This film is not rated
Contains titles in this collection may contain language or other content that reflect views prevalent in their time but that may cause offence today.
Hereward College
Free 14-day trial, then just £6.99 per month.
Please enter a valid email address
By entering your email address you are indicating that you have read and agree to the terms of use and privacy policy.
Free 14-day trial, then just £6.99 per month.
Get 14 days free
The opening of Hereward College in 1971 represented a major advance in access to education for young disabled people.
In 1971 Hereward College opened its doors to students with disabilities. It was the first of its kind but when ATV Today's Derek Hobson visited in May 1972 it only had twenty-five students out of a population of three million people with disabilities in England. It may have been a drop in the ocean but this pioneering college was symbolic of a new way forward, although notice how the college is still being referred to as 'an experiment'.
Students Jeff Underwood and Sharon Walker share their first-hand experiences and we also hear from the principal Arthur McAllister who had been involved in the scheme since its initial planning stages in 1961. The 'experiment' was deemed a success and Hereward College continues to thrive offering education to nearly 700 students with and without disabilities each year.