Why Rise Academy?
By the Local Authority following permanent exclusion from a mainstream secondary school.
By the secondary school; to support with assessing and managing a student’s additional needs, in order prevent permanent exclusion.
Via the Local Authority EHCP consultation process.
Our Pathways
At Rise Academy, we believe that every child deserves the right provision, at the right time, delivered by adults who understand both their potential and their barriers. We recognise that children have only one opportunity to get education right, and that thoughtful, evidence-informed decisions made by educators can fundamentally change life chances.
Rise Academy is a dynamic and inclusive alternative provision, offering a continuum of specialist pathways designed to meet the diverse and often complex needs of our learners. While each Rise site serves a distinct cohort, they are united by a shared commitment to relational practice, high expectations, emotional safety and ambitious outcomes. Our work is grounded in the belief that behaviour, engagement and learning are shaped by experience and that with the right environment, structure and support, every young person can rediscover confidence, purpose and aspiration.
This document provides an overview of each Rise Academy site, outlining its purpose, pupil profile and curriculum intent. It also offers insight into the differing pedagogical approaches implemented across the provision, reflecting the developmental stage, needs and readiness of the children we support. From highly structured, nurturing environments to academically ambitious specialist pathways and personalised 1:1 provision, our approaches are intentionally varied but consistently aligned to Rise values.
Fountain Road Site
Rise Fountain Road is a Key Stage 4 alternative provision for students in Years 10 and 11 who benefit from a more personalised, structured and relational learning environment than mainstream education can currently offer. Students are referred by Local Authorities and secondary schools.
The site provides a calm, supportive setting where students can re-engage with learning, rebuild confidence and work purposefully towards meaningful qualifications and future pathways. We act as a bridge between mainstream education and post-16 opportunities, ensuring students remain ambitious, supported and aspirational.
Pupil Avatar – Who Might Be Allocated Here?
A typical pupil at Fountain Road is a KS4 learner who would benefit from a smaller, relational and trauma-informed environment to support their academic and personal development. Students often arrive with a wide range of academic starting points, from early KS2 to GCSE grade 6, and may have undiagnosed learning needs or SEMH needs that require a more tailored approach.
Many students join following KS3 alternative provision, or during Year 10 or early Year 11, and benefit from clear structure, strong relationships and support to rebuild confidence, resilience and motivation. Pupils typically thrive when expectations are clear, learning is adapted, and progress is celebrated.
Purpose and Intent
The Fountain Road provision aims to:
• Support students to achieve recognised qualifications in core subjects.
• Rebuild confidence, resilience and engagement with learning.
• Address barriers through a trauma-informed, relational approach.
• Ensure pathways remain ambitious, realistic and future-focused.
• Prepare students for successful transition into post-16 education, training or employment.
Curriculum Implementation
• Strong emphasis on relational practice to inspire, challenge and engage students.
• Small class sizes to enable personalised teaching and consistent support.
• Adaptable timetabling to meet individual needs and readiness.
• Wave 2 interventions, including targeted 1:1 Maths and English sessions.
• Functional Skills curriculum mapped alongside GCSE pathways to maximise success.
• Bespoke development programmes informed by initial assessment and ongoing review.
• SEMH development supported through ASDAN programmes.
• Access to a range of external agencies including Refresh, CAMHS and Vent.
• Strong focus on wellbeing alongside academic achievement.
Foundational Knowledge
Given the extremely wide range of academic profiles, foundational knowledge at Fountain Road is flexible, responsive and designed to both secure gaps and apply learning meaningfully.
• Reading: Targeted literacy support ranging from decoding and fluency through to GCSE-level comprehension and analysis; focus on applying reading skills across subjects and assessments.
• Maths: Closing gaps in number and calculation for some learners, while strengthening reasoning, problem-solving and exam techniques for others; Functional Maths embedded where appropriate.
• Handwriting/Written Expression: Supporting clarity, organisation and stamina in writing; structured planning frameworks; alternative recording methods where needed to remove barriers.
• Spelling: Personalised spelling instruction linked to phonics, morphology or subject-specific vocabulary; emphasis on accurate application in coursework and exams.
• Oracy: Developing confidence in verbal communication; structured discussion; preparation for assessments, interviews, post-16 transitions and workplace communication.
Impact
Fountain Road enables students to:
• Make strong academic progress, often exceeding expected rates of progression.
• Achieve meaningful qualifications aligned to their abilities and aspirations.
• Develop increased confidence, resilience and self-belief.
• Strengthen engagement, attendance and readiness for learning.
• Transition successfully into post-16 education, training or employment with improved life chances.
Rise Up
Rise Up is a Key Stage 3 provision designed for pupils with SEMH needs who benefit from a relational, structured and nurturing environment to help them reconnect with learning. Many arrive ready for a fresh start in a setting that prioritises safety, predictability and supportive relationships. Rise Up provides an environment where pupils can strengthen confidence, rebuild positive learning habits and make meaningful academic progress.
Pupil Avatar – Who Might Be Allocated Here?
A typical pupil at Rise Up is a KS3 learner with SEMH needs who benefits from a setting that offers consistent routines, emotional safety and a gentle reintroduction to learning. They may have experienced periods of disrupted schooling or reduced engagement and often arrive with gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy. Pupils flourish when given structure, relational support and opportunities to experience success through achievable steps.
Purpose and Intent
• Re-engage pupils with learning and develop confidence and resilience.
• Strengthen foundational knowledge through a “stage not age” curriculum.
• Introduce vocational opportunities to expand aspiration and experience.
• Prepare pupils for KS4 pathways or reintegration into mainstream settings.
Curriculum Implementation
• A nurturing, predictable environment with strong relationship-based practice.
• Individual learning plans aligned to assessed academic starting points and SEMH needs.
• Core subjects delivered alongside vocational experiences (Art, Sport, Catering, HSC).
• PSHE and SEMH development embedded throughout the curriculum.
• Clear routines and expectations that promote emotional safety and readiness to learn.
Foundational Knowledge
Pupils at Rise Up often need structured opportunities to rebuild and secure core skills so they can engage confidently in the wider curriculum.
• Early Reading: Consolidation of phonics where needed; fluency development; vocabulary enrichment; structured comprehension skills to promote understanding and enjoyment of texts.
• Early Maths: Re-establishing number sense; fluency in the four operations; mathematical vocabulary development; supported application of skills in practical, real-life contexts.
• Handwriting: Fine-motor skill strengthening; structured handwriting practice; scaffolded written tasks to increase stamina and legibility.
• Spelling: Revisiting key phonics patterns; teaching of high-frequency words; structured morphology and pattern recognition to build independence.
• Oracy: Explicit modelling of spoken language; structured routines for discussion; confidence-building opportunities to articulate ideas and emotions.
Impact
• Increased engagement, attendance and readiness for learning.
• Strengthened foundational skills enabling access to the wider curriculum.
• Improved emotional regulation, confidence and resilience.
• Successful movement into KS4 pathways or reintegration to mainstream.
Rise Above
Rise Above, located at Sirius West, is a small specialist provision for pupils with EHCPs whose primary need is SEMH, often alongside Cognition and Learning or Speech, Language and Communication needs. Pupils thrive in a structured, lower-stimulus environment with consistent adults and clear routines, enabling them to access academic content at a level comparable to their peers.
Pupil Avatar – Who Might Be Allocated Here?
A typical pupil at Rise Above has SEMH needs with additional cognitive or communication profiles such as ASD, ADHD or dyslexia. They are academically able but benefit from predictable routines, explicit teaching approaches and a primary-style structure that enhances clarity and emotional security. These pupils learn best when instructional language is precise, scaffolded and personalised.
Purpose and Intent
• Provide academically ambitious teaching within a structure that promotes emotional security.
• Strengthen metacognition, independence and self-regulation.
• Create clarity and consistency through purposeful teacher language.
• Prepare pupils for KS4 success and confident progression into post-16 pathways.
Curriculum Implementation
• One consistent teacher for morning core subjects to minimise transitions.
• Groups organised by learning style to maximise access and engagement.
• Scaffolded instruction with progressive release of responsibility.
• Afternoon Life Skills, enrichment and Post-16 preparation.
• Calm, structured learning environment grounded in relational practice.
Foundational Knowledge
Pupils at Rise Above often have the core skills needed for secondary learning but benefit from refinement, application and secure transfer across contexts.
• Reading: Deepening comprehension; advanced vocabulary teaching; strengthening inference and retrieval skills; applying reading strategies across subjects.
• Maths: Fluency in multi-step methods; strengthening reasoning; applying maths to real and vocational contexts; precision in mathematical language.
• Handwriting/Written Expression: Developing fluency and stamina; improving layout, organisation and accuracy; embedding planning and editing processes.
• Spelling: Morphology, etymology and rule-based spelling; increasing automaticity; applying accurate spelling in extended writing.
• Oracy: Structured dialogue; debate; academic talk routines; language for metacognition and self-advocacy.
Impact
• Pupils consistently access ambitious academic content.
• Increased independence, confidence and emotional regulation.
• Strong preparation for KS4 qualifications and post-16 transition.
• Reduced barriers linked to communication, anxiety or processing.
Rise - Wave 4
Wave 4 is a personalised KS4 provision for pupils who benefit from 1:1 learning, therapeutic support and tailored timetables. Pupils often join Wave 4 after periods of reduced engagement, school-related anxiety or challenges that impact their ability to learn in larger environments. Wave 4 provides an emotionally safe and academically purposeful setting.
Pupil Avatar – Who Might Be Allocated Here?
A typical Wave 4 pupil is a KS4 learner with SEMH needs, EBSA or anxiety who benefits from a highly personalised curriculum. Many are capable of working toward GCSE or functional qualifications but require reduced demands, predictable routines and relational support to thrive.
Purpose and Intent
• Provide a holistic, personalised curriculum matched to pupils’ EHCPs and aspirations.
• Support academic progress alongside wellbeing, independence and social development.
• Ensure learning pathways remain ambitious and aligned with future goals.
• Offer a low-anxiety environment that enables meaningful re-engagement.
Curriculum Implementation
• 1:1 teaching in core subjects for high precision and immediate feedback.
• Bespoke timetables incorporating vocational, therapeutic and enrichment opportunities.
• Continuous review of plans and needs to ensure responsiveness and progress.
• Life-skills, emotional literacy and personal development embedded throughout.
Foundational Knowledge
For KS4 learners, foundational knowledge focuses on strengthening, consolidating and applying skills needed for qualifications and adulthood.
• Reading: Applying comprehension strategies to GCSE-style texts; extracting key information; analysing language; building independence.
• Maths: Consolidation of core methods; functional application in real-life contexts; reasoning and problem-solving skills; exam-readiness.
• Handwriting/Written Expression: Organising extended writing; using planning frameworks; improving accuracy and clarity; embedding proofreading.
• Spelling: Secure application of spelling rules; subject-specific vocabulary; revision techniques to build automaticity.
• Oracy: Communication for interviews, group work and assessments; confidence in expressing views; structured discussion routines.
Impact
• Increased confidence, attendance and engagement.
• Strong academic progress relative to starting points.
• Improved emotional readiness for post-16 pathways.
• Enhanced functional, social and independence skills.
EOTAS
EOTAS provides a personalised educational package for pupils temporarily unable to access school. Programmes are delivered 1:1 at home, in the community or at a dedicated EOTAS base. EOTAS prioritises safety, flexibility, relational practice and personalised progression so pupils can re-engage meaningfully with learning and future goals.
Pupil Avatar – Who Might Be Allocated Here?
A typical EOTAS pupil is a KS3 or KS4 learner with complex barriers to attending school, such as anxiety, EBSA, medical needs, neurodiversity or trauma. Pupils often benefit from 1:1 relational support, flexible environments and gradual re-introduction to learning at a pace that supports confidence and wellbeing.
Purpose and Intent
• Provide highly flexible, personalised educational pathways.
• Build engagement, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
• Develop academic, social and life skills that support long-term independence.
• Prepare pupils for reintegration, vocational programmes or post-16 routes.
Curriculum Implementation
• 1:1 core learning in English and Maths with precision teaching and immediate feedback.
• Bespoke plans designed collaboratively with the pupil and family.
• Therapeutic approaches including ELSA, sensory regulation and emotional coaching.
• Opportunities for community-based learning and supported peer interaction.
• Continuous review to maintain ambition and relevance.
Foundational Knowledge
Foundational knowledge is responsive to each learner’s profile, designed to rebuild confidence, fill gaps and apply skills functionally.
• Reading: Tailored intervention—from phonics catch-up to higher-level comprehension; texts chosen to build confidence and engagement; reading applied to real-world contexts.
• Maths: Gaps identified through diagnostic assessment; concrete, visual or abstract methods used as appropriate; functional maths embedded in everyday tasks.
• Handwriting/Written Expression: Targeted support based on individual needs; flexible recording methods; gradual development of stamina and organisation.
• Spelling: Bespoke spelling instruction aligned to assessment; targeted morphology or phonics as needed; functional spelling for independence.
• Oracy: Building confidence in communication; modelling expressive and receptive language; supporting self-advocacy and emotional expression.
Impact
• Re-engagement with learning in a safe, personalised environment.
• Improved emotional regulation, readiness and self-confidence.
• Academic progress through highly individualised instruction.
• Development of independence, life skills and resilience.
• Successful movement into reintegration, vocational pathways or post-16.
