What Stevenage Education Support Centre. does

Stevenage Education Support Centre (SESC) is a publicly funded education support centre in Stevenage, United Kingdom, serving Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils in Stevenage and North Hertfordshire who are permanently excluded or at risk of permanent exclusion. Its core offering includes full-time and part-time alternative provision, GCSE preparation, satellite and respite placements, work experience, and college programmes, with the stated objective of supporting reintegration or progression to further education, apprenticeships, and employment. The Centre supplements its educational provision with safeguarding, mental health and wellbeing, special educational needs, family and community work, and careers guidance.

SESC delivers services directly through its Collenswood Road centre and a referral-led network involving schools, local authorities, colleges, careers organisations, employers, and community partners. It does not charge pupils for its services; public education budgets fund provision, and no public pricing, disclosed budget, or revenue figures are available. Its disclosed technology base is standard educational ICT infrastructure, with no platform, proprietary features, APIs, or AI capabilities described, making delivery primarily staff and partnership based. An Ofsted inspection in May 2024 judged overall effectiveness Outstanding, and the Centre reports more than 20 years of provision.

Name

Stevenage Education Support Centre.

Legal name

Stevenage Education Support Centre

Website

https://stevenage-esc.herts.sch.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stevenage Education Support Centre is a publicly funded UK education centre providing alternative education, reintegration support, and wellbeing services for Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils who are permanently excluded or at risk of exclusion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Education Provision

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC)

Keywords

• Alternative education provision
• Pupil referral services
• Special educational needs support
• Careers education guidance
• Safeguarding mental health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stevenage

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stevenage Education Support Centre provides full-time and part-time alternative education for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils who are permanently excluded or at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream schools in Stevenage and North Hertfordshire. It delivers a tailored curriculum with embedded work-readiness activities, work experience placements, college taster programmes, and supporting services including safeguarding, mental health and wellbeing, family and community work, SEN support, and careers information, advice and guidance. The Centre aims to help young people return to permanent full-time education or progress to post-school destinations such as further education, apprenticeships or employment.

Product overview

Stevenage Education Support Centre operates as a unified educational support service rather than a platform product. The organization provides a coordinated portfolio of services including Alternative Provision for permanently excluded or at-risk students (Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4), Safeguarding, Mental Health and Wellbeing support, Family and Community Work, and Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG). These services work together through a central hub model where students receive tailored educational programs with embedded work readiness activities, work experience placements, and college partnerships. The Centre acts as a gateway service, helping young people return to permanent full-time education or progress to their next destinations, with supporting services in SEN, safeguarding, and family engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alternative Provision Full-time and part-time education programmes for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils who are permanently excluded or at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream schools in Stevenage and North Hertfordshire.
• Key Stage 3 Education Educational provision for students in Years 7-9 (KS3) with cross-curriculum 'get work ready' activities embedded in practice.
• Key Stage 4 Education Educational provision for students in Years 10-11 (KS4) including work experience placements, college programmes, and preparation for GCSEs.
• Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) High-quality careers guidance using Gatsby Benchmarks, including 1-1 careers meetings, work experience, college programmes, and progression events. Led by Careers Lead Jake Holbrook.
• Work Experience Programme Weekly work experience placements for KS4 students forming part of the curriculum, equipping students with skills, contacts, and expectations for post-school destinations.
• Safeguarding Services Comprehensive safeguarding support and services for vulnerable young people, led by James Anderson, Head of Centre.
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Mental health services and emotional wellbeing support for students, including group sessions with teaching staff and outside speakers.
• Family and Community Work Support services for families and the community, assisting with the reintegration of young people into education.
• SEN Information and Support Special Educational Needs information and bespoke support, with Amy Sawyer serving as Assistant Head Teacher and SENCO.
• Satellite Group Afternoon provision for young people who need refocusing on their school provision, providing temporary or part-time educational support.
• Respite Places Full-time respite places available for half-term blocks when space allows, providing temporary educational support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ofsted Outstanding Provision 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• North Herts CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege link providing vocational pathways for students. Part of the Hartford Regional College Programme where KS4 students gain skills in Construction, Catering and Hair and Beauty.
• Oaklands CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege link providing educational pathways and progression opportunities for students.
• Hertford Regional CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Hartford Regional College Programme where KS4 students attend college programme gaining skills in Construction, Catering and Hair and Beauty.
• Shuttleworth CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege link providing educational pathways and progression opportunities for students.
• Hertfordshire Careers HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for careers education. The Careers Hub Strategic Lead recommended SESC as an excellent example of an institution with clear intent to position careers as a vehicle to close the disadvantage gap.
• The Careers and Enterprise CompanysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network supporting implementation of Gatsby Benchmarks in schools and colleges.
• Morgan SindallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for construction competition and other subject area competitions to help students develop skills.
• SFBC Premier LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree football sessions for 8-18 year olds offered through Premier League Kicks programme.
• The Diocese of Westminster Academy TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-academy trust partnership. SESC is part of the trust providing educational services.
• YC HertfordshiresupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareers link providing additional career guidance and support services.
• Stevenage FCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of KS4 Careers Day events and workplace experiences.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Outcomes First Group: National provider of special education and alternative provision across the UK, including SEMH-focused provision. Comparable because it serves similar excluded and SEMH pupils commissioned by local authorities.
• Catch22: Large national charity operating alternative provision academies and pupil referral units across England. Comparable as a broader incumbent running multiple AP sites under one umbrella, often partnering with schools and local authorities in the same way as SESC.
• Acorn Education and Care: Operates a portfolio of AP and SEMH schools across England. Comparable as a multi-site operator serving excluded and at-risk KS3/KS4 pupils under local authority commissioning.
• Cambian Education Services: National provider of SEMH and AP schools for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs. Comparable as it operates commissioned alternative provision settings with similar pupil profiles.

Regional players

• Meadowbrook College: Alternative provision college serving pupils excluded from mainstream school in a different UK region. Comparable as a regionally focused AP/PRU delivering tailored reintegration, vocational and academic programmes similar to SESC's offer.

Direct peers

• TBAP (Thomas Barnfield Academy Plus): Multi-academy trust specialising in alternative provision across London and the South East. Comparable as a sister alternative provision MAT running KS3/KS4 centres for permanently excluded and at-risk pupils, commissioned by local authorities.
• Harmony Education Centre: Independent alternative provision provider serving KS3/KS4 pupils excluded or at risk of exclusion in the East of England. Comparable as a regionally focused AP delivering tailored curricula, reintegration support and college pathways analogous to SESC's model.
• Hertfordshire County Council Alternative Provision Services: Local authority AP/PRU provision for the same county as SESC. Directly comparable because both serve permanently excluded and at-risk KS3/KS4 pupils in Hertfordshire under the same statutory framework and commissioner.

Emerging players

• Oasis Restore: Specialist alternative provision unit for permanently excluded pupils focused on SEMH and re-engagement. Comparable because it serves a similar excluded cohort and competes for the same local-authority commissioning budgets.
• West London School of Pyrotechnics: Niche alternative provision in a different geographic region focused on re-engaging KS4 pupils through vocational pathways. Comparable as an emerging AP using employer-linked and college-linked routes — analogous to SESC's work experience and college partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stevenage-education-support-centre.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Stevenage Education Support Centre.