Briefing Paper

Meeting with Kevin Brennan MP

Minister for FE, DBIS, 9 July 2009

National Star College     An exceptional case for capital support

Attendees: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Paul Styles, Vice Chairman of the Board NSC,

Helen Sexton, CE/Principal NSC, Peter Horne, Assistant Principal NSC

“By 2025, disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life and will be respected and included as equal members of society”

Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit - Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, 2005

As an Independent Specialist College (ISC) for severely disabled young people and adults, National Star College (NSC) makes an essential contribution to an inclusive Further Education and Skills sector. In comparison to general Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges, it has a more focussed specialist purpose for which it is widely recognised as a centre of excellence for LLDD (learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities), a wider catchment with 50% of learners from the South West and 50% beyond, and a different incorporated status, being a Registered Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee, governed by a Board of Trustees who are also Directors and Governors. It represents highly effective partnership working between public and voluntary sectors, offering high quality education and training that leads to improved living and working outcomes for some of the most marginalised and vulnerable young people and adults in the country. For young people to gain a full time placement at NSC it must be demonstrated that suitable local provision cannot be provided. The College is over-subscribed for those with the most profound needs.

“Employability plus is a landmark event at a centre of excellence”

Peter Little OBE

National Star College plays a leading role within the FE and ISC sectors nationally, with its CE/Principal as Chair of Natspec (the Association of National Specialist Colleges) and as a national BECTA/LSC Technology

Exemplar for assistive and enabling technology. Regionally, the College leads the northern ‘Learning for Living and Work’ hub of educational providers (Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire, Somerset, West of England) and actively shares effective practice. Locally, the College represents ISC’s on the 14 –19 Strategic Partnership Board and leads on disability and social inclusion for the Gloucestershire Federation of Colleges. For the past three years it has led a major collaborative, innovative project promoting work outcomes for local disabled people. The College’s local work-related achievements, including the ‘Employability plus’ Skills Festival, was recognised this year through winning the AoC Beacon Award for Lifelong Learning.

“Specialist residential provision is valued for those whose severe or complex disabilities require it, and must be available. The increase in access to local provision is unlikely to replace the need for some learners with high level support requirements to access provision at specialist colleges for LLDD. Collaborative working between specialists and „mainstream‟ providers would enhance capacity and capability across the sector”.

Through Inclusion to Excellence, 2005

Whilst ISC’s were included in the scope for LSC capital investment from April 2004, arrangements were put on hold following the establishment of the independently Chaired Review of LSC Planning and Funding for LLDD. This was reported in ‘Through Inclusion to Excellence’ in 2005 and is being implemented in the ‘Learning for Living and Work’ strategy. National Star College’s capital plans have been recognised as being of strategic importance nationally, regionally and locally, contributing as they do to the concept of learning for living and work that underpins the strategy. Additionally NSC has a strong track record of successful collaborative working and has the potential to become a Centre of Excellence for LLDD as defined within the strategy.

“Making England, by 2015, an international exemplar in providing high quality education and training for post-16 learners with the most complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities”

Learning for Living and Work Strategy for post-16 learners, 2006

Phase 1 new student accommodation, Cleeve Bungalow, has already transformed young people’s lives and proved the value of the scheme which will be extended significantly by phases 3 and 4.

The installation of ‘enabling’ technology’ (infrared environmental controls), like that used by Linh is being incorporated into the College’s capital development programme in the new student residences that will form part of phases 3 and 4. Students like Linh will also benefit from the new creative arts centre, physiotherapy facilities, hydrotherapy pool, sensory rooms, social and leisure facilities that will also be part of these phases.

‘Enabling technology’ such as window, curtain, lighting and door controls give young people and adults with severe disabilities the ability to exercise personal choice and control over their environment through the use of infrared technology, which can be integrated into a range of communication devices students use. This in turn reduces their dependence upon social care investment. Once in place the College will be able to demonstrate these life changing opportunities to other educational and social care providers and will also be able to make the facilities available for shorter placements in collaboration with other providers thus widening the benefits to more disabled people.

An exceptional case for continued funding to complete our capital project:

Distinctive role and position of the College locally, regionally and nationally

Unique, voluntary sector, relatively small project (50% intervention/£6.5m required)

Pioneering project used to develop LSC capital criteria for ISC’s in 2006

Vulnerable and marginalised student group who would otherwise be NEET with potential to extend work locally and to further promote employment prospects for severely disabled people

Leading role as a National/Regional Centre of Excellence in ‘LSC Learning for Living and Work’

Learning and living accommodation meeting highly specialist requirements of those with the most severe and complex disabilities for whom high quality provision nationally is under provided

Development of new collaborative, flexible, shorter specialist learning and living programmes, widening participation and achievement of those in ‘mainstream’ colleges and other providers

Charitable fundraising campaign, launched following LSC approval, representing voluntary sector investment but with potential for £2m+ in lost pledges and gifts

Mid-way through five phased scheme that had achieved original support in 2006 with limited new accommodation to date and mostly enabling works (access road, car park, biomass)

Current estate remains severely overstretched and outdated and further compromised

Criteria used for recent capital prioritisation, designed to fairly and objectively prioritise further education and sixth form colleges, did not offer sufficient opportunity to demonstrate our case

We are appealing to the Minister to secure funding to complete our project