and that every achievement takes them closer to reaching their individual goals.

We prepare our students for adult life, through person-centred academic and vocational study programmes leading to independent living with employment or further study. By working together, we increase resilience, confidence, self-esteem, emotional intelligence and well-being: the cornerstones on which strong and successful long-term futures are built.

We welcome visitors throughout the year and look forward to hearing from you.

Lloyd Richards
Principal of Aurora Boveridge College

A Day in the Life at

Aurora Boveridge College

  • Morning

    Our student day starts with a check-in with individual tutors and tutor group, where any worries or concerns can be discussed prior to starting the timetabled sessions and notices for the day are delivered and explained. After this each student begins a day of five hour long timetabled teaching sessions. Each student has an individual Study Programme, confirmed and agreed at the start of each year. This includes subjects and activities designed to provide the best opportunity to achieve their transition goals.

  • Afternoon

    After lunch, students have two further hour long taught sessions, before finishing for the day. All students have the opportunity, if needed or requested, to meet with their tutor to discuss any challenges they may have met during the day or to highlight personal achievements.

  • Breaks

    Our study programmes are timetabled throughout the day with a fifteen minute break between the three morning sessions. An hour long lunch break enables students to engage in social activities, enjoy a wide range of lunch time clubs and activities and spend time in the magnificent outdoor environment. Students may choose to do this either with peers and staff or on their own.

  • Individual Support

    With small classes and a high student:adult ratio we can offer specialist interventions both within whole class and group learning and individual work. Students are supported in their learning and make progress because of this. Our specialist in-house clinical team also offer a variety of universal embedded therapeutic support and one-to-one therapeutic interventions where this is identified in an EHCP. Some students may have direct 1:1 to support in education and residential care, where this is identified within an EHCP.

  • Work Experience and Volunteering

    Each student is supported to achieve at least 50 hours of independent work experience whilst at Boveridge College, in preparation for employment in adulthood, many students are encouraged and do complete considerably more. Work experience is vital in supporting the development of employability skills, focused on their individual employment goals. Opportunities to engage in volunteering within the local community also support development of employability skills and support the Preparation for Adulthood themes embedded in the curriculum.

  • Life Skills

    Many of our students experience difficulties with communication and building and maintaining friendships, both at college and in the community. We use the Preparation for Adulthood framework, building in opportunities for students to develop their skills in employment, friendships-relationships and the community, independent living and good health. The social aspect of their learning is vitally important to us.

  • Student Voice

    All our students have the opportunity to engage in the decision making process that affect them now and in the future. These include regular Student Council and Residential Student meetings, group and individual tutorial sessions, transition support through Independent Advice and Guidance, Independent advocacy for residential students and regular student feedback questionnaires. All of these ensure that the student cohort feel able to identify, request and make changes to the way Boveridge College can work better for them.

Latest News

  • What impressed me the most is how the different departments are working together to help our child, it’s great. This may be the norm for you, I assure you it’s a first for us.

  • Please pass on my heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Aurora Boveridge College. They have changed our son’s life and given our family hope after years of failed placements.