New College Worcester (NCW) has today announced plans to join Worcestershire based Aequalis Education Trust’s (AET’s) family.
NCW is a residential school for children and young people with vision impairment (VI). Today’s announcement is part of a strategic move to expand its provision of special educational needs (SEND) while also securing the long-term sustainability of the school. The 160-year-old institution will continue to be a national specialist school for young people with vision impairment and follow the Curriculum Framework for Vision Impairment.
The decision follows an extensive review by NCW’s Governing Body, with today’s move supported by the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) and Worcestershire County Council.
The announcement comes amid a challenging national funding environment for SEND and follows a recent government White Paper on the future of SEND provision.
Pat Dyson, Chair of Governors at NCW, said: “We are delighted to be joining the Aequalis Education Trust family. This is a really positive step forward for our school and will help to ensure the long-term sustainability of this 160-year-old institution.
“Specialist schools have faced significant challenges in recent years, including reduced local authority funding and increased tribunal delays. By joining the AET community, we are in a much better position to navigate this changing landscape.
“Vision impairment will continue to sit at the heart of our provision, our staffing expertise, our culture and our educational approach.”
Deb Rattley, CEO of Aequalis Education Trust, commented: “We are incredibly proud to welcome New College Worcester into the Aequalis family. NCW is a phenomenal asset to the VI community, to Worcestershire and across the UK.
“By bringing our organisations together, we can share our collective expertise, foster innovation, and ensure that every young person receives the exceptional, inclusive education they deserve. This partnership embodies our vision of a collaborative educational landscape where specialist and mainstream settings work hand in hand.”
Being a part of the Aequalis community will enable NCW to support a number of new developments, including the growth of post-19 education and training pathways, as well as a limited expansion of its provision beyond vision impairment to meet a wider range of SEND needs.
The partnership will also see existing estate buildings on NCW’s campus being utilised, such as creating a satellite hub for Chadsgrove College (also part of the AET family) to support young people with physical disabilities and complex medical needs.
Rachel Perks, Principal of NCW, added: “We are confident that in AET we have found a partner who shares our mission and can help us strengthen and grow, whilst preserving NCW as an essential asset for the VI community. We are excited about the future, working together to do what we do best – delivering outstanding specialist education for young people.”
Suzanne Hollinshead, NCW Parent Network Co-chair, said: “On behalf of the NCW Parent Network, I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to NCW on this exciting partnership with Aequalis. NCW has been an absolute lifeline for our visually impaired children; it is a setting where they can finally find their tribe, receive a tailored accessible education, and develop vital life skills thanks to the commitment and dedication of exceptional specialist staff. Parents are delighted that this union will help NCW expand and strengthen their offer and ensure that many more young people can benefit from this truly wonderful school.”
Simon Antrobus, CEO, RNIB, said: “New College Worcester provides a vital service for young people with vision impairment, giving them the education, skills and confidence to achieve their goals. Thousands of blind and vision impaired people from all walks of life have benefited from an NCW education over the past 160 years so we are delighted that this has been safeguarded for the future. We wish the school all the best as it enters this new era and are sure it will continue to go from strength to strength.”
NCW and AET are confident that the new partnership will enable them to better meet the government’s recent SEND policy priorities, for example around local collaboration and inclusive provision. It follows the recent SEND White Paper, which was published earlier this year.
Campaign Collective is a campaign partner to NCW.