Number of specialist colleges on the rise

The number of specialist colleges is continuing to rise, it has been revealed. According to Natspec, the number of institutions approved to receive funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency will be 108 in 2019-20 – up from 101 in 2018-19. That means seven new institutions have been approved for delivery from September. Last October, Tes reported that the number of post-16 providers for students with special educational needs and disabilities had rocketed in recent years, with the number approved for funding up by more than two-thirds over five years, from 59 in 2013-14. Sector leaders feared that these new centres were often being created without reference to existing provision, and were frequently very small. With many attached to schools, they can also lack the necessary focus on vocational training in an adult environment. This week, Natspec chief executive Clare Howard told Tes the ESFA had reacted to those concerns and implemented tougher quality checks before approving new providers. “The trend is still going up and there are still lots of local authorities and others opening specialist centres, but the ESFA has made some changes and that is having an effect,” she said.