SWRAC

Name

SWRAC

Legal name

South West Regional Assessment Centre Limited

Website

https://swrac.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialist SEND Further Education

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Educational Support Services (6117), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alternative Education & Dropout Prevention / Re-Engagement Programs (EDANAJAF), Experiential Learning & Internships/Co-ops (EDALABAG), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Specialist further education
• SEND education programmes
• Supported internships
• Alternative education provision
• Vocational study programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Wimborne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government-funded Education Contracts: SWRAC receives funding through direct contracts with the Department of Education and Local Authorities. Students with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are funded by their Local Authority, making the revenue model primarily government-funded educational service provision.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SWRAC delivers post-16 education, training, and supported internships for young adults aged 16-30 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who hold or are being assessed for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Programmes span life skills, vocational preparation, alternative education provision, and employer-based Supported Internships, delivered through person-centred small-group and 1:1 methods across campuses in Dorset and Merseyside. Revenue is funded by direct contracts with the Department of Education and Local Authorities.

Product overview

SWRAC is a specialist college and alternative education provider offering a unified portfolio of SEND-focused educational programmes for young adults aged 16-30 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The core offering consists of Preparing for Life, Preparing for Work, Supported Internships, SWRAC Thrive, META Courses, and Alternative Education Provision. These programmes work together as a progression pathway: students begin with Preparing for Life to develop foundational skills, advance to Preparing for Work for employment readiness, and transition to Supported Internships for real workplace experience. Vocational Study Programmes and Project Search provide additional vocational pathways, while META offers bespoke support for those requiring alternative entry points. All programmes are delivered across campuses in Dorset (Wimborne, Boscombe, Dorchester, Winton) and Merseyside (Bootle, Southport, Widnes).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Achieve Project: A project under SWRAC's advisory board initiatives
• SWRAC Thrive
• #SayYEStoSEN

Products and services

• Preparing for Life Foundational programme developing life skills, independence, and personal development for young adults aged 16-30 with SEND who hold or are being assessed for an EHCP.
• Preparing for Work Vocational programme focused on employment skills, workplace readiness, and career development for young adults with SEND.
• Supported Internships Work-based learning programme placing young people with SEND into partner-employer sites (e.g., Greene King, Amazon, Whiston Hospital, The Very Group), often leading to paid employment.
• SWRAC Thrive Programme at the Winton campus providing activity-based learning and personal development support for students with additional needs.
• META Courses Bespoke educational programmes with 1:1 mentoring and tailored support for learners who may not have been in education for some time or who have struggled in other settings.
• Alternative Education Provision Person-centred alternative provision for students who cannot attend mainstream education, delivered across multiple venues in Dorset and Merseyside.
• Vocational Study Programmes Study programmes combining vocational training with academic qualifications at campuses in Sefton, Liverpool, Southport, and Widnes.
• Project Search

Quantifiable outcome

• First SWRAC/Greene King Supported Intern achieved paid employment (June 2025)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amazon (Poole Warehouse)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Project Search partnership at Amazon's Poole warehouse depot. Learners working across picking and packing operations in rotations. Student Harry received Certificate of Appreciation and On the Rise Award from Amazon. Described as having 'extremely positive' feedback from Amazon.
• Greene KingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Supported Internship partnership with Greene King at Lime Street Central pub in Liverpool. First SWRAC/Greene King Supported Intern (Tom) began in June 2025, progressing from internship to paid Saturday job. Partnership enables students to gain bar tending, customer service and food service experience while studying for qualifications.
• Bootle Tool ShedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Volunteer-run enterprise providing woodwork and joinery work experience for Supported Internship student Tate. Brings together mainly men aged 50+ in woodworking activities, with younger people learning alongside experienced craftspeople.
• Whiston HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Project Search placement about to begin offering Supported Internship roles including admin assistant, accommodation support, car park attendant, receptionist and ward host.
• The Very GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Ongoing work experience partnership with The Very Group at Southport, described as 'stronger than ever'. Also partners with Bootle centre.
• HITS Radio LiverpoolminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Interviewed SWRAC learners about their experiences at the organisation, with clips broadcast on HITS Radio Liverpool.
• Community Action NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint initiative with Thrive + programme hosting a place in their Community Action Network where learners can develop new skills for living in Supervised Living.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Seetec: Large UK employment services and training provider delivering programmes including supported employment and traineeships. Broader incumbent with overlapping traineeship/employment-skills capabilities, though not SEND-specialist.
• The Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity delivering education, training, and employment programmes for disadvantaged young people. Partial overlap with SWRAC's employability and traineeship offerings but broader youth focus rather than SEND-specialist.

Direct peers

• Henshaws: UK charity operating specialist further education colleges and supported employment services for people with SEND. Overlaps with SWRAC on specialist SEND post-16 education and supported internship/employment pathways.
• National Star: UK specialist college providing education and therapies for young people with SEND and physical disabilities. Directly comparable to SWRAC as a residential/day specialist college serving post-16 SEND learners with EHCP-funded placements and pathways into employment.
• Livability: UK disability charity running specialist education, vocational training, and supported employment programmes. Overlaps with SWRAC's Preparing for Work and Supported Internships portfolio.
• Mencap: UK learning disability charity delivering education, supported employment, and tailored programmes for people with SEND. Comparable to SWRAC in its focus on progression into employment and personalised learning for SEND learners.
• Landmarks College: UK specialist further education college for young people with learning disabilities. Direct overlap with SWRAC on EHCP-funded post-16 programmes, vocational study, and supported internships.
• Ruskin Mill Trust: UK provider of specialist alternative education and land-based therapeutic learning for young people with SEND, autism, and SEMH needs. Comparable to SWRAC's Alternative Education Provision and META Courses, particularly the Whitfield Rural Activity Centre model.
• United Response: UK charity providing supported employment, education, and personal support for people with learning disabilities and SEND. Closely comparable to SWRAC on the supported employment/internship side of the offering.

Emerging players

• Project Search UK: UK arm of the international Project Search supported internship programme that SWRAC itself delivers with Amazon and Whiston Hospital. Included as a peer because it represents the formal programme model SWRAC operates and a comparable specialist supported internship framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4UjkjaLrdjxpqfS_lwLo_w/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/Swrac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-west-regional-assessment-centre
• Instagraminstagram.com/swrac_learning
• TikToktiktok.com/@swraclearning

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SWRAC