Alternative Provision
We are an approved Alternative Provision provider for Northumberland, Newcastle and Durham.
Make an enquiryWelcome to Stomping Grounds Forest School!
A short intro to Forest School at Stomping Grounds.
About these sessions
Our Alternative Provision uses the educational ethos of Forest School to support children and young people who are struggling to access Mainstream education.
Our setting offers a different way of learning.
- Through a trusting and reciprocal relationship with our practitioners, children and young people will learn to assess, manage and take physical, social and emotional risks.
- Children and young people will learn new skills that may not have been readily available to them within curriculum led learning. From basketry, to coppicing, from firelighting to green woodwork, for some young people seeing a future in forestry or traditional crafts is inspiring and life changing.
- A better understanding of self, being able to indentify and communicate emotions, and advocating for their own needs supports children and young people to navigate the world as they grow. Self knowledge and self advocacy underpin self esteem and support better mental health.
Read about the life changing impact of our Specialist Provision via case studies in our recent impact report here
Who is it for?
We recognise that formal schooling is currently not working for some young people. This can often be directly linked to:
- Neurodivergence
- Trauma
- Mental Health
Our provision can support children and young people who:
- Cannot currently access school
- Are accessing school but benefit from additional support
- Have been excluded or are close to exclusion
- Have complex neurological conditions
- Are care experienced
Because of the individualised and bespoke nature of our support, we can work with children and young people with many different life experiences and challenges.
Where are the sessions?
Most sessions take place at our site at Dukes Hagg Wood in Prudhoe.
We can work flexibly with children, young people and their families to deliver initial sessions in spaces that are already known and safe for them, for example a local park or the family garden. In some cases we will work indoors with young people when this could lead to a trusting relationship for outdoor engagement.
“We have witnessed our students develop mentally, socially and physically. We have seen their confidence and communication develop through the year. It has made a vast difference to their behaviour in school and general mental well-being, and they speak very positively about their days with you – so much so that they say they want to work for you!“
Assistant Headteacher, Hexham Priory
About the team
We consider our provision to be so successful because of the team we have leading it.
Between us our combined lived experience means we can meet young people where they are at, understand their strengths and challenges and be role models for what is achievable with the right support. Our 1-1 delivery team share autism, ADHD, PTSD, PDA, dyslexia, school trauma and LGBTQIA+ identities with many of the young people we work with. We have lived first hand some of the challenges that keep young people stuck and can share our own experiences of navigating and succeeding in a world that can feel confusing and scary.
Our Bespoke Therapeutic Forest School practitioners are qualified Forest School practitioners or equivalent, Therapeutic Forest Practitioners, with additional training in Intensive Wellbeing Support in the Outdoors. We are part of a wider network of organisations who share best practice and meet for supervision. We are a recognised Forest School Association provider and are Ofsted registered.
Behind the scenes we have a team of consultants and advisors who help shape our service through regular supervision, observations, support with writing reports and sharing best practice. We draw on the expertise of a team of Educational Psychologists, Clinical Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Play Therapists and Autistic Advocates to ensure our bespoke packages are high quality and high impact.
Our Locations
FAQs
We recognise that some children and young people are missing out on a broad education offer because there is not currently a place for them, their current school cannot meet need, or they are unable to access curriculum based learning due to unmet needs.
We’re excited to offer Maths and English tutoring as part of our bespoke package. Tutoring can be added onto any of our other packages but cannot be delivered as a standalone session. This is because of our unique participant led approach.
Tutors will work with our practitioners and young people in the moment to link the curriculum to projects and play, ensuring children and young people can develop their key skills in our setting without reliving school trauma, feeling the pressure of too many demands, or a fear of failure.
Week 1 and 2 will be spent gaining an understanding of what level the young person is working at, and from there our tutors will develop a scheme which will enable each young person to progress through the curriculum at their own pace and with appropriate support.
Our tutors will map progress across the Maths and English curriculum with a combination of tutor statements and photographs, and can share this at EHCP or school reviews.
Initial assessment: £145
Up to 3 hours 1:1 (half day): £145
A lead practitioner working with the young person flexibly and up to 3 hours per session. Including weekly observations.
Reports for review and attendance at EHCP reviews, TAF etc charged at additional £30 per hour.
3 – 6 hours 1:1 (full day): £242
A lead practitioner working with the young person flexibly over 3 hours per session. Including weekly observations.
Reports for review and attendance at EHCP reviews, TAF etc charged at additional £30 per hour.
Up to 3 hours 2:1 (half day): £242
Two practitioners working with the young person, where a risk assessment indicates there is risk of harm to self or others, or a risk of absconding.
Tutoring: £50 per hour (Maths and English)
Access to a group session – single space: £65 per young person
1:4 adult to child ratios. Includes termly observations.
Reports for review and attendance at EHCP reviews, TAF etc charged at additional £30 per hour.
(Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Fridays at Dukes Hagg in Prudhoe)
Bespoke group session – up to 12 young people: £473
Three practitioners working with a group of 12 young people. Termly observations. Can be delivered flexibly at various sites.
Reports for review and attendance at EHCP reviews, TAF etc charged at additional £30 per hour.
Make an enquiry
Meet the Alternative Provision Team
Further Information
If you have any questions please email kate.dix@stomping-grounds.org
