Hummingbird

The Hummingbird Programme is a one-year course which is preparing you for:

• Transitioning into a full-time college course
• Graduating from college with practical expertise in your chosen vocational field
• Providing an educational route not found elsewhere, specifically crafted to prevent students like you from falling into NEET status (Not in Education, Employment, or Training)

This program might just be the right fit for you if:

• You are on the Autism spectrum and find navigating mainstream college challenging even with substantial adjustments and support.
• You are on the autism spectrum or have severe anxiety and struggle with the social dynamics and larger class sizes of mainstream college, even with dedicated support and adjustments, yet you are able to perform above foundation levels.
• You live with complex medical needs, including terminal illnesses but aiming to remain in education. You are facing challenges keeping up with full-time academic demands due to chronic fatigue and other conditions. You need highly specific support outside classrooms to stay on track in education.
• You have had negative school experiences and maybe have a diagnosis of PTSD alongside learning disability. You have no formal qualifications and therefore do not have the entry requirements for your chosen subjects but do have the academic ability. You are likely to have been home schooled and will have extreme anxiety about coming to college and will require a long transition with a big lead up to your chosen subject.

Hummingbird offers you a chance to explore your readiness for a full-time course within a supportive, low-pressure environment. It's a flexible program designed outside traditional classroom settings, shaped to fit your unique needs. This setup is especially ideal if you need a more gradual transition into college life but desire more than just a brief half-day experience.

This course will only be offered if there is no other alternative and students would either not be offered a place at college or would be asked to leave.

How long is this course?

1 year

When does this course start?

02/09/2026

How many hours / days per week is this course?

Full-time courses at CWA are generally 3 - 4 days per week (though you may be in for an extra day if you are resitting English and / or Maths). The college day is typically longer than a day at school and students will need to plan their individual study in their free time (including individual study hours which are recorded at college in the Learning Resource Centre or other study areas). Work experience will be a key component of your course and most students will complete a minimum of 60 hours per academic year (on top of their college hours), depending on the course they are studying. CWA has a dedicated team of work placement co-ordinators to support you with this.

* Some of our courses may have additional costs to cover trips, unform and equipment. These costs will be confirmed to you at enrolment.

Fee information

Though this course is free for those aged 16-18, there may be additional costs related to the programme, such as additional equipment and uniform, educational trips and work placement costs. Full details will be sent to applicants before enrolment.

Find all the information you need about course fees and financial help below.

Information on Fees and Financial Help

What qualification will I achieve?

The Hummingbird outcomes are clear:

• Attendance targets individualised to each student
• Educational outcomes at appropriate levels
• Social outcomes to encourage educational independence

How is my course assessed?

As this is a bespoke programme assessment will be based on individual agreed outcomes.