Other than mainstream
T&S provision began as a provision to children who are in some way disadvantaged by the mainstream setting in their accessing a learning environment that suits their needs in STEM and creativity provision. Our primary goal is to address wellbeing because learning at all is stifled when we are not comfortable or confident. However we also work with schools and the Local Authority.
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STEM and creativity are two areas that engender wellbeing particularly with independent exploration as opposed to set piece lessons. However, STEM and creativity also tend to be less emphasised or provided for in mainstream than in former generations with a recognised negative impact on learning and wellbeing in many contexts. Many SEN provisions recognise the value of 'play' in learning particularly for boys. 'Boy's underachievement' has been an educational topic for a generation now and our view is that this is party because boys need to play more and explore for themselves.
We have formulated some very rewarding programmes that can be used for both engendering wellbeing but also for extending high achievers in the depth of their STEM learning. These programmes are developed here on our site and are being developed as packages to be delivered by non specialist staff. Please see our mobile provision for more info.
We enjoy very productive working relationships with school management, SENCOs and parents.
Working to provide for each and every child we offer bespoke packages and class courses in STEM and creativity.
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Schools are keen to extend their offering using our services and as teachers ourselves we can work seamlessly with the requirements of schools, CP and data protection. We are DBS registered ourselves as you would expect and our staff behave in an appropriate manner when communicating with you, coming to your site and working with your staff and children.
HE/FS/EOTAS/AEP - clarification
Home Education
is where the parent exercises their right in law to educate their child 'otherwise' than school. HE is totally privately funded and despite paying taxes for education the HE parent receives no financial support from government and may even find themselves bombarded by official letters from the LA requesting to report to an educational officer. Some parents opt to home educate out of preference, increasingly others find themselves forced into HE by circumstance such as an impasse in progress in meeting the child's needs.
It is known that some parents may 'opt' to HE under pressure from the school. The school refers to HE as EHE. 'Electively Home Educating'. We prefer not to use this generalisation because we regard some HE as 'educational refugees' having been unable to secure adequate provision through the state system and yet not necessarily regarding HE as their preferred option.
HE often requires parents to reduce or give up working hours and so income may be restricted; add to this the cost of accessing resources and HE comes at a significant cost. Many join support groups and by contrast to a picture often painted of HE; many enjoy a very healthy social life of learning and playing together in a variety of settings.
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As Home Educating parents we provide our T&S services to HE families at a significantly discounted hourly rate to state funded educational programmes. This is partly because the parent remains responsible for progress and supervision - we are not essentially a drop off-centre and do not offer child care. Parents often collaborate to share the role of supervision of multiple children during sessions.
We do not provide supervision, reports, references, legal advice or disciplinary solutions for HE children. We need to retain the right to refuse access to anyone, with no explanation at any time. That said we have never need to or even got close to any incident that might prompt such a decision. We enjoy a positive and supportive ethos from all of our parents, discussing issues frankly and politely. Discipline/behaviour is excellent, our feedback likewise and we enjoy zero bullying. We must be getting something right.
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Flexi School
An increasingly popular compromise between HE and school attendance is Flexischool. This is where the parent is permitted to HE or take their child to another provision in school hours for the benefits that this provides. We have enjoyed this arrangement ourselves as parents until such time as a change of management brought about a change in policy with zero review or consultation. So FS is entirely dependent on the school Head's philosophy of education and therefore not considered as HE because the parent is not fully in control of the provision but is expected to meet the costs.
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EOTAS
Education Other Than At School is often exclusively away from the schools setting in which the parent may be granted a personal budget to manage an educational programme themselves to meet the requirements of an Educational Plan. (EHCP) This might seem the 'holy grail' for HE but comes with strings attached - such as the meeting of the terms of the EHCP. In such cases it is essential that both the child and parent are part of the writing of the EHCP for which they will be held accountable.
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AEP
Alternative Education Provision is funded by School management or the Local Authority that takes place in a setting other than at school. This also bears on an EHCP but not always. AEP may be needed for short periods of school exclusion for a variety or reasons, or social needs following trauma etc​
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T&S can significantly assist, add to, complement or help replace education in the school setting. Barriers to learning in school may include educational needs, social/environmental issues, the periodic structure of lessons, preferences for subjects, the need to explore subjects independently at a deeper level or to learn at a different pace/pattern. We work with children and young adults to develop and implement bespoke programmes of learning to meet the requirements of their Educational Heath Care Plans. Projects we do may be quite ambitious and include technology, media and various levels of enterprise.
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Our AEP and EOTAS charges reflect the significant amount of planning, recording, reporting and attending meetings that often goes with designing educational plans.​​