New specialist college in Sandwell officially opens

Tipton Green College has been designed to support up to 50 pupils aged 11-19 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as well as Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, providing a highly specialised therapeutic environment where every student can thrive.

Tipton Green College boasts bright, contemporary teaching spaces, a large library, spacious dining area, and a hall, along with a newly fitted modern kitchen for food technology lessons. Each element has been thoughtfully designed to inspire curiosity and actively engage pupils in their learning experience.

The college also includes safe, multifunctional co-regulation spaces, where pupils receive tailored support from clinicians to help regulate their emotions, ensuring they are in the optimal space to engage in their learning.

Following Horizon’s SHINE (Supporting Healing in Nurturing Environments) model, Tipton Green College embeds this approach throughout the school, ensuring that pupils’ needs are met with compassion and therapeutic interventions, all while focusing on long-term growth and wellbeing.

Andrew Kitterick, Managing Director of Education said: “It’s great to see this important project completed, ensuring even more young people in the West Midlands can benefit from a specialist learning environment as close to home as possible.

“The passion and commitment of our teams during the preparation phase have been inspiring, and I have no doubt that pupils will thrive in this modern, welcoming environment. The first of our pupils have settled into their new college exceptionally well and we look forward to gradually increasing numbers over the next 12 months.”

The opening of Tipton Green College is a key milestone in Horizon’s broader growth strategy this year, which includes the opening of three new specialist schools to address the rising demand for specialist SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provision. The other two are in Wolverhampton and London.

Amanda Cunningham, CEO of Horizon said: "The opening of our three new specialist schools represents a tremendous opportunity for young people to receive the education that they require, along with the therapeutic support and learning environment they need to thrive and achieve academic success.

“Every young person deserves access to education that meets their educational needs and future aspirations, and we are committed to reducing the number of young people currently waiting for SEND provision. These regions have faced significant challenges in meeting this rising demand, and we are dedicated to addressing this issue by expanding our efforts across the country. Our commitment to creating additional specialist school places is essential in responding to the growing needs of our community."

By Emma Butler - Contributor