Primary Provision

Our day starts at 9:30am, and there's no rush about it. The children come in, have a snack and a drink, and get a bit of time to settle before we ask anything of them. We start gently, with some regulation time and a low-key activity, before moving into the first lesson of the day. Then there's a movement break to get everyone up and active, a second lesson, and lunch. The afternoon is set aside for a resilience or therapeutic session, which for a lot of our children turns out to be the most important part of the day. We finish at 2:20pm, because younger children who've found school hard need a calmer, shorter day rather than a packed one.

When a child first joins us, they spend their first few days settling in with our Wellbeing, Behaviour and Learning Coach. We do some baseline assessments during that time, but we keep it all very low-key. It's really just our way of working out where a child is and where the gaps are, without ever making them feel tested. We then provide personalised learning programmes aligned with pupils' needs and targets. Where appropriate, learning supports National Curriculum objectives and school-based learning. English and Maths are at the core of it, alongside science, history, geography and PSHE. A big part of every week also happens outside the classroom, from rock climbing, football and team-building games to forest school and falconry, with plenty of badminton, cricket and rounders thrown in. What we've found is that once a child finds something they're good at and enjoy, that confidence tends to spill over into everything else.

There's no formal uniform here. We'd far rather children turn up comfortable and ready to get stuck in, whether that's on the climbing wall, out in the woods or on the sports field. The best bet is clothes that can handle a bit of mud and plenty of movement, a decent pair of trainers, and a warm, waterproof coat — we're outside in most weathers. It's worth packing a spare set of layers in the colder months too.

Getting to and from school is one of the biggest barriers for a lot of the children we work with, so we help where we can. We have a minibus that can support with pupil transport; however, spaces are limited. Where possible, we will do our best to assist with pick-ups and drop-offs if this is required.

Transport arrangements can be discussed during the referral process so we can explore the best option for each young person and their family.

We want to make lunchtime as easy and enjoyable as possible for our pupils. If a young person is eligible for Free School Meals, we will provide their lunch at no additional cost. For pupils who are not eligible, lunches can be provided for an additional charge of £3.00 per day.

Pupils are also welcome to bring a healthy packed lunch from home if they prefer. We have access to a local café that offers a variety of freshly prepared food options, giving pupils a good selection to choose from. To help promote healthy choices, we ask that pupils do not bring fizzy drinks into the provision. Water and other still drinks are encouraged.

Pupils are permitted to bring mobile phones with them; however, these must be handed in upon arrival. All devices are securely stored during the day and returned at the end of the session. This helps minimise distractions and ensures focus remains on learning, wellbeing and positive social interaction.