A generous fund established by a retired former New College Swindon head is going to help make higher education more accessible for neurodiverse

New College Swindon’s former Principal and CEO, Carole Kitching, established a £28,000 fund to help develop support for the increasing number of neurodiverse students at the college she led for five years as a 'retirement gift'.

This year's school and college results mark the anniversary of Carole's retirement in September.

To mark that occasion it has now been revealed that the funds will go towards the opening of two higher education sensory study rooms at the college’s University Centre and Institute of Technology.

“After a long career in education, I saw retirement as an opportunity to try and give something back, a parting gift, that would make a small but lasting difference to students in Swindon, as well as increase access to high-level qualifications for learners from under-represented parts of the community," said Carole.

(Image: New College Swindon)

Carole remains passionate about increasing higher education qualifications and skills in the town as part of Smarter Swindon & the Swindon Learning Together Partnership.

Carole said, “Family experience of being neurodiverse at university highlighted for me how much of a difference proper support makes.

"It’s so important to enable students to achieve their best during their studies and be successful in their transition into employment. We also know that a higher proportion of neurodiverse students choose courses close to home.

"Provision of rooms like this is still variable at universities & very few colleges have them, so Swindon will be at the forefront.”

The rooms will offer autistic, and other neurodiverse students a calm and focused environment where light, colour and sound can be self-controlled, with tactile surfaces and objects provided to meet individual needs for sensory stimulation.

The rooms, designed with expert input from the college & leading universities, will complement existing support, with a focus on the distinct needs of those undertaking higher-level study. 

Nicola Pedley, head of higher education at New College said, “We know that we have a growing proportion of students who are neurodiverse and need these spaces to get the best from their studies and experiences with us.”

Carole’s fund will also be used to carry out research and provide training and support materials, targeted at improving career prospects for neurodiverse students, an issue highlighted in the recommendations of the review by former Swindon MP, Sir Robert Buckland, earlier this year.