Hub for SEND learners opens at former library site

The first post-16 special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) hub in Wokingham has opened to its first cohort after the completion of building work.

The Glade, at the former library site in Denmark Street, opened in September and aims to accommodate 40 people aged 16 to 25 by 2028.

Wokingham Borough Council said its courses were delivered by Oxford-based education and training group Activate Learning, with colleges in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey.

The local authority said the hub's official opening would take place later in the year.

The Glade will support learners who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), are moving into Year 12 and may have faced additional barriers to education or future opportunities for training and employment, or need extra support to build their skills.

The council said it would offer "a bespoke curriculum" tailored to each individual, with pathways for engagement, employment and academic progression.

The building's equipment includes academic, creative, care and health rooms, a gym and the Broadleaf Cafe.

Activate Learning chose its name, which means an open area in a forest.

The borough council's deputy leader, Prue Bray, said handing over the keys to Activate Learning marked "a significant milestone in our commitment to ensuring more children and young people with SEND can access the specialist support they need close to home".

Michelle Parks, a director at Activate Learning, said: "Young people with SEND should be able to see a future for themselves within their own community.

"The Glade will help make that possible, delivering on our strategic ambition to extend specialist education where it is needed most."

The group is inviting young people to visit The Glade at an opening event on 14 October to explore the newly renovated campus and facilities, meet the staff and apply for a course.