Northumberland College has celebrated the completion of its inspirational new build learning environment for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

The SEND Centre at Kirkley Hall Campus has been created as part of a major capital investment programme supported by the Department for Education.

Senior leaders from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, Northumberland County Council, Prosper Learning Trust, and Governors, gathered with staff and students to celebrate the inspirational new centre. VIPs also had the opportunity to tour the college’s wider land-based campus, and to see first-hand the impact of a multi-million-pound investment programme into veterinary science, animal, and equine facilities.

To support the event’s success, Northumberland College invited students from Sunderland College’s centre for special education needs and disability who were thrilled to experience a day out at Kirkley Hall Campus and join in the heart-warming celebrations.

Ellen Thinnesen, Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East, said: "This very special day for our students who were very excited to show our VIPs their skills and talents. The new centre is a culmination of several years of visioning and investment into Northumberland's young people with Special Education Needs and disabilities.

"I am incredibly grateful to the Department for Education, the Education and Skills Funding Agency, Northumberland County Council, Lloyds, and Barclays banks for supporting our vision.

"In doing so, we have been able to shape a coherent regional educational strategy for SEND and with this, the finance and funding to invest in our most vulnerable students."

Guests took a tour through the new SEND centre which spans two floors and 800 square metres including a sensory room, a modern and innovative Independence Hub to help students develop key life skills, and the Employability Hub which supports their progression to the next stage of education or work.

The centre is now home to Northumberland College’s Foundation Learning programmes focusing on the core topics for living an independent life including health and safety, travel training, healthy living, money management, employability skills, teamwork, communication, literacy, and numeracy.

Karen Sherry, Deputy Director (North) from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, added: “I feel the launch of the new facilities for SEND students at Kirkley Hall earlier today was a great success. It is excellent to see such high-quality learning environments in place which will, I am sure, alongside high-quality teaching, learning and assessment, have such a positive impact on learners lives and their futures.

“The incredible performance from students on the day was amazing to see and I felt privileged to be part of it. It brought a tear to my eye.”