Happy New Year from all of us here at Storyy Group!
As we welcome 2025, we’re filled with excitement and optimism for the year ahead. The start of a new year offers us a chance to reflect on all that we’ve achieved together, while looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.
At Storyy Group, we’re committed to continuing our work of supporting and empowering young people, whether through our Alternative Provision, Supported Accommodation (16+) or Apprenticeships. We’ve got plenty of exciting updates to share, and we can’t wait to collaborate with you in making 2025 a year of growth, learning, and positive change.
Alternative Provision
In December, we embraced the holiday spirit across both our Primary and Secondary Alternative Provision sites. Our primary-aged students had a blast with Sprinkle the Elf, who stayed with us throughout the month, causing plenty of mischief. On the final day of term, we created a little magic and brought Sprinkle to life, followed by a Christmas movie and some healthy snacks.
The children at Storyybrook also explored exciting topics like the Solar System and the Human Body, while enjoying various cooking sessions, including making bread and gingerbread men. Our Secondary students participated in a Christmas Bake Off, where they had fun making and decorating gingerbread men and houses.
Meanwhile, at our Trades site, students delved into mechanics by stripping bikes, rewiring them, and learning about their components. They also gained hands-on experience with scaffolding and used basic carpentry skills to design and create thoughtful gifts for their families. If you would like any more information on our Alternative Provision programmes, please email [email protected].
Last term, we successfully reintegrated 14 young people back into their school settings or supported their transitions to new schools through our School Reintegration Programme. Looking ahead to the new term, we’ll be encouraging all our students to set fresh goals and aspirations for the year. We’ll work with them to make sure they have the support they need to turn those goals into achievable successes.
- Working with Slough Borough Council: During December, we’ve continued our partnership with Slough Borough Council, bringing a new set of assemblies as part of the ‘Stay True To You’ initiative. These sessions focus on encouraging young people to stay true to their values, make positive choices, and develop the skills to resist external pressures. The response has been fantastic, with students engaging deeply with the topics discussed.
- New Workshops for 2025: We’re also thrilled to announce that from the new term, we’ll be delivering interactive workshops alongside our assemblies. These workshops are designed to take the themes from our assemblies – such as mental health, knife crime, county lines, antibullying, LGBTQIA+ topics – and dive deeper with smaller cohorts of students. Each session will last between 40-60 minutes and will be highly engaging, with interactive activities that help young people connect with the material.
Schools interested in booking a workshop, or in receiving a session plan, can reach out to our Account Manager Lee: [email protected]. We look forward to helping more young people build resilience and confidence through these engaging and targeted sessions.
Calling all SENCOs! If you’re a SENCO or SENDCO at a local school, we’d greatly appreciate your assistance! We’re eager to understand how we can best support you and the students you work with. To help us learn how to partner effectively and support you in achieving your goals, please take a moment to complete this brief questionnaire and share your feedback on how we can better assist you.
Supported Accommodation & Children’s Home
Our Supported Accommodation (16+) continue to provide safe and supportive accommodation for 18 young people across four homes.
- College & Employment: Eight of our young people are enrolled in college, and one is actively seeking employment. We’re also thrilled that one young lady has secured an apprenticeship in sports coaching, set to begin in the new year!
- Festive Spirit: The homes have been filled with festive cheer, replacing Halloween and Diwali decorations with Christmas trees, baubles, and mischievous elves. Communal activities have kept everyone busy, including pizza-making nights, arts and crafts, painting sessions, and game nights.
- Outings & Special Moments: Our young people enjoyed a magical walk around Jennett’s Park, where the neighbourhood’s Christmas lights display, featuring inflatable Santas, reindeer and snowmen, lit up the night sky. Some of our residents also had an unforgettable experience at Mercedes Benz World, including a thrilling passenger ride that they absolutely loved.
- A Heartwarming Christmas: For many, Christmas can be a difficult time. This year, our young people came together to enjoy a festive Christmas Day celebration within Supported Accommodation (16+). One of our young people took the lead in planning the meal, shopping, and coordinating the cooking times — resulting in an incredible Christmas dinner and plenty of leftovers for Boxing Day!
At Emerald House, our Children’s Home, we’re pleased to share that one of our young people was able to travel to Spain to celebrate Christmas with their family, while another celebrated their first Christmas at Emerald House. Both moments marked significant milestones in their journeys, and we couldn’t be prouder of how far they’ve come.
Apprenticeships & Training
We’re kicking off 2025 with some exciting events and opportunities for those looking to upskill and invest in their future careers.
- Childcare & Education Expo: Our Apprenticeship and Training Team will be exhibiting at the Childcare & Education Expo at Olympia London on February 28th and March 1st! Come and visit us at stand D6 to find out more about how we can help you upskill your Early Years staff and take your team’s capabilities to the next level.
- Early Years Lead Practitioner Level 5: We’re thrilled to announce that our Early Years Lead Practitioner Level 5 apprenticeship is now live! This comprehensive course covers essential areas of child development, leadership, and health and well-being in early years education. The course fee is £8,000, with funding options available. Enrollment is now open, so please contact Lisa Parkinson, our Partnerships Manager, for more information or to register. You can reach Lisa at 07523 277566 or via email at [email protected].
- Levy Transfer Funding & CPD Courses: If you’re considering other apprenticeships or training opportunities, Lisa can guide you through the application process for 100% Levy Transfer Funding. Plus, our online CPD courses are available for just £40 per user, valid until March 2025. From Health & Safety to Business Leadership, these courses are designed to ensure your team remains compliant and well-trained.
Get in Touch!
If you have any questions about our services or would like to make an urgent referral for our Alternative Provision, please reach out to us. We’re here to help!
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01344 987 877
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to working together in 2025 to help our young people thrive!
