Frequently Asked Questions: Everything You Need to Know

Shropshire Adventures Academy is a specialist post-16 education centre based in Stottesdon, Shropshire. We support young people aged 16 to 25 with social, emotional and mental health difficulties through a bespoke, trauma-informed programme delivered across 30 acres of outdoor space, with horses at the heart of everything we do. We are small, family-run and deliberately different from mainstream education.

Most alternative provisions still operate in buildings, follow rigid timetables and replicate the structures that have already failed their learners. We don't. Learning happens outdoors, with horses, in woodland, on the water and across 30 acres of open space. With only 8 to 10 learners at any one time, every young person is genuinely known, every programme is completely bespoke and no one ever gets lost in the crowd.

The academy is part of a wider family business that has been working with young people in the outdoors for over 30 years. Country Treks, our award-winning riding centre, has been operating on the same site throughout and was named Riding Centre of the Year. The academy itself grew naturally from that heritage, built on decades of experience working with young people in an outdoor and equine environment.

We deliver qualifications through nationally recognised bodies including the British Horse Society and AQA. Our equine provision is delivered within an award-winning riding centre with Level 4 BHS qualified coaches. We are a member of the Attachment and Trauma Research Community and work in partnership with Adventure Consultancy for our outdoor qualifications. We are committed to continuous improvement and maintaining the highest standards of provision.

We work best with young people aged 16 to 25 who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties, particularly those who've experienced childhood trauma, serious bullying, neglect or family breakdown. Many of our learners have been out of education for a year or more, have tried multiple provisions that haven't worked and need somewhere that feels completely different from anything they've experienced before.

No. We don't define young people by their diagnoses and we don't require one to consider a young person for a place. What matters to us is understanding the individual, their experiences and their needs. That said, all learners must have an Education, Health and Care Plan in place as the academy is funded through local authority EHCP budgets.

Yes, we can support some learners with ADHD and autism, particularly those whose primary difficulties are anxiety, emotional dysregulation and social withdrawal rather than complex learning needs. Our specialism is social, emotional and mental health, so we are most effective with anxious, traumatised young people who need confidence building in a safe, outdoor environment. If you're unsure whether your child is suitable, get in touch and we'll have an honest conversation.

It makes no difference to us. We hear this from almost every family who contacts us. Previous exclusions and placement breakdowns are not a barrier. The environment here is so fundamentally different from anything your child has experienced before that what happened elsewhere is rarely a reliable guide to what happens at the academy.

Learners attend five days a week from 9.30am to 3pm, term time only. Every timetable is completely individualised, but a typical week will include equine work and horse care, outdoor education activities such as bushcraft, navigation or water sports, one to one functional skills sessions, preparing for adulthood conversations and personal development activities. No two learners follow the same timetable and no two days are exactly the same.

It means that every member of our team understands that difficult behaviour is a response to unmet needs, not wilful defiance. We never use sanctions, isolation or exclusion. Instead, we use emotion coaching to help learners understand their responses and develop better strategies. Every emotional moment is treated as a teaching opportunity. Learners are never judged on their worst days and always greeted with a smile and a fresh start the next morning.

Horses are uniquely effective with trauma-experienced young people for several reasons. They are non-judgmental, they respond directly to emotional states and they require patience, consistency and calm to work with. For young people who have been criticised, labelled and rejected, the acceptance of a horse is often a genuinely new experience. Scientifically, being around horses lowers heart rate and reduces anxiety. Many of our most significant breakthroughs happen on the yard or out on a hack, not in a classroom.

Refusal is always met with patience, never pressure. We'll take the time to understand what's behind the reluctance and work gently to build confidence over time. Many learners who refused certain activities in their first weeks go on to be the most enthusiastic participants in the group. We never force participation and we never give up.

Yes. An Education, Health and Care Plan is our only firm requirement, as the academy is funded through local authority EHCP budgets. If your child doesn't yet have an EHCP, please still get in touch. We can help point you in the right direction and explain how to start the application process.

The process is deliberately relaxed and informal. It starts with a simple conversation, either by phone or email, where we find out a little about your child and answer any questions you have. If things feel like a good fit, we'll invite you both for an informal visit to the site. There's no formal interview or assessment, just a look around and a chance to meet the team. From there, if we're confident we can help, we'll begin the formal consultation with your local authority.

This varies depending on local authority timescales. The academy side of the process moves quickly. We respond to all enquiries within 24 hours and aim to arrange a site visit as soon as possible. Delays most commonly occur at the local authority stage, particularly around transport funding. We'll support you through this and keep you informed throughout.

Just tell us a little about your child and what's brought you to us. There's no set format and no wrong way to start. The more you can share, the better placed we'll be to give you a helpful response, but even a few sentences is enough to begin the conversation. Dan responds to every enquiry personally and will take it from there.

We specialise in post-16 provision for young people with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, particularly those who've experienced childhood trauma. We are not a generalist SEND provider. Our model is built entirely around trauma-informed education delivered through outdoor and equine learning in a small, bespoke setting. We are most effective with anxious, withdrawn young people who need confidence building and a fundamentally different environment.

Every learner's programme is individually designed around their EHCP outcomes from day one. We document progress continuously throughout the year through observation-based assessment, portfolio evidence and regular written updates. We do not wait for annual reviews to communicate achievements or concerns. If something needs to be raised, we raise it early and proactively.

We have zero dropouts and zero placement breakdowns. Once a learner is placed with us, they stay. Our attendance rate is consistently strong and we manage any emerging issues proactively before they escalate. For caseworkers managing complex caseloads, we are a low-maintenance, high-outcome placement that does not generate crises or require ongoing intervention.

Contact Dan directly by email or phone with the learner's EHCP and a brief overview of their current situation. We'll respond within 24 hours to discuss suitability, answer any questions and confirm whether we have availability. If we think we can help, we'll arrange a site visit and begin the formal consultation process from there.

Yes, every local authority that uses our provision does quality assurance checks before they commit to sending students to our academy. We are proud to be part of a number of local authorities' approved list of education providers. We are committed to continuous improvement and maintaining the highest standards of provision.

Learners can work towards a range of nationally recognised qualifications including BHS Changing Lives Through Horses at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels, BHS Stage 1 and Stage 2, also offering BHSQ work-based diplomas in horse care Level 1 and Level 2. Functional skills in maths and English from Entry Level through to Level 2, BHS Personal Development qualifications, Emergency First Aid in the Outdoors, Water Rescue Awareness and Navigation Awards. All qualifications are assessed through observation and portfolio evidence rather than formal examinations.

Yes. BHS qualifications are highly respected within the equine industry and are valued by riding schools, racing yards, livery yards and equine charities. Functional Skills at Level 2 is the equivalent of a GCSE pass and is widely accepted by employers and further education providers. Outdoor qualifications are valued in conservation, land management and adventure sectors. Learners also build portfolios of AQA unit awards that evidence the breadth of their learning for CVs and job applications.

Our goal for every learner is employment, independent living and a clear vision for their future. Many of our leavers go on to work in equine or outdoor sectors, pursuing careers as grooms, yard assistants, outdoor instructors or conservation workers. Others progress to further training or apprenticeships. Beyond employment, success for us also means a young person who can manage their emotions, access their community independently and believe in their own future.

Qualifications matter, but they're only part of the picture. We measure success by the things that don't appear on a certificate. A learner who walks into a cafe alone for the first time. A young person who makes eye contact and cracks a joke. Someone who books their own doctor's appointment or gets on a horse for the first time and smiles. These are the moments that tell us something has genuinely changed, and they matter just as much to us as any formal award.