Provision of the Aspire Education Programme within the City of Newport

This Transparency Notice is to inform the market of Newport City Council's intention to direct award a contract to Newport Live to deliver the Aspire Education Programme. The Aspire Education Programme delivered by Newport Live in their own community venues, including use of sport venues, provides pre-16 learning and educational opportunities to young people from Year 10 and Year 11 from three high schools across the city who are at risk of becoming NEET (young people not in education, employment or training. The current high schools are Lliswerry High School, Llanwern High School and The John Frost High School.

The programme will be expanded to include Newport High School as from 1 April 2025. The community venues accommodate up to 12 pupils from each high school at any one time, with a current total of 36 places available on a rolling programme which will expand to 48 when Newport High School commence to use the service. There is a variety of bespoke provision delivered from each individual Aspire school site to support the individual needs of learners who require specialist support.

The contract will be for a 3 year period commencing on 1 April 2025 with a possible extension of 2 years years to offer stability and consistency to young people who use it and will allow for the development of the market to increase supplier interest in tendering in the future. The extension of a possible 2 years will only be granted after the market has been reviewed, whether funding is available and a review of contract management.