Sally Garratt CEO - Petty Pool

About Petty Pool

Established over 40 years ago, Petty Pool is a charity based in Sandiway, with activities divided between Petty Pool Vocational College, for young people with learning disabilities, Petty Pool Outdoor Education, working with over 4,500 local school children annually, and Petty Pool In The Community - linking young people to leisure, vocational and community activities. Petty Pool are committed to removing barriers to opportunity and ensuring that all young people have the chance to reach their full potential.

Sally Garratt, CEO says “Our vision is ‘empowering young people to discover a world of opportunity and possibility’ and it’s our conviction that the young people we support should have just the same opportunities as their peers without disabilities. Every area of the curriculum at Petty Pool is built upon our values, lived out by staff and learners alike, and specifically designed to give every young person the best chance of securing employment at the end of their studies. With around 5% of young people with SEND going into employment in the North West, Petty Pool far surpass the national average by more each year. 26% of leavers secured paid employment in 2024, giving individuals purpose, independence, and the opportunity to thrive.”

Since Sally joined in 2021, the organisation has been on a significant journey of growth and cultural change. Petty Pool have just been recognised as a world class employer by Best Companies, testament to the supportive, ambitious and trusting culture that their 123 staff experience. Moreover, they were announced 3rd Best Company in the UK Education Sector, and

19th best mid-sized company in the UK to work for.

Project Learn Hive

There are not enough college places in Cheshire to support a growing number of young people 16+ requiring specialist education, and Petty Pool have bold plans for redevelopment of their outdoor centre and college campus– named ‘Project Learn Hive’.

“We’re raising £11 million to develop a new outdoor education and SEND centre of excellence in Cheshire for 160 individuals with learning disabilities, plus 6000 local school children each year. It’s an ambitious challenge, but crucial to ensure that we can continue to empower young people to discover a world of opportunity and possibility, sustainably for generations to come” says Sally.

Petty Pool are seeking to build commercially focussed and engaging corporate partnerships, which benefit partner organisations as well as supporting Petty Pool’s vision. Newly launched corporate packages are designed to offer mutual benefits, providing businesses with valuable exposure, networking opportunities, and unique ways to demonstrate commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility, as well as resources, training and teambuilding opportunities. Look out for corporate fundraising events in 2025.

The Ground Up Project

The latest addition to the Petty Pool family is ‘The Ground Up Project’ – a newly established CIC, offering internships and employment opportunities for young neurodiverse people in the first Ground Up Coffee shop, at the café at Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port. Head there for a coffee or host your next meeting there, and follow ‘The Ground Up Project’ on social media for the latest!

Employer Engagement

Petty Pool are passionate about working with organisations to educate, inspire and transform the employment landscape, ensuring that workplaces are safe inclusive spaces that will allow the next generation of employees to thrive.

Developing partnerships with employers is key, not only to open doors for supported internships, but to break stereotypes around employment of neurodiverse individuals.

In May 2024, Petty Pool launched the first ‘Neurodiversity in Work conference’ at Carden Park Hotel, with representatives from organisations across the region attending to learn more about supporting those who are neurodiverse in their workplaces and hearing how to further incorporate inclusion and diversity into company culture. 150 delegates pledged to take steps to become more neurodiverse aware or offer workplacements to neurodiverse people. Plans are well underway for the 2025 conference, so follow Petty Pool on LinkedIn to stay updated.

Find For more information about how your organisation can become more inclusive, or get involved by exploring corporate partnerships, fundraising for ‘project learn hive’, volunteering, or offering work-placements, contact admin@pettypool.org.uk, or follow Petty Pool on LinkedIn and reach out.