Work gets underway to upgrade Petroc College Barnstaple and Tiverton sites

Work has begun at Petroc College’s Barnstaple campus to create more further education places for young people aged 16-plus with special educational needs.

The refurbishment will see new on-campus facilities with dedicated, purpose-built spaces designed to meet the requirements of young people with a range of additional needs.

Similar works will also be carried out at the Petroc Tiverton campus and Exeter Collage as part of a project with Devon County Council to make more post-16 education places available, across the two colleges, in Barnstaple, Tiverton and Exeter, for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

At least 350 additional places will be created at the colleges, with multi-million-pound funding from the Department for Education and Devon County Council.

READ MORE: Petroc celebrates exceptional learners at 2025 Student Awards

Alongside the construction work, the colleges are also developing a wide-ranging programme of support for young people with SEND, beginning before students attend to help make the transitions from school or other educational settings as positive as possible.

Councillor Denise Bickley, the council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for services that support young people with SEND, welcomed the start of the work at Petroc.

She said: “It's important that young people with SEND have the same access to education and opportunities to learn as everyone, and to do so alongside their friends in their local communities.

“By increasing provision for post-16 education placements across the three sites - Barnstaple, Tiverton and Exeter - we will be helping to ensure young people have greater opportunities to access further education close to home.”

READ MORE: Appledore Shipyard to get 20 new apprenticeships this autumn

Jo Byrne, assistant principal at Petroc, added: “Petroc is delighted to announce the expansion of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) facilities, further enhancing our commitment to providing an innovative and ambitious curriculum for all learners.

“This significant development reflects our unwavering dedication to supporting every student’s journey, from transition into further education to employment and independent living.

“We hold high aspirations for all our learners, and our expanded SEND provision ensures that every individual receives the tailored support they need to thrive, achieve positive outcomes, and realise their full potential.”