The William Henry Smith Specialist College

11/09/2026

We'd like to welcome Anna to our College team. She is working as part of our Foundation hospitality and catering team, serving lunch to our growing family of staff and students.

Anna started her career managing a busy hospital pharmacy in the NHS, then gained experience in the retail and charity sectors, before finally setting up her own dog walking and pet sitting business.

We asked Anna what her first impressions are so far, and she told us "It's brilliant. I'm so pleased to be here, everyone has been really friendly and already knows me by name".

Welcome to the College Anna. We're glad you're here.

11/09/2026

What a wonderful start to the new academic year! We’ve been delighted to welcome our learners back through the doors and see so many familiar faces - alongside some new ones!

For some of our learners, this marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, as they have progressed from our Sixth Form into our Specialist College. We’re incredibly proud of all they have achieved so far and can’t wait to see them continue to grow, develop new skills and discover new opportunities.

We’re also thrilled to welcome back our returning students, who are ready to build on everything they achieved last year and take on new challenges and experiences.

We hope you feel welcomed, supported and excited about everything that lies ahead.

09/09/2026

Learning doesn't always have to happen at College. 🎣

Fishing might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the curriculum, but for our students, it provides plenty of opportunities to learn and develop new skills.

The William Henry Smith Foundation has exclusive access to Oats Royd Fishing Complex in Queensbury, and fishing has become a valuable part of our curriculum and enrichment offer. There’s the obvious bit — learning to cast, sorting out tackle and hopefully catching a fish or two. But fishing also teaches:

• Patience and concentration
• Problem-solving when things don't go to plan
• Following instructions and using equipment safely
• Communication and teamwork
• Taking responsibility for equipment and the environment
• Independence and confidence

Read the full article to find out how it helps our learners: https://bit.ly/4xeEev4

28/08/2026

We’re looking forward to welcoming all of our staff back on Tuesday and our learners back on Wednesday.

We hope you’ve had a positive and enjoyable summer break and are feeling refreshed and ready for the year ahead.

A particularly warm welcome to those joining us for the first time. We’re delighted to welcome you to our College community and look forward to supporting you as you begin this next stage of your journey with us.

20/08/2026

We’re incredibly proud to celebrate today's exam results, with our learners achieving across A levels, technical qualifications and nationally recognised Arts Awards.

A particular congratulations to our three A-level students, all of whom achieved the grades required to secure a place at university - a fantastic 100% progression rate for this year’s A-level cohort! We’re also celebrating individual successes, including Dylan Thomas, who achieved an A in A Level English Literature, and Lewis Ellis Roberts, who achieved a Distinction in the Level 1 Technical Award for Art and Design.

As a Specialist College, our students follow individualised programmes shaped around their strengths, interests and aspirations. These results are about so much more than grades — they reflect the hard work, determination, courage and resilience shown by every learner throughout their journey.

Congratulations to every one of our students — we are incredibly proud of you and wish you every success in your next chapter! Read the full results story on our website: https://bit.ly/4gDJpzz

13/08/2026

🎓✨ Good luck to all of our A Level students receiving their results!

You’ve worked incredibly hard, overcome challenges and shown so much dedication to get to this point. Whatever your results, be proud of how far you’ve come and everything you’ve achieved along the way. Whether you’re heading to university, starting an apprenticeship, entering the world of work or taking a different path, remember that this is just the beginning. Wishing you all the very best for your next chapter.

03/08/2026

📢 Now Published: What does inclusion really mean?

Natspec's newly published report explores this important question through the perspectives of learners and leaders in specialist further education colleges. Challenging common assumptions about SEND and inclusion, it encourages a broader conversation about what a truly inclusive education system should look like.

At William Henry Smith Specialist College, we're proud to support conversations that place learners' voices and experiences at the heart of inclusive education.

We encourage parents, professionals, educators and anyone with an interest in SEND to read the report and join the conversation.

👉 Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/4bLtMU7

New research on inclusion in specialist colleges.

27/07/2026

We were delighted to be invited to take part in this SENDCAST podcast series to celebrate our NASS Award win for our careers service in 2025. The podcast series includes interviews with each winner, including our very own Adele Greenleaf, Karl Adamski and Clair Britton, who represented the William Henry Smith Foundation, together with some of our students. You can now listen to our podcast here:

Get FREE SEND CPD - watch 3 FREE SENDcast Sessions to share SEND best practice from award winning special schools.

23/07/2026

✨ Celebrating our amazing College learners! ✨

On Wednesday 15 July, we were delighted to celebrate the achievements of our incredible students at our Further Education Celebration Evening at the beautiful Bowers Mill.

The evening recognised the hard work, resilience, personal growth and achievements of our Sixth Form and College learners, with awards presented across our entire provision.

Hosted by Simon Cotton, Head of College, and Leanne Clarke, Co-Principal – Foundation, it was wonderful to welcome families, carers, friends, staff and Governors to celebrate alongside our learners as they prepare for their next steps.

We are so proud of every single student and everything they have achieved this year. Congratulations to all of our award winners – and thank you to everyone who joined us to make the evening so special.

📸 We've got lots of fantastic photos from the evening – take a look and help us celebrate by liking, commenting and tagging those you recognise!

21/07/2026

We had a fantastic time at the Bradford Literature Festival, enjoying a day filled with thought-provoking conversations and inspiring stories.

One of the highlights was attending a fascinating talk with Jonathan Harris and Bradley Riches. Jonathan spoke openly and honestly about his experiences of parenting an autistic child, sharing how music has played such an important role in strengthening their bond and creating meaningful connections. Bradley gave a powerful insight into his journey as an autistic actor, speaking about his career, including his time on Emmerdale, and the importance of representation and embracing neurodiversity.

A particularly proud moment came when Henley confidently took the microphone in front of a packed lecture theatre to ask an excellent question about educational reform and how schools can better support autistic learners. It was wonderful to see such confidence, curiosity, and thoughtful engagement.

We were also incredibly grateful to Jonathan, who kindly signed a copy of his book and generously donated it to the Foundation - a much-appreciated gift that will be enjoyed by many.

The students were an absolute credit to the College throughout the day. They represented us brilliantly, asking insightful questions, engaging respectfully with the speakers, and making the most of every opportunity. Experiences like these help broaden perspectives, spark meaningful discussions, and inspire our learners long after the event has ended.