National Star

National Star National Star works to realise the aspirations of people with complex disabilities.

Staff member Francois is taking on an incredible fundraising challenge to raise money for National Star and support youn...
31/05/2026

Staff member Francois is taking on an incredible fundraising challenge to raise money for National Star and support young people with disabilities.

His fundraising triathlon includes:
🚴 London to Brighton bike ride – 21 June
🏊 Serpentine Swim – September
🏃 Hopes to run the London Marathon next year

Francois is completing these challenges while managing a lung condition, making the achievement even more remarkable.

He’s aiming to raise £500, and every contribution makes a difference.

Please support Francois as he pushes himself through these events for our charity.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/francois-jensen-1

28/05/2026

Explore National Star from the comfort of home with our interactive virtual tours.

Take a look around our campuses in Ullenwood, Hereford, Mamhilad (Wales) and Worcester, and discover learning spaces, therapy facilities, and accommodation before visiting in person.

Designed to help prospective students and families feel more familiar and confident, our virtual tours allow you to explore each environment at your own pace while learning more about our personalised education and support programmes for young people with disabilities and additional learning needs (ALN).

Start your journey with National Star today: https://www.nationalstar.org/virtual-tours/

We love celebrating student achievements and we are so proud that five of our students/alumni attended a garden party at...
28/05/2026

We love celebrating student achievements and we are so proud that five of our students/alumni attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace to celebrate achieving their Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award.🌟

H, Aaron, Toby, Corey and Francis dressed to impress and had a day to remember after all their hard work achieving this prestigious award, which helped them to fine-tune their teamworking and organisational skills and resilience.

'Celebrating my Duke of Edinburgh's gold award in the gardens of Buckingham Palace was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'll never forget. It made every challenge along the way feel worthwhile.

Everything I have learnt during my DofE journey has shaped me into a stronger, more confident person. The royal cupcakes were quite literally the icing on the cake!' said H, current National Star in Hereford student.

Only 9.3 per cent of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award participants have a disability or additional need and they were among only 9,000 people nationally who achieved the Gold award this year.👏

Student Green Reps took to pond dipping like ducks to water at the end of term, helping to identify species living in an...
27/05/2026

Student Green Reps took to pond dipping like ducks to water at the end of term, helping to identify species living in and around the small pond on the Ullenwood campus.

With the help of Megan from Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust students learnt how to safely dip the pond. Their efforts were rewarded as they identified several newts, caddis flies, pond skaters, water boatmen, tadpoles and damselflies living in or around the water.

The pond dipping helped to record biodiversity on campus as part of our Nature Friendly Grounds identification. Over the past six months we have identified more than 149 different species living on campus!

26/05/2026

The Dance Studio at Ullenwood has undergone an exciting transformation with the installation of a Magic Carpet, a cutting-edge immersive technology that creates a fully accessible, multi-sensory environment through integrated lighting and sound controls.

The Magic Carpet is compatible with AAC devices, switches, iPads and microphones, ensuring students with a wide range of needs can fully participate.

Sarah Gardiner, Dance Tutor, said: ‘This technology has expanded and enhanced opportunities for students to explore their communication and physical skills through their interaction with the Magic Carpet. There is a real sense of empowerment when they become aware of the impact of their movements.

The high sensitivity of the technology means it is accessible to all students – even the smallest movement causes a response. It also encourages social interaction through a range of games and sensory experiences, which the students just love. It has brought so much joy.’

Students are using this interactive sensory dance studio to support their imagination, movement and sensory exploration, and it is all thanks to the generosity of supporters.🌟

By supporting National Star, you’re helping people with disabilities achieve their goals. Without the generosity of people like you, this simply wouldn’t be possible. Donate today: https://bit.ly/4nBC7y5

🌟National Star Charity Shop Spotlight🌟Next up on our Shop Spotlight series, highlighting our amazing charity shops acros...
25/05/2026

🌟National Star Charity Shop Spotlight🌟

Next up on our Shop Spotlight series, highlighting our amazing charity shops across Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, is Honeybourne, Cheltenham! Our Honeybourne shop can be found next to Waitrose supermarket, offering lots of parking and a great place to have a browse.

📍Unit 2 Honeybourne Way, Cheltenham GL50 3QW
📆 Open Monday – Saturday 9am – 4.30pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm (excluding Bank Holidays)
📞 Phone number: 07517 907851

You can find clothes, bestselling novels, value-for-money toys and must-have home accessories on sale. We also have a range of student-made ceramic and fused glassware items and handmade and printed cards.

We also accept donations of your pre-loved goods. Your support will help young people with complex disabilities to achieve their aspirations.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/4mNNKAO

23/05/2026

This week students have been taking part in our Outdoor Week of Learning, getting involved in lots of fun-filled sessions, and celebrating the outdoor opportunities we offer.

Sessions included:
- Samba drumming with Olá Samba 🎶
- Animal interactions with Dinky Ponies and Scrubditch Care Farm🐴 🐷
- 270 Climbing Park mobile rock climbing wall 🧗
- A fire engine visit as part of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service SkillZONE 🚒
- Fun flying on the aerial rig 🌟
- The Duke of Edinburgh's Award residential for Ullenwood and Hereford students 🌱

This week was enjoyed by all, and it has been great to see the sun shining!

What an achievement from student Dan! ⭐👏Dan has smashed his Go Far, Be A Star challenge - surpassing both his 12.9km tar...
22/05/2026

What an achievement from student Dan! ⭐👏

Dan has smashed his Go Far, Be A Star challenge - surpassing both his 12.9km target and £1,000 fundraising goal, raising an incredible £2,000+ for National Star.

Using his trike, walker and swimming, Dan took on the distance of a sprint triathlon with outstanding perseverance and determination, going 1.1km beyond his overall distance target, supported every step of the way by our amazing staff.

Dan said: 'This has made a big difference to my life. I’m doing a triathlon to raise money for National Star because I want to help others to enjoy their time and achieve their goals.'

There’s still time to support, donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/dan-challis-1

Following a fantastic student election campaign, the 2026/27 Student Union representatives have been elected! 🎉A special...
22/05/2026

Following a fantastic student election campaign, the 2026/27 Student Union representatives have been elected! 🎉

A special congratulations to George (President) and Hugo (Vice President) - the new SU leadership team. 👏

Here’s the full team representing learner voice next year:
• George - President
• Hugo - Vice President
• Alex
• Anna
• Aston
• Bella
• Daisy
• Jack
• Matilda
• Poppy

A massive well done to all students who stood for election and campaigned with passion!

Thank you to all students who voted, both online and in person, and to the dedicated staff who supported the polling process.

A huge congratulations to our students who made a splash at Ullenwood’s Swimming Gala today! 🏊🏅From growing in water con...
21/05/2026

A huge congratulations to our students who made a splash at Ullenwood’s Swimming Gala today! 🏊🏅

From growing in water confidence to improving speed and fitness, every swimmer gave it their all and came away smiling, proud, and with medals in abundance. Throughout the day, students put their skills into practice during sprint races, gala activities, and timed individual events, showcasing the progress they’ve made in swimming sessions throughout the year.

For many students, attending a large event like this meant overcoming personal anxieties, making their achievements even more inspiring. It was fantastic to see the hard work from swimming sessions throughout the year put into practice in such a positive and supportive environment.

Well done to all our incredible swimmers, and a huge thank you to our staff who helped make the day possible and supported our swimmers.

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Ullenwood
Cheltenham
GL539QU

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+441242527631

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