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Education isn’t just about classrooms and textbooks—it’s about opening doors to opportunity and creating a world where everyone can thrive. But let’s face it, the traditional system doesn’t work for everyone. To make education truly inclusive, we need to rethink how we teach and learn and rethink inclusive education practices. Making  Learning Personal Everyone learns differently, so why should education be one-size-fits-all? By using tools like AI and flexible teaching methods, we can create learning experiences that adapt to each person’s needs. Whether it’s extra support for those who need it or a challenge for those ready to soar, personalised education puts every student on the path to success. Remove Barriers For education to be inclusive, it has to be accessible to everyone . That means creating spaces where students with disabilities feel welcome, providing resources for kids in remote areas, and using technology to bridge the gaps. Everyone deserves a fair shot at learning. Celebrate Diversity The world is full of different perspectives, and our classrooms should reflect that. By including diverse voices in what we teach, we help students see themselves in their education. It’s about more than just inclusion—it’s about building understanding and empathy in every learner. Teach for Tomorrow Education isn’t just about passing tests; it’s about preparing for life. That means teaching skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity. Let’s also equip students with tools to tackle real-world challenges, like climate change and digital innovation. We don't know what skills tomorrow's world will demand from your children, so helping young people to be flexible, reflective and retain a life long love of learning is essential. Make Learning a Lifelong Thing Learning doesn’t stop when you leave school. Whether it’s picking up new skills for a job, exploring a passion, or just staying curious, education should be something you can tap into at any age. If we want young people to continue to develop skills and understanding all the way through their working lives, we have to develop a passion for learning that lasts.  Involve the Community It takes a village, right? Schools that work with parents, local businesses, and community groups are stronger and more relevant. When we bring real-world experiences into education, students see how what they’re learning connects to their futures. Making It Happen The good news? There are already incredible examples out there. From online classrooms reaching students in refugee camps to schools powered by local communities, change is happening. Every small step brings us closer to an education system that works for everyone. Let’s Talk About It! What would an education system that fits everyone  look like to you? Share your thoughts in the comments—your voice matters in this conversation. #EducationForAll #InclusiveLearning #BuildingTheFuture Compassion Inclusion Ambition

Most young people attend mainstream state schools in the UK, but those with particular needs,  anxieties  and diagnoses may find themselves significantly challenged by the experience that mainstream school presents.   Mainstream education by its nature works for the majority of young people,  but when it doesn't it can be extremely stressful  and challenging for the young person and their family. For a family trying to  navigate a system that doesn't suit their child it can feel like a world of barriers and very few positive options.  So what are the options for young people who do not fit the mainstream education mould? Alternative education provision does exactly what it says on the tin,  and there are a huge range of provisions available but availability varies across the country.  The sector is currently unregulated and this means schools and families need to be really careful about the provision they choose.  Fulltime alternative provision.  An alternative provision that provides full-time,  face-to-face education for young people must be registered as an independent school,  and be regulated by OFSTED.  But these alternative independent schools have more freedom than mainstream schools to provide an alternative curriculum and manage their day in a way that suits their young people. They typically have smaller class sizes and higher staff to student ratios.  Online learning The world of online learning has been steadily growing for a while,  but took a leap forward during the Covid years. Online learning provisions do not need to be registered as independent schools and  provisions range from large online schools to small bespoke provisions. They may provide full-time timetables with a range of subjects,  very similar to the curriculum available at a mainstream school,  or they may provide packages of learning designed for individual students.   Part-time provisions  Part-time alternative provisions that work alongside schools do not need to be registered as independent schools or regulated by OFSTED.  They may provide learning experiences for day release for example.  This may be through a particular medium, perhaps art, sport,  animal care or  outdoor education.  These are often part of a wider program provided alongside a mainstream school.   Other alternative provisions may include hospital schools or  small units  that support students with very particular needs.  How do families go about accessing these provisions?  There are two main ways families can access alternative education provisions. The first is through agreement with the school their child is on roll with. In this example families may need to approach the school if they have a particular alternative provision they would like to be considered. Alternatively the school may approach the family with an alternative provision they think best fits their child.  If a child accesses alternative education whilst on roll at a mainstream school,  the school pays for that provision.   The second way families can access alternative education provision is as home educators.  As an electively home educating family,  families take full responsibility for the education of their young person.  This is certainly not for the faint-hearted.  Home educating families are free to access any provision they wish for their child,  the main barrier is usually cost. Find out more about home educating here . If you would like further information about the alternative provision that The Phoenix project can offer please contact us through our website or call us for a chat.  Compassion Inclusion Ambition

We are recruiting! The Phoenix Project online learning  is a new and growing alternative provision at the start of its journey to provide a world class, compassionate, ambitious and inclusive provision for young people.  Would you like to be part of something really special, right at the start of the adventure? A provision that makes a real difference to young people’s lives and prioritises staff wellbeing and work life balance in equal measure. We are different!  Enjoy flexibility, a real sense of achievement and fullfilment and work with young people that need you the most. The Phoenix project is looking for qualified Science tutors, to work on an hourly contract basis, to deliver online, live teaching sessions, supporting students at various points in their learning and providing written feedback for submitted work. There are opportunities to take on mentoring roles and become a Phoenix tutor as well. This role would suit a qualified teacher looking to pick up additional hours or begin online private tutoring. Or a part time teacher looking to increase earnings with a work from home opportunity. This role has the potential to increase hours and take on additional responsibility as the provision grows and diversifies.  If you are interested in applying for this role and would like the job description and personal specification, or would like an informal chat about the roles, please send an email  to jnicholls@thephoenixproject.org.uk .

Many families are opting for private tutoring for their children, leading to a significant growth in the private tuition sector. According to The Sutton Trust , over 30% of 11-16-year-olds received tutoring in the last academic year, with this number increasing even more rapidly following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, only 11% of students reported having received tutoring.  The reasons behind the rise in private tutoring are compelling.  A failing education system The private tutoring landscape has changed. It has become an important part of propping up a failing state education system where students are increasingly experiencing qualified teacher shortages and families are looking for ways to bolster their child’s experience.  Schools are also recognising the benefits of small group tutoring within school time, using them to support small groups to make more rapid progress, and trying to mitigate the impact of non-specialist teachers in important core subjects. This was supported by the temporary tutor funding from the government following the disruption caused by Covid. But schools face the double challenge of recruiting qualified tutors and then paying for them from impossibly tight budgets now that funding stream has ended.  Rising number of home educating families  More and more families are turning towards electively home educating. One significant reason for this is a decline in juvenile mental health. The number of families citing mental health concerns as a reason for opting for home education rose by 64% between 2022 and 2023 according to BBC reporting  with some 92000 students identified as home educating across England in Autumn 2023.  So is it worth it?  The short answer is, Yes. Evidence clearly shows the benefit of tutoring but an experienced, qualified teacher, with a proven track record in supporting students to exam success comes at a premium for 1-1 tutoring. Specialist teachers can reasonably expect to earn in excess of £50 an hour and this prices a lot of families out of the market. Ironically evidence from the Education endowment fund suggests students from low income families benefit the most from tutoring. But they are often priced out of the market.  There are more affordable options. Although a lot of families believe 1-1 tutoring is most effective, small group tutoring has been proven to achieve the same gain in progress (+2 months for students from average income families and +3 months for students from low income families). So finding a small group tutoring option can be the best of both worlds. A lower cost to families and higher quality, more experienced tutors.  If you are looking for an experienced, qualified, expert tutor in English, Maths or Science, contact us to find out what availability we have at affordable, inclusive costs.  Info@thephoenixproject.org.uk

What is EBSA? Emotional based school avoidance or EBSA is a term applied to young people who experience significant challenges in attending school.  Often related to anxiety and negative emotions. It is not a medical term, it is not diagnosed, but the term may describe young people who are subject to medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or specific phobias for example, or show symptoms of these and other conditions.  Young people demonstrating EBSA will typically have low attendance to school and demonstrate refusal behaviours that go beyond a dislike or disdain for school and education.  Managing EBSA Managing EBSA can be really traumatic for families as they try to meet the expectations of schools and local authorities and reach out for appropriate support and care for their child's needs. Schools can find responding to EBSA needs a significant challenge too. Schools have an obligation to achieve high attendance from all their students but phased returns, part time timetables and access to specialists such as educational psychologists are all difficult to implement due to costs, staffing and limitations placed on them by outside agencies.  One way to support young people with EBSA is to consider alternative methods of education that the young person can access in a way that meets their needs. If a young person has a medical condition that is causing EBSA they may be entitled to ESMA  (education support for medical absence) home based learning and the local authority can broker this with their school.  Enrolling on alternative provisions such as small face to face settings and online settings is another form of education that may allow a young person to access education without the negative feelings and barriers associated with attending a mainstream setting. Schools may be able to establish this for the student, or families may choose to do this themselves as a home education programme.  Support for EBSA All young people presenting with EBSA need specialist support, but that support will vary depending on the needs, symptoms and triggers for that young person. If you feel your child is presenting with EBSA here are some initial steps you can take: Book a GP appointment to discuss symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression or general poor mental health that may be contributing to EBSA Meet with your child's school and discuss the barriers and challenges your child is facing. They will be able to make referrals to appropriate support agencies. Research your local alternative provision providers, you may find a provider  like T he phoenix project that can support your child as they work through their EBSA so they don’t lose learning.  Find family community groups that can support you through their shared experiences and understanding of the challenges you are facing.  Contact your local authority for help and guidance. A lot of LAs have useful guidance and documents to help better understand EBSA, like this document from Hertfordshire local authority Young people can overcome EBSA and experience positive and fulfilling school lives, this may take time and a range of intervention and support but if you are open to accepting help and feedback you will be able to work to improve your child’s wellbeing and future experiences.

When young people are struggling with full time education in mainstream schools, it can be difficult for families to find out what their options are. Elective home education is one of the options, alternative provision is another. What are the options for alternative education? Alternative education is the term used to describe types of education provision that are not “mainstream.” It covers a huge range of providers and the industry is currently unregulated. Alternative provision can include outdoors and even farm based provision for outside learning and therapy, extended work experience, home based online learning, private providers that offer full time provision either onsite or online and anything in between. An alternative education provider must be OFSTED registered if they offer a full time provision or provide for the substantial part of a child’s education but a large number offer part time or short courses that don’t require OFSTED registration. This doesn’t mean they don’t provide a quality service, many do, but they are unregulated so it can be difficult to know.  What alternative provision is available to you varies greatly depending on where you live, which local authority is responsible for your child, if your child has EHCP funding and what their school policies are on accessing alternative provision.  Elective home education Some families choose to home educate. That means they remove their child from the school roll, and take full responsibility for their child’s education. It's a huge responsibility and not to be taken on without careful consideration. Here are some of the key facts about home educating:  The family takes full responsibility for the child’s learning, that means every subject, what level of education and how each subject is learnt.  If the child is to take exams such as GCSE or A level qualifications, the family is responsible for finding a private exam centre and paying the exam fees for each subject.  The family takes full financial responsibility for any private tutoring, learning resources or learning experiences.  Learning can take place anywhere and at any time, there are no set expectations.  Most families who home educate will want to consider getting expert help for some if not all of the specialist teaching and this can be expensive. Paying for private tutoring and online programmes are a good way of sourcing well qualified teachers but it comes at a premium.  Despite all the challenges, there are benefits to home educating, not least the freedom to study any subject, to whichever level a child wishes or is capable, in any way that suits them. If funds allow, an immersive education full of real life experience, captivating visits to amazing places and following a particular area of interest are all hugely rewarding and beyond what a mainstream school can offer. Families looking for increased flexibility can also benefit from home educating. Learning can fit around sporting and training commitments or travel for example.  Before you commit to home education, there are some alternatives you may like to consider.  Flexi-learning is a commitment entered into by the school and family where an agreement is made by both parties that the family will take responsibility for part of their education and the school for another. For example, a student may attend school for Science and PE teaching because the family cannot provide specialist education in those subjects, but their other subjects will be studied at home. Schools are not under any obligation to agree to this, but families are able to approach their school to discuss this if they feel their child would benefit.  Requesting alternative provision is another alternative to home education. If you have an alternative provision you would like your child to be part of, you can request the school or local authority to consider using it for your child. Again the school and local authority are under no obligation to agree but will usually want to work with you to find the best solution for your child. If your child attends the provision whilst enrolled in school, you will not foot the bill for the provision.  Looking at alternatives to mainstream school can be daunting. Families are often looking during a time of significant stress and pressure. Wanting to do what is right by your child whilst balancing that with financial constraints and your wider responsibilities of work and family commitments can feel overwhelming. The difficulty in getting straight answers and clear facts around what actions you can take can be huge hurdles as well as finding the right person to speak to.  The Phoenix project provides an alternative option in the form of online learning. We are committed to responding to your inquiries in a direct and informative manner. If you are thinking about home schooling by choice and wish to learn more about the assistance we offer and your obligations and entitlements, please feel free to get in touch with us for a discussion.

We are recruiting core subject tutors. The Phoenix project is a new and growing alternative provision at the start of its journey to provide a world class, compassionate, ambitious and inclusive provision for young people.  Would you like to be part of something really special, right at the start of the adventure? A provision that makes a real difference to young people’s lives and prioritises staff wellbeing and work life balance in equal measure. We are different!  The Phoenix project is looking for qualified Maths and English tutors, to work on an hourly contract basis, to deliver online, live tutoring sessions, supporting students at various points in their learning and providing written feedback for submitted work.  This role would suit a qualified teacher looking to pick up additional hours or begin online private tutoring. The role would also suit a part time teacher looking to increase earnings with a work from home opportunity. This role has the potential to increase hours and take on additional responsibility as the provision grows and diversifies.  If you are interested in applying for this role and would like the job description and personal specification, or would like an informal chat about the roles, please send an email  to jnicholls@thephoenixproject.org.uk .