Our offer
Our aim is to provide pupils with a range of opportunities so that they can reach their full potential.
Tailoring education
Our curriculum prioritises personal development and well-being. We don't just educate; we nurture, support and propel our pupils towards a future where their potential knows no bounds. Join us on a transformative journey where education goes beyond textbooks and bright futures are built with purpose and hope.
Education
With a backdrop of our small class sizes, each child and young person receives a bespoke curriculum tailored to their needs, which is fully integrated with our social development programme. We recognise that the individualised opportunities to engage in learning can only be captured when each pupil feels ready to learn, therefore staff take the opportunities to build relationships and embed key learning throughout the day across all areas of the site.
Our commitment to a well-rounded education includes a focus on social development. Through activities that promote collaboration, friendship, social interaction, and teamwork, pupils build essential interpersonal skills. These experiences help them develop communication, empathy, and the ability to work well with others. By developing friendships and a sense of community, children and young people learn to value diverse perspectives and support one another, creating a positive and inclusive learning environment that strengthens their social growth.
The results speak for themselves as young people leave us with nationally recognised outcomes at a level that is right for them, ranging from entry-level certificates to functional skills, BTECs and GCSEs. This equips them to confidently take their next steps into further education, apprenticeships or employment.
Our bespoke offer
We provide unique learning opportunities for our pupils to help them engage with learning so that they can develop skills and grow in confidence to become proud members of our learning centre community.
We deliver a 24-hour curriculum, which is structured around developing pupils by building confidence, self-esteem, and trust within a supportive living and learning environment. This specialised curriculum gives pupils access to a range of academic, vocational, therapeutic and leisure activities, and so enabling them to become more confident and successful learners.
Pupils and staff enjoy eating their main meal of the day, breakfast, together as a family. During the session current topics within school are discussed and also the opportunity allows for pupils and staff to explore news stories in the media. Discussing topics affecting their school day helps pupils to reduce anxieties and gives them the chance to ask questions and feel safe.
Relaxed and ready to learn, the meet and greet enables pupils to feel ready to take on the challenges of the day.
The high aspirations of our staff and their ability to genuinely connect with each pupil ensures that every learner feels supported, cared for and accepted. Staff are highly motivated, passionate and skilled as they push boundaries and take positive risks to engage pupils in their learning and development.
This approach enables them to make progress socially and emotionally and go on to achieve a range of awards and qualifications. All this results in pupils looking forward to the next chapter of their lives with increased knowledge, experience and skills.
Careers planning is integrated into our curriculum. From Year 8, pupils access one-to-one Careers Information, Advice & Guidance (CIAG) sessions with a Careers Advisor in PSHE and in personal tutor time, trips are organised to explore post 16 provisions and work experience opportunities are explored with local businesses, providing them with the opportunity to plan ahead and carve out a future for themselves in an area of interest.
To support this school-wide effort, CIAG is embedded in our curriculum and is measured against the eight standards of the Gatsby Benchmark. This approach inspires pupils to discover opportunities in a variety of subjects, making learning more real.
Throughout their journey with us, each young person completes a Skills Builder portfolio, where they develop and put into practice soft skills. As a team, they encourage, learn and grow together to reach the mastery level set by the Careers Lead, building a comprehensive list of skills they can transfer into different scenarios.
Our partnership with the North East Enterprise Group has provided pupils with opportunities to meet successful leaders in business and understand the different job opportunities available in industries.
One such partnership with Believe Housing has resulted in their network of contacts attending the learning centre for a reverse job fair, where pupils hold ‘exhibition stands,’ outlining their achievements and skills, with the opportunity to speak to potential employers in their learning environment, where they are at ease and supported by the staff team.
To further embed career planning into the curriculum, each term, pupils attend job fairs focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to explore the opportunities available to them and link back to the learning in the classroom, further reinforcing the links of subjects and the world of work.
If you would like to work with us to provide pupils with opportunities to plan for their futures, please contact our Careers Lead, Marie.Appleby@Witherslackgroup.co.uk
Therapy
Our on-site Clinical Team provide pupils with unrivalled levels of therapeutic support, in terms of the level of expertise, the ratio of qualified therapists and clinicians to children and young people, and the range of therapies offered. Pupils have the support of our Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and other specialists as required.
We believe that unless a child or young person is able to feel emotionally safe and secure, they are less likely to fulfil their personal, social and educational potential. Our unique approach to supporting young people through our Wave Model enables them to go on to realise a future filled with aspiration and achievement.
The Grange Learning Centre's Clinical Team complete thorough and skilled assessments that support a shared understanding of the complex needs we see in our children and young people. This enables us to put purposeful and appropriate interventions in place and assess our effectiveness through the tracking of outcomes and impact.
Futures
At The Grange Learning Centre we are dedicated to raising the aspirations of our pupils, while also equipping them with the skills and confidence to realise outstanding outcomes.
The Futures programme inspires and connects pupils with their next steps beyond education, utilising a growing network of over 350 employer partnerships, including the likes of Microsoft, Mercedes and John Lewis, to provide outstanding experiences of the workplace and ongoing opportunities and support.
Our Futures sessions provide practical guidance on job applications, confidence-building, networking, and workplace expectations, giving children and young people the tools to navigate their career paths with clarity. Complementing this, our Futures curriculum enriches academic growth while developing personal development and career readiness, ensuring they are prepared for their chosen paths. With no upper age limit on support, the programme boasts a 100% success rate in transitioning students into education, employment, or training.