Alternative Education Provision
Our Alternative Therapeutic Provision works holistically with young people and the important systems around them, including family, home and school. The aim is to support wellbeing and help young people re-engage with education at a pace that feels safe and achievable.
We provide long-term therapeutic support delivered by registered, experienced practitioners, alongside a range of family-based support. This combined approach helps reduce inequality around the young person and supports positive, lasting outcomes.
Cambridge Acorn Project provides holistic and bespoke therapeutic interventions on a one-to-one basis.
Our approach
Our therapeutic work is grounded in attachment theory, empathy, and reflective practice. Our model prioritises shared decision making and feedback informed treatment ensuring children and young people are at the heart of their own therapeutic journeys.
This supportive approach gives the child or young person the time needed to build strong positive relationships facilitating long-term change. Our interventions work across multiple domains to improve wellbeing, and support young people to transition back into mainstream or special educational settings.
We work closely with the young person and their environment to reduce disadvantage and inequality, and our support also includes attachment-related activities, ensuring basic needs are met for safe homes and reducing family stress, and promoting social freedom. We provide the right support for the individual, all our therapists, social workers, and counsellors are qualified, registered and highly experienced and we can provide a wide range of support including:
Therapeutic education
Units Award Scheme
Counselling & psychotherapeutic counselling
Art therapy
Drama therapy
Music therapy
Animal-assisted therapy
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Video Interactive Guidance (VIG)
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) informed practice
Mindfulness and meditation
Therapeutic Education
Our therapeutic education programme is delivered by qualified tutors (QTS and/or subject specialists) and offers inclusive, personalised 1:1 and small group trauma-informed tutoring in a low-stimulation environment.
Our programmes are built around each young person’s interests, prioritising their voice. We meet the young person at their individual starting points, to ensure they feel emotionally safe and use their strengths and interests to facilitate learning working at a pace suitable to them.
Our provision aims to build confidence in reading and writing, number sense and calculating, or longer-term cross-curriculum creative projects working towards an end goal. Where appropriate, we can support towards gaining accredited certification. By addressing each young person’s unique needs, we help them form positive connections in a safe, nurturing environment. This boosts confidence and self-esteem, enabling long-term change and positive outcomes.
AQA Unit Award Scheme (UAS)
We are proud to be registered with the AQA Unit Award Scheme, which forms an integral part of our therapeutic alternative provision. This approach offers young people a flexible and supportive pathway back into learning, where progress is recognised in small, achievable steps.
Our focus is on helping learning feel safe, manageable and meaningful. Each time a learner completes a unit, they receive a certificate and add it to a personal portfolio that reflects their growing skills, strengths and experiences. Every learner moves at a pace that suits them, ensuring success is always within reach.
By valuing effort, consistency and progress—not just final outcomes—our approach builds confidence, motivation and a renewed sense of engagement with education. Alongside academic development, it also supports young people’s emotional wellbeing and their capacity to form positive relationships.
Designated Safeguarding Leads
Matt Edge
matt@cambridgeacornproject.org.uk
Becky Wilburn
becky.wilburn@cambridgeacornproject.org.uk