29th September 2023

• When the Sheffield College announced a decision to stop delivering courses at its Peaks Campus from September 2023, many parents of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) were concerned. They worried that being forced to move from the small and quiet Peaks site to a large, busy campus like City or Hillsborough could overwhelm some young people.

  Since then, a proposal has been put forward to create a specialist post-16 hub for students with SEND on the Peaks site.

  A spokesperson for the College told us: “Earlier this year, The Sheffield College announced their intention to cease teaching and learning at Peaks from September 2023 and consulted with key stakeholders on how best to implement this decision. As part of this process, The Sheffield College have been discussing with Sheffield City Council the future use of the Peaks Campus for educational purposes, including exploring its potential as a SEND Post-16 centre, with a focus on employment, independence and community participation. The Sheffield College are happy to say that these discussions are continuing, and they will keep people advised of any developments.”

  Whilst we welcome the proposal to create a specialist post-16 hub, we believe that with better foresight, the disruption for students could have been minimised. We remain committed to working with the College and the Council to ensure that any new provision is tailored to our young people’s aspirations, interests and learning styles; that it provides the right sensory environment; that it links in with a range of community organisations to create more volunteering, work experience and employment opportunities; and that it has appropriately qualified staff and robust, transparent governance procedures.

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  What do YOU think a SEND post-16 hub should look like? Send your views to enquiries@sheffieldparentcarerforum.org.uk