A former cocktail bar at the bottom of Radford Street is set for a new lease of life as an alternative education and examination centre for young people with special educational needs (SEN) and home-educated students.
The building, previously home to Roos Cocktail Bar, is the subject of a planning application seeking a lawful development certificate to change its use from a drinking establishment to an educational facility.
Meeting a local need
The new centre will provide a classroom, exam space, and an adapted kitchen where young people can learn basic cooking skills alongside lessons in wellbeing and nutrition. Access to the building will be via the rear entrance to meet safeguarding requirements, with the front door used only for deliveries.
Opening hours are planned for 8am to 5pm, and the focus will be on creating a secure and supportive environment. The centre will also run independence courses for young people in the care system, with a strong emphasis on preparing for adulthood through healthy living and practical skills.
Lack of exam provision locally
Louise Martindale, Managing Director, spoke exclusively to A Little Bit of Stone about the project and the gap it aims to fill.
“We want to support young people who struggle in their current educational setting, and also provide somewhere for home-educated students to sit their exams,” Louise explained. “At the moment there’s nowhere locally for those outside mainstream schools to take GCSEs, and that has become a real issue for families.”
She added: “There has been a crisis in SEN provision for some time, and we want to help young people get their education back on track. My experience working in alternative provision made me realise that too often there isn’t enough focus on attainment and achievement. We want to change that and make sure every young person has the chance to reach their best outcomes.”
Building on success
Louise already operates a similar centre in Telford, where the business has grown rapidly in the last year.
“In Telford we’ve quadrupled in size in just ten months,” she said. “We work closely with schools, local authorities and parents, and we’ll bring that same approach here in Stone.”
Alongside the education centre, Louise is also launching a new charity to support students who cannot access funding. “I’ve waited a long time for government action on these issues, but in the end I decided to take matters into my own hands,” she said. “With the support of a local businessman we’ll soon be launching a charity to make sure no young person misses out, and we’d love the local community to get behind it.”
Looking ahead
While work is still ongoing inside the Radford Street building, the aim is to open by October half-term.
“There’s still plenty to do, but we’re really excited about opening the doors and welcoming people in,” Louise said. “This is about giving young people the tools, support and opportunities they deserve, and we can’t wait to get started.”
If approved, the project could bring a fresh purpose to a well-known Radford Street venue while addressing a pressing local need for specialist education and exam provision.
Find out more about Bright Stars Education – https://www.bright-stars-education.com
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1 comment
Lorna
Fantastic. Really hope this is approved. Home ed children need somewhere more locally to go and having somewhere locally to sit exams would be amazing.