Underused South London centre transformed into ‘one-stop-shop’ for young people with SEND

Sutton Life Centre has relaunched as hub for young people with SEND

The Sutton Life Centre has reopened after years of underuse, transformed into what organisers are describing as a “one-stop shop” for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The revamped facility will now provide local services that many families previously had to leave the borough to access.

The centre on Stonecot Hill now hosts a new Preparation for Adulthood (PFA) Hub, the Beans and Bloom café, and a new campus for Orchard Hill SEND College, the largest SEND academy in the country with sites across Sutton. The college offers 72 places for local SEND students, providing qualifications, skills training and work experience in a fully refitted and accessible facility.

The PFA Hub aims to help young people with SEND develop independence, build confidence and gain the skills needed for employment and everyday life. The centre also continues to house the community library and sports facilities, alongside the new café, where trainees from local disability skills provider Nickel Support gain hands-on experience as baristas.

At its official opening last week (November 26), guests toured the upgraded site and were welcomed with teas and coffees from the Beans and Bloom café. Visitors were also treated to a rap performance about the new youth centre by Brit School student Vierra.

Orchard Hill College student Emily Godman, from Cheam, said the new centre “feels very homely.” She was among those touring the facility at the opening.

Kayleigh, another young person with SEND, said she was excited about the new opportunities at the Hub. She cut the red ribbon to mark the official opening and said she hopes to help set up activities, volunteer at Rhymetime and spend time with friends in the new space.

Kelly Phillips, Executive Principal of Orchard Hill College, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the centre is rooted in the community. She added: “When community partnerships come together to create something truly unique, it’s a milestone to celebrate, and Sutton Life Centre is a pioneering development.

“This collaboration has delivered an innovative space for our students and the local community that reflects shared vision, expertise and commitment, setting a new standard for post-16 SEND provision and what is possible when we work as one.”

At the opening, Stonecot Lib Dem councillor Rob Beck described the launch as an example of “true collaboration” between education and local service providers. He told the LDRS: “SEND spaces are rare, especially at the further education level. Without this provision, some children might have to travel further afield, to places like Reigate, Bromley or Croydon.”

Beck said Orchard Hill College’s presence brought “pure prestige” to the borough and that repurposing the centre made better use of previously underutilised space.

“We had the space here, but it needed repurposing,” he said. “From when it initially opened it had dated quite a bit. They had a whole room that was a projection, and then all of a sudden people have virtual reality headsets, making it obsolete.

“When it was first opened there was a huge uptake in schools hiring it out but, sadly, post-Covid that never quite recovered, and it needed to be looked at to ensure it remained viable.”

The Sutton Life Centre was originally opened by then–Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in 2010, after costing the council £8 million. Half the funding came from the central government’s MyPlace grant, with the remaining £4 million provided by Sutton Council.

According to the original 2009 business plan, the building was intended to be a “modern state-of-the-art eco-friendly building,” including a citizenship and life-skills centre, library, community rooms, a Youth Zone, an all-weather sports pitch, climbing wall, coffee shop/internet café, and an eco and sensory garden.

Conservative councillor Neil Garratt said annual visitor numbers had dropped as low as 2,000 in 2019, compared with an original target of 40,000. He argued that the building had failed to attract visitors even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beck said repurposing the centre would help reduce SEND transport costs for out-of-borough placements. He also said the permanent presence of the college, PFA Hub and café would bring new life to the building and help secure the future of the library.

Charlie Millett of The Fantastic Freddie Foundation and Robbie Keen of Keen 2 Go, who are jointly leading community activities at the centre, said the transformation had completely changed how the building feels. Millett admitted he had “hardly noticed” the centre before, while Keen described it as having been “dead for years,” with high room-hire prices making it difficult for local groups to use.

The pair said the new space will host activities shaped directly by what young people want, including gaming nights, sports sessions, DJ workshops and podcasts. Keen described the upgraded facilities as “amazing,” saying their programmes help young people socialise, make friends and feel part of the community.

Millett said many of the young people they support see these sessions as their main social group, making a strong support network essential. Keen added that isolation remains a major issue for SEND families, with many unaware of the services available. Millett said habits formed during the pandemic, when many activities stopped, had only deepened this isolation.

Both said they were delighted that there is now a dedicated space in the borough where young people can meet under one roof. Millett described the new offer as a “one-stop shop,” with their first activity set to take place on 3 December.

He also praised improvements to the building’s acoustics, noting that accessibility “isn’t just about ramps and lifts, it’s about creating a comfortable environment for everyone.”

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