Secondary Provision

Our day starts at 9:30am, and there's no rush about it. Young people come in, grab a snack and a drink, and get a bit of time to land before we ask anything of them. We start gently, with some check-in time and a low-key activity, before moving into the first lesson of the day. Then there's a break to get up and moving, a second lesson, and lunch. The afternoon is set aside for a resilience or therapeutic sessions, which for a lot of our pupils turns out to be the most important part of the day. We finish at 2:20pm, because young people who've found school hard need a calmer day, not a packed one. Throughout, we like to gently push pupils out of their comfort zone in a positive way, whether that's through an outdoor challenge or a piece of academic work — that's often where the real growth happens.

Like our younger pupils, every new starter settles in with our Wellbeing, Behaviour and Learning Coach, and we do some low-key baseline assessments early on to work out where they're at and where the gaps are. Nobody sits an exam on their first day. From there, English and Maths are the backbone of it, with Science, Financial Literacy, Citizenship and PSHE around them. We also offer Sports Leaders Qualifications (Level 1 and 2) and the AQA Unit Award Scheme ourselves, and where a young person is working towards GCSEs or Functional Skills, we deliver this content so that they don't lose ground. Although we don’t officially offer Functional Skills as a qualification, we are working behind the scenes to offer this in the near future. It's not all classroom work either — young people still get out for rock climbing, football, forest school, team-building games and the rest, because that's often where the confidence starts. The whole point is that they leave us having made real progress, with qualifications and a clearer idea of what they're doing next.

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.