About Us

The Forwards Centre

The Forwards Centre is an alternative educational academy for primary aged pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. All pupils attend full-time and have been excluded or have been at serious risk of exclusion from their mainstream school. Pupils are aged from Y1 to Y6 and typically spend a period in the centre before either returning to mainstream education or moving on to specialist provision.

The centre’s values and ethos are built on the trust’s founding values of Believe, inspire and transform. We believe that all children, regardless of their prior experiences can achieve success.  We aim to reconnect often excluded and disengaged pupils with a love of learning and transform that into long-lasting success over time. 

Building on these founding values, leaders at the Forwards Centre we have fostered a culture that endeavours to ensure all pupils feel:

• Safe - We try never to put a child in a situation which would cause emotional dysregulation 
• Secure - We help all children to build secure relationships and long-lasting friendships.
• Successful - We provide opportunities for all children to experience success and go home each day with a new set of positive, happy memories. 

What Ofsted Said? The Forwards Centre is a calm, friendly and welcoming school where pupils develop a love of learning. Pupils often arrive in school with previous negative experiences of education. This is soon forgotten as pupils develop confidence in themselves and trust in the staff and the school.