Why Circles Alt Ed?

Alternative environments, we offer spaces in nature around animals
and within real life working scenarios.

Whatever the setting, young people at Circles are given ownership, they feel safe and their attendance makes an impact.

Quantitative and qualitative progress reports, professional safeguarding and timely data, we have been developing our own system for measuring, tracking and improving our students attendance and attainment since 2010. This enables us to track punctuality by the minute, report attendance data instantly and measure both social and academic progress. 

Alternative approach, our team are a mixture of educationalists and and vocational professionals. We treat those as we would like to be treated. We focus on the importance of team work whilst celebrating the individual, using fun, humour, patience and understanding to support our young people. 

Young peoples voice, our young people are given the chance to feedback on their learning experience each day. Their mentor will too provide their comment, ensuring good communication and a shared understanding. 

We are an open-arm service; offering every young person a chance to engage in education. 

The Circles Day

Similar to a school day, we arrive at 9.15am for a 9.30am start. Sometimes students need to begin with just an hour or two and build up to a whole day, this can always be supported. Session times vary per site but the day ends all the same at 2.30pm. 

Lunch, drinks and snacks are provided. 

We group students by dynamics and opportunity for social development as well as educational attainment. Some of the young people that we support have historically low attendance (EBSA/ASR) however we are proud to share our overall attendance figure of 88%* along with our average attainment at three BTECs – one of which is at least at certificate level. *Academic year 2021/22

We work in partnership with Essex county council and Southend/Thurrock unitary authorities along with virtual schools and local authorities nationwide. We work with Ofsted regularly as part of each school’s inspection.