On 14 January 2026, Consilium Academies announced it had secured a £20,000 grant from the North East Combined Authority’s (NECA) Inspire Education Grants Programme to help students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) access supported work experience in Gateshead and across the trust’s North East schools.
Consilium said the funding will support its North East hub and will be used across multiple schools, including Heworth Grange School (Gateshead), Washington Academy and Thornhill Academy (Sunderland). The Trust has said the funds will be used to develop local, supported job placements for pupils who often face barriers to traditional work experience.
According to the announcement and the grant specification, the money will pay for external job coaches to support students during placements, subsidise travel costs for those who need help getting to placements, and provide employer-focused training to help local businesses better support young people with additional needs in the workplace.
Consilium expects the programme to pilot in the Spring/Summer term 2026. The award follows recent national recognition for the trust’s SEND work: Robert Bell, Principal of Consilium Evolve, was named SEND Leader of the Year at the 2025 National School Awards.
By focusing on the specific needs of each student, the programme aims to improve employability outcomes and help ensure every young person is better prepared for life after school. The Trust emphasises that this funding is part of a broader effort to expand inclusive careers opportunities across the region.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
