National Star College

National Star College (previously known as the Star Centre) is an independent specialist further education college for people with physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries and associated learning difficulties. It is based at Ullenwood Manor in the village of Ullenwood, near the spa town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

It is constituted as a company and registered charity under English law, using the official name National Star Centre for Disabled Youth.^[1]

On 10th May 1967 the Star Centre, as it was then known, opened its doors for the first time with 10 students and 26 members of staff.

The Star Centre was originally established as a charity to offer support and education to children whose lives had been affected by thalidomide - a drug that was used to prevent morning sickness but caused serious side effects.

During the 60s opportunities for further education and vocational training didn’t exist for disabled teenagers leaving school so it was decided that the College would be solely for post 16s, which has continued through to today. The mission of the Star Centre was ‘To heal, to educate and to help to overcome difficulties and frustrations which beset physically disabled children and young people.’

In 1970 the Star Centre became the National Star Centre for Disabled Youth to reflect the fact that students came from all over the UK and then in 2002 it was renamed the National Star College, which is it known as today.

Advances in medical care over the last 45 years have meant an increase in the survival of premature babies, and more children surviving major illness and accidents, which often causes lifelong severe disabilities. There has also been improved integration of students with less severe disabilities into mainstream educational provision, meaning National Star College has moved towards even more specialist provision.

Most of the students at National Star College today require very high levels of personal support, 80% are wheelchair users, over 50% require speech and language therapy, 20% use a communication aid, and 13% have a life-limiting condition.

The changing and more complex needs of the students meant that the College needed to change and grow. A development plan to expand and improve all of the College’s facilities through a combination of new buildings, conversion, and refurbishment was put into place and in 2007 the College launched the £15.4million ‘Star Appeal’. After many setbacks and obstacles along the way the vision to transform the College with amazing new facilities for its current and future generations of students has finally been realised.

The college grounds include a private 18-hole golf course used by Ullenwood Manor Golfing Society.^[2]

See also

• List of schools in Cheltenham
• List of schools in Gloucestershire

References

1. ^ National Star Centre for Disabled Youth, Registered Charity no. 220239 at the Charity Commission
2. ^ Ullenwood Manor Golfing Society

External links

• National Star College website
• National Star College alumni website
• Image of golf course

Coordinates: 51°50′59″N 2°5′01″W / 51.84972°N 2.08361°W / 51.84972; -2.08361