Wild Mind Well-Being

Wild Mind Well-Being Alternative Provision • Supporting young people aged 11–19 • Therapeutic education • Nature-based learning

07/05/2026

At Wild Minds, all of our ponies are non-ridden during sessions with young people. Their role is not about being worked - it is about calm companionship, connection, emotional regulation, education, and simply being part of daily life on the farm.

Outside of their work at Wild Minds, they are deeply loved family members too.

These photos are particularly special - Janice with Calliope this summer, and Janice with a much younger Indigo 11 years ago. It is incredible to see how much time has passed. We think this may be their final summer riding together… Calliope is getting tall!

Janice has given so much over the years and will now enjoy retirement here at Wild Minds, where she will remain a very loved companion and therapy pony for many years to come.

A fresh start for young people at Acorn House.At Wild Minds Acorn House, we believe learning works best when young peopl...
07/05/2026

A fresh start for young people at Acorn House.

At Wild Minds Acorn House, we believe learning works best when young people feel safe, understood and genuinely engaged.

Acorn House in Flackwell Heath is our small therapeutic hub for Years 10-14, supporting young people who may be struggling with anxiety, SEND, SEMH needs, school avoidance or mainstream education.

With no more than six students per session, the environment is calm, relational and highly individualised. This smaller setting allows us to build trust, reduce pressure and help young people reconnect with learning at their own pace.

Our approach blends therapeutic support, mentoring and vocational learning with literacy, numeracy, personal development, employability and preparation for adulthood. Learning is practical, meaningful and built around the young person’s strengths and interests.

For learners accessing two or more days per week, programmes may also include time at our Farm Campus, offering animal care, outdoor learning and practical vocational experiences within a highly regulating environment.

If you are a parent, SENCO or professional looking for the right support for a young person, we would be happy to talk through how Wild Minds may be able to help.

www.wildminds.pro

More brilliant projects created during our workshop sessions at Wild Minds! There is something so powerful about seeing ...
06/05/2026

More brilliant projects created during our workshop sessions at Wild Minds!

There is something so powerful about seeing your idea turn into something real with your own hands.

For many of our young people, practical learning creates opportunities to experience success differently. Measuring, sanding, drilling, problem solving, designing and finishing all build far more than a final product. They build patience, confidence, resilience, creativity and pride.

These sessions are about developing life skills, learning to persist when something is difficult, working safely, expressing creativity and experiencing the satisfaction of creating something from start to finish.

Hands-on learning allows many young people to engage, regulate and thrive in ways that traditional classroom environments may not always allow.

Helping Wild Minds Thrive - Specialist Therapeutic Alternative Provision

www.wildminds.pro

Behaviour is often a nervous system response.When a young person is overwhelmed, the brain shifts into survival mode. Th...
06/05/2026

Behaviour is often a nervous system response.

When a young person is overwhelmed, the brain shifts into survival mode. The thinking part of the brain becomes less available, so reasoning, listening and learning are harder.

This is why we start with regulation first.

We look for what the behaviour is communicating, reduce threat and demand, and use calm, consistent relationships to help the nervous system settle.

When safety comes first, learning can follow.

Wild Minds Alternative Provision takes learners throughout the year on a rolling basis.

Referrals via www.wildmindspro.com

Referrals are open!We work with learners referred by schools and local authorities where anxiety, trauma, neurodivergenc...
06/05/2026

Referrals are open!

We work with learners referred by schools and local authorities where anxiety, trauma, neurodivergence, emotional regulation difficulties, school avoidance, placement breakdown or complex life circumstances are impacting attendance, wellbeing and learning.

Our approach is relationship-led, therapeutic and highly individualised. We recognise that many young people need safety, connection and trust before meaningful learning can begin. Provision is tailored around each learner’s strengths, interests and readiness, helping to rebuild confidence, motivation, emotional regulation and future aspirations.

Support ranges from therapeutic mentoring and emotional wellbeing intervention through to structured placements of up to 3 days per week. Placements may sit alongside school, form part of an EHCP package, or be delivered within EOTAS provision.

Wild Minds delivers blended provision across multiple sites including:

• Our Farm Campus - offering animal care, equine studies, outdoor learning, land-based activities and practical vocational experiences within a calm, regulating environment

• Acorn House, Flackwell Heath - a therapeutic hub supporting mentoring, functional skills, personal development and small group learning

• Cookham Lodge - a quieter setting focused on engagement, employability, preparation for adulthood and therapeutic education pathways

Alongside emotional wellbeing support, we focus strongly on engagement, independence, employability and preparation for adulthood. Programmes may include vocational learning, functional skills, personal development and accredited learning opportunities.

We accept referrals throughout the academic year on a rolling basis.

If you are a parent, SENCO, school professional or commissioner and would like to explore whether Wild Minds may be a suitable fit for a young person, we would warmly encourage you to get in touch to discuss how we may be able to support your child or learner.

www.wildminds.pro

There’s an important conversation happening right now around SEND provision and what the future may look like for young ...
05/05/2026

There’s an important conversation happening right now around SEND provision and what the future may look like for young people who don’t fit into traditional education.

This article from Horse & Hound highlights concerns raised by HorseWorld Trust about the potential loss of specialist, therapeutic and nature-based provisions within proposed changes.

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/horseworld-on-government-schools-send-consultation-922767

At Wild Minds, this is something we see every day.

Many of the young people we support are not struggling because they can’t learn. They are struggling because they are overwhelmed, dysregulated, or have lost trust in education.

When a young person is in a constant state of stress, the brain is focused on survival, not learning. This is why environment matters.

Space matters
Connection matters
Feeling safe matters

Our approach is simple but intentional:
Regulation first. Safety. Connection. Then change.

For some young people, a classroom is not the starting point.

The farm, the animals, the routine, the relationships - these create the conditions where learning can begin again.

As the system evolves, it is vital that we continue to recognise that one size does not fit all.

Some young people need something different in order to succeed - not as an alternative, but as the right provision.

Helping Wild Minds Thrive

If you’d like to talk about placements or pathways, visit:
www.wildmindspro.com

Horse & Hound

Wild Minds Alternative ProvisionSeptember 2026We’re really excited to share what’s coming next for Wild Minds.Send your ...
29/04/2026

Wild Minds Alternative Provision
September 2026

We’re really excited to share what’s coming next for Wild Minds.
Send your school or EHCCO our referral link: https://www.wildmindwellbeing.co.uk/referral-form

Over the past year, we’ve grown, listened, and refined what we do - and our provision for next year reflects that.

We are now offering a clear, structured Preparation for Adulthood curriculum, designed specifically for young people who have struggled to access or remain in mainstream education.

Our programmes support learners with SEND, anxiety, SEMH needs, and those who need a different approach to re-engage with learning.

What we offer

At Wild Minds, learning looks different.

Our students follow a structured weekly programme that includes:

* Practical, hands-on learning
* Personal development and mentoring
* Functional literacy and numeracy
* Portfolio-based accredited work

We use vocational themes such as:

* Animal Care
* Land-Based Skills
* Construction and Practical Skills
* Hospitality and Food Preparation
* Hair and Beauty
* Digital Skills

These are not traditional “courses” in the college sense.

They are accessible, confidence-building pathways that help young people develop real-life skills and prepare for adulthood.

Our approach

Everything we do is built around:

Safety
Connection
Regulation
Progress

We work at the pace of the young person, building trust first, then supporting meaningful engagement and outcomes.

New for 2026

* A clearer, structured curriculum model across all sites
* Defined pathways for Academy (Year 6–9), P14 and Post-16 learners
* Increased focus on Preparation for Adulthood and independence
* A refreshed prospectus
* Our new website is now live

Take a look here:

https://wildmindspro.sintra.site

Referrals are open

Placements are commissioned by local authorities and schools and can be:

* Standalone alternative provision
* Part of an EHCP package
* Within an EOTAS package
* Or alongside a school placement

If you would like to discuss a young person or arrange a visit, please get in touch.

Yr 6-14
EHCP
EOTAS or Section 19

Helping Wild Minds Thrive

A reminder for the weekend.Teenagers are doing a huge amount of growing, processing and adapting. Rest is not laziness. ...
25/04/2026

A reminder for the weekend.

Teenagers are doing a huge amount of growing, processing and adapting. Rest is not laziness. It is part of regulation.

Downtime helps the nervous system settle, reduces overwhelm, and makes it more possible to come back to learning with steadier attention and better tolerance.

If you are supporting a young person who is burnt out or refusing school, start with rest and safety. Progress comes after that.

What does a day at Wild Minds actually feel like?It’s calm. Predictable. Purposeful.Every learner follows the same simpl...
25/04/2026

What does a day at Wild Minds actually feel like?

It’s calm. Predictable. Purposeful.

Every learner follows the same simple structure across the day:
Personal Development
Theory
Practical
Portfolio

That consistency matters. For many of our young people, uncertainty is where anxiety starts. When the day is clear and repeatable, the brain can settle. Once a learner feels safe and regulated, they are far more able to engage, think, and learn.

Mornings usually begin with Personal Development. This might look like mentoring, check-ins, building routines, or simply creating the right start to the day. It is where we meet the young person as they are.

Theory sessions follow, but not in a one-size-fits-all way. This could be functional skills, topic-based learning, or applied knowledge linked to their vocational pathway. We keep it accessible, relevant, and achievable.

Then we move into Practical sessions. This is where many of our learners thrive. Working with animals, being outdoors, using their hands, learning through doing. It builds confidence quickly because success is visible and immediate.

Portfolio time is protected. This is important. It is where progress is recognised, not lost. Learners reflect, record evidence, and build something tangible that shows what they can do. For young people who have often experienced failure in education, this is a shift. It shows them they are capable.

This four-part structure runs whether a learner attends one day a week or three. No one misses out. Every day offers a complete experience.

Underneath it all is a simple principle. Regulation comes first. When a young person feels safe, understood, and grounded, learning follows.

If you are considering a placement and want to explore what this could look like for your learner, referrals are open via www.wildmindspro.com

What can we offer?Wild Minds Alternative Provision provides therapeutic education and vocational pathways for young peop...
25/04/2026

What can we offer?

Wild Minds Alternative Provision provides therapeutic education and vocational pathways for young people who may find it difficult to access or sustain mainstream education or college.

Our provision is delivered across our sites in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, with a consistent regulation-first, relationship-led approach.

Our sites include:
• Wild Minds Farm
• Acorn House
• Cookham Lodge

Learners access a blend of therapeutic input, animal-assisted activities, practical and vocational learning, personal development, and preparation for adulthood. Students attending more than one day per week will usually access a combination of farm-based and hub-based learning, matched to their needs and readiness.

Placements are individualised pathways and can be commissioned as:
• Tier 1 (1 day per week)
• Tier 2 (2 days per week)
• Tier 3 (3 days per week)

These are matched to readiness, level of need, and attendance tolerance.

Referral criteria

Students must have an EHCP or be funded via a Section 19 arrangement to be referred.

If you are a parent or carer, please share this link with your school or EHCP coordinator to begin the referral process:
https://www.wildmindwellbeing.co.uk/referral-form

Safety • Connection • Change

Address

Blind Lane, Flackwell Heath
Bourne End
HP109LE

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 2:30pm
Saturday 2pm - 3:30pm

Telephone

+447403015891

Website

https://blinq.me/cmc06pi5304mzs60lkv9cv109

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