OUR AIMS

Our education programme aims to assess where each child is on their learning journey and support them to prepare successfully for their future. Children arrive at WW from a variety of backgrounds and with a wide range of educational needs.

Most of the children we look after have been out of formal education for periods of time or have been unsettled in this environment. Our primary aim is to establish the learning needs of each child, their strengths and interests, and their goals for the future, and to create a personalised learning programme.

This bespoke programme aims to re-engage the child with learning and help them prepare for future education, employment or training. It also also aims to support both the child and their wider team to make decisions about their next educational steps.

We believe that every child has unique strengths, abilities and potential, and we acknowledge and celebrate their progress and achievements. For some children, the most appropriate pathway might be to attend a mainstream or independent school or college of further education, and we work closely with local institutions to facilitate this.

For children who would benefit from one-to-one support, we provide education through a ‘home school’ model, tailoring our programmes to wherever the child is on their learning journey.

PERSONALISED SUPPORT

Our team of tutors support each child on a one-to one basis, delivering a rigorous programme of assessment which identifies their strengths and areas for development.

This is used to create a bespoke programme of learning and skills acquisition for each child which focuses on functional skills and preparation for the future.

We are accredited by ASDAN, AQA and NCFE, enabling us to offer a range of qualifications based on the individual learning needs of our children and their wider interests and goals. Children are also able to undertake work experience in local businesses according to their passions and plans for the future.

Our skilled and dedicated education team includes a registered Educational Psychologist, qualified teachers, a Specialist Teacher for social, emotional and mental health, a Youth Offending Support Worker and Outdoor Activity Instructors.

We have significant sector experience and extensive knowledge of working with children with a range of learning needs, including children with ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and social and emotional issues.

Where appropriate, we seek advice from external professionals, including Speech and Language Therapists, Counsellors and other health professionals.

Our teams are trained in supporting children who have experienced trauma and insecure attachments, enabling us to deliver outstanding pastoral care and holistic education which is fully integrated into wider care planning for each child.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

We passionately believe that education is not confined to the classroom, and we adopt a holistic approach which seeks to identify and utilise opportunities for learning in the daily life of the child.

Our ‘Wilderness Experiences’ programme of outdoor and adventurous activities allows us to explore relevant educational themes such as risk and self-image, whilst at the same time allowing the children to challenge themselves and learn new skills, and to experience the enjoyment and wellbeing that comes from exploring the world around us.

Many members of our care teams have also trained as instructors for outdoor activities, meaning that outdoor education is an integrated and highly-valued part of the child’s overall experience.

We offer a range of outdoor qualifications, including the John Muir Award, Paddle Power and the National Indoor Bouldering Award Scheme. Engagement in these qualifications is often the child’s first positive experience of studying towards an award, providing a solid foundation for future studies.

We also support our children to access relevant work experience and volunteering placements. These provide the child with skills for life as well as offering the opportunity to discover whether a particular pathway or career is suitable for them in the future.

By working together as a cohesive team across education, care and outdoor provision, we aim to not only re-engage children in education but to develop their pride and self-belief, which can have a profound and lasting impact on their lives.

Testimonials

What Others Say About Us

We just wanted to thank you all for the work you have done to support our son. Your care, kindness and expertise towards him has been outstanding, and despite everything, we have always felt so secure that he is safe with you guys and in the best possible place. The care teams are brilliant and the way they have persisted to bring him to where he is now has been amazing. What stands out is the way you have all been genuinely prepared to make this work for him, and your care and integrity have enabled him to make such progress.

The care teams are highly efficient, compassionate and dedicated to our child. He has made significant progress there. He has clearly built good relationships with his carers, who show a real understanding of him, his care history, family background and needs.

There has been a great turnaround with this young man. He has had a break from being in a very dangerous situation, and has engaged in activities and rebuilt his character and self-esteem. Although he was only with Wilderness for a short time, it has had a significant impact on his emotional wellbeing, safety and outlook on life.

I am truly taken aback by the level of care you have shown. The staff have gone out of their way to show him the attention and care that he has never had. When I visited him, it was like I was looking at a different child to what he was before he came. He was not like a child in care, he was like a child in a family. You have literally saved his life.