The group behind the new £14 million Pudsey Sixth Form College has been named SEND Centre for Excellence.
Luminate Education Group has been appointed as a Centre for Excellence in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by the Education and Training Foundation.
Operating across West and North Yorkshire, Luminate is one of the largest post-16 education providers in the country, serving around 30,000 learners each year across seven institutions including Leeds City College, Harrogate College and Keighley College
Post-16 SEND provision plays a critical role in ensuring that young people and adults with additional needs can engage with education, develop independence, and transition confidently into adult life. Inclusive and accessible post-16 provision for learners with additional needs is vital for tackling disadvantage, addressing skills gaps, and creating pathways that transform learners’ lives.
Alongside inclusive mainstream education, Luminate colleges also deliver a wide range of specialist programmes for learners with SEND, including bespoke provision, supported internships, and inclusive pathways into employment.
Bill Jones, Deputy CEO of Luminate Education Group, said: “We are proud to be recognised as a Centre for Excellence in SEND, not just as validation of the inclusive culture we’ve built across our group, but because of the opportunity this gives us to share insights across the sector.
“This partnership with the Education and Training Foundation gives us the chance to support others, contribute to national improvement, and continue to put inclusion at the centre of everything we do.”
As a Centre of Excellence, the Yorkshire-based education provider will support leaders, managers and practitioners across the further education sector to place learners with SEND at the heart of their provision. Luminate will deliver CPD seminars, host national peer learning networks and convene employer-led events, each designed to build inclusive practice across further education.
The Centre for Excellence in SEND programme is funded by the Education and Training Foundation and offers free, expert support to providers across the sector.
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