The National Star College
With the new, improved College, students will enjoy a better experience.
Since the charity was formed in 1967, National Star College has helped so many disabled young people to achieve a degree of independence and personal fulfilment which they and their families could not have thought possible.
But today, more and more students have severe and complex disabilities, and the limitations of the charity’s resources have become apparent. That’s why the Star Appeal was launched. So far we have raised over £6 million pounds and we have a further £1.5 million pounds to raise to complete the buildings we need :
- A new therapies centre with hydrotherapy, physiotherapy and sensory rooms
- Greatly improved creative and performing arts facilities
- Essential life-skills residential accommodation
- A new and significant community and work-related learning centre
These state of the art facilities will make the greatest and most immediate difference to the students – enabling them to overcome challenges, increase their confidence, improve their quality of life and open so many doors for the future.
As a charity we have always depended upon the support of individual donors, trusts, businesses, schools and the wider community; your support of t day really will make a difference to the lives of our students.
CASE STUDY
Annie Pears
When Annie first arrived at National Star College she had a lot of ideas about what she wanted to achieve.
Prior to coming to National Star College Annie, who has cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair, attended main-stream schools. Annie enjoyed the academic aspects of being in main-stream education but recognised that she needed to find a placement that would offer her the opportunity to learn independent life skills and empower her to assert her needs and choices.
During her first year Annie started to utilise a variety of college facilities including the physiotherapy department and in particular hydro-therapy. Through this she started to build her physical strength, which empowered her to reduce her reliance on hoisting systems to get in and out of her chair.
In her second year Annie decided to move to an off campus student residence in Gloucester. Annie recognised that the ability to live in the centre of a community would help her to achieve her goals of becoming independent in the local area.
In her third year Annie gained a placement on a Health & Social Care course at Gloucestershire College and enjoyed being able to continue practising and learning new independence skills in the realistic settings that National Star College offers.
Annie left National Star College in 2009 with her long term ambition being to achieve employment as a Teaching Assistant.