Alternative Provision
The GAP’s Alternative Provision has been formulated by experts with decades of experience in mainstream schools (Primary & Secondary) and SEMH provisions. The GAP team believe that a new approach to therapeutic and education intervention is needed to change the life outcomes and happiness of young people in Manchester.
We offer a bespoke dual curriculum: 1:1 Academic Tuition and a 1:1 Mentor Scheme. These curriculums are expertly designed to unlock the potential in all young people and nurture their well-being and personal success. In many previous educational settings, a young person’s holistic needs may not have been prioritised. At the GAP, we believe that to engage in academic subjects, a young person must be able to reason, relate and regulate to engage and participate to the best of their abilities. Our systems take this into account and aims to build engagement by meeting these holistic needs. Combining therapeutic, mindful based approaches with academic rigour has, in our experiences, led to higher attendance, engagement and positive outcomes. At GAP, our staff seek progress, not perfection and equip young people with the correct mindset, knowledge, and skills to succeed in their educational career and later life.
Our academic curriculum prioritises English and Maths. Our qualified, experienced teachers have designed this curriculum using a ‘high challenge, low threat’ model to strip away any fear that ayoung person may have around learning, simplifying the learning process so that they can reconnect with their natural curiosity and love of learning. Students will receive 1:1 tuition in these subjects to ensure that the work is suited to individual starting points and to allow timely feedback that aids achievement. We celebrate each student as an individual, and there are options to study additional subjects if required.
Our therapeutic curriculum is delivered through a ‘Helping Hand’ mentor scheme, facilitating the holistic development of a young person through a nurturing, trauma-conscious relationship with a key adult. This curriculum has been designed by experts in Psychology and incorporates several therapeutic approaches. Mentors seek to re-engage young people who have additional needs and/or who have faced challenges in their lives, working towards mutually beneficial goals that allow young people to pursue a consistent and promising future. We offer the following therapeutic approaches during a young person’s time at the GAP:
- Talk Led Cognitive Discourse (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), specialising in Trauma Conscious Practice at a neural attachment-based level.
- Mindfulness: Bottom-up approaches focused on how our biology influences our understanding of the external world around us.
- Neuroscientific Developments and Play Therapy
If you believe this approach is needed, please apply here Admissions.
