Circles – Branching Out

Former St. Martins School (Hutton) alumni Brad Kaylor & Alex Stone set up Circles Alternative Education in
2009 as a not for profit community interest company to provide provision for 11-16’s at risk of exclusion
from school. Over the past 13 years of progression, Circles has increased its service to provide vocational
training and social emotional and mental health support for those aged 4-17 across 2 sites in Basildon
and Stock, Essex.

Circles strives to engage young people in learning through vocational team work and social development.
By providing a happy, caring and safe learning environment for all, young people feel valued and are able
to grow in confidence and independence. We promote happiness through a creative, exciting and practical
curriculum, which generates a love of, and interest in, learning. Great value is placed on pupils’ self-esteem
which is developed through a well-motivated attitude to learning, a healthy lifestyle, good social skills, selfdiscipline
and a positive self-image.

However,

• Only 5.8% of people with a learning disability, autism or ADHD will find and sustain paid
employment during their lifetime.

• 94 out of 100 college leavers have no prospect of a purposeful future after education.
With this in mind, we have developed an opportunity that bridges the gap between work experience and
employment.

Circles ‘Branching Out’ is a conservation enterprise that focuses on providing supported
employment opportunities for young people. We are determined to provide real and long lasting
employment opportunities for those with autism and learning difficulties.

What does supportive employment look like?
Starting a new job can be overwhelming for anyone. We support our young people by simplifying the
process; breaking the workload into manageable steps, overcoming fears by implementing practical
solutions and enabling career progression by exploring hidden talents. A key area is supporting the
transition from a parent managing their child’s education to the young person self-managing their
employment and welfare.