College opens new SEND building in county

The transformed college building will has space for up to 12 pupils

A college building has been transformed to provide support for dozens of special educational needs (SEND) student in Worcester.

Heart of Worcestershire College and National Star have worked together to re-purpose the college’s St Wulstan’s building on Deansway, Worcester.

The school now has space for up to 12 pupils and the building includes three classrooms, a sensory room, outdoor courtyard and two flats tor students to prepare for life after college.

Worcestershire County Council said the school would allow students with SEND to access local provision "linked to the college campus to develop skills for an independent life."

Sasha Narey, from National Star, said the importance of having local provisions meant young people were guaranteed increased choices for their post-16 education while having their needs met.

She said: "The reason this is so important is because without a provision in Worcestershire, the young people that need that specialist input are having to travel for a ridiculous amount of time.

"Some of our young people were travelling an hour and a half to have their needs met and even then it wasn't quite right.

"[This] reduces the travel that they'll have to do and they can have provision that is specialist to them."

The students will enrol as Heart of Worcestershire College students but will be taught by National Star staff.