The summer holidays are finally upon us, marking the end of a fantastic school year at Storyy Group. We are immensely proud of every young person’s success with us. Each achievement can be measured in various ways, and we’re delighted to celebrate every win!
We are equally proud of our incredible staff, whose support has been instrumental in boosting the success of our young people throughout the school year. To celebrate their hard work, we hosted an Awards Night at St. Anne’s Manor Hotel. Congratulations to all of those who won awards, you should all be very proud of yourselves!
- Training – Tutor of the Year: Alva Chapman
- Alternative Provision – Newcomer of the Year: Emma Dangerfield
- Homes – Teamwork Award: Kelly Davidson
- Training – Outstanding Contribution: Louise Meakings Knight
- Alternative Provision – Mentor of the Year: Eloise J.
- Homes – Young People’s Choice: Jade Wills
- Training – Above & Beyond Award: Melanie White
- Alternative Provision – Above & Beyond Award: Charlotte Smith
- Homes – Above & Beyond Award: Richard Tobin
- Training – Innovative Award: Balvinder Singh Shekhon
- Alternative Provision Manager of the Year: Charlotte Linsell
- Homes – Leadership Award: Natalie Martin
- Homes Team Inspiration Award: Emerald House
- Alternative Provision Team of the Year: Birch Hill
- Recognition Award: Connor Clarke
- Care Award: Mel Jarrett
- Storyy Award: Mark Jolly
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Alternative Provision Year Overview
Here are the incredible stats the young people we’ve worked with have achieved this year:
- 47 young people have reintegrated into school or education
- 176 students worked with
- 745 AQA awards achieved
- 310 Alternative Provision sessions
- 78% attendance rate
- 5 young people employed
- 1 apprenticeship enrolment
End-of-Term Excursions
Our end-of-term excursions featured a variety of activities, providing an amazing time for all involved. Young people at our Secondary-aged Alternative Provisions participated in:
- A Thorpe Park trip
- Go Karting
- Ninja Warrior
- Fishing
- Bubble Football hosted by Soccer Sphere
Our Primary-aged Alternative Provision, Storyybrook, enjoyed a fun day with bouncy castles, ice cream making, face painting, balloon animals, and more exciting activities! Parents and carers joined the event, making it a lovely day.
Reports and Upcoming Changes
Our end-of-year pupil profiles and reports have been sent out. If you have any questions or queries about our Alternative Provision, feel free to email our Account Manager, Lee: [email protected]
Looking ahead to next year, our Primary site, Storyybrook, will have new session times, running morning or afternoon sessions with a 3-hour maximum day for each young person (student dependent). For session timings and further information, please get in touch using the above email address.
We are also introducing a new ‘Early Intervention Support’ programme in September, offering schools the opportunity to have a Storyy Group Behaviour Mentor on site for 30-minute sessions. This service is free of charge, with four 30-minute sessions available to each school. Bookings are already open, so please reach out for more information.
Some Lovely Feedback
We’ve recently received the below testimonial from Mrs R Burbirdge, Assistant Headteacher from Fox Hill Primary School:
“We have worked with Storyy Group for some time now and have been so grateful to them for their dedication to working collaboratively with us to ensure our pupils get the best possible support. Staff are highly communicative, calm, and care very much about the children in their care, showing empathy and understanding. The team at Storyy always ensure that the school are kept fully involved in the provision and progress, and that their views are considered too. Their reports are timely, detailed and accurate, and really capture the child’s strengths as well as their next steps”.
We’d like to say a big thank you to the amazing schools and local authorities we have worked with throughout the year. Your dedication and hard work are truly appreciated. We can’t wait to pick back up where we left off in September!
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Supported Accommodation (16+) & Children’s Home
Children’s Home:
- One of the young people has secured a full-time job.
- The Home has recently welcomed two new furry friends, Beau and Bonnie, some very cute rabbits! Thank you to Residential Support Worker Lilly for ringing every pet shop in Berkshire to find them.
- One of the young people has planted strawberry plants and pumpkins and has started a grow diary. We will keep you posted with green-fingered updates!
- One of the young people has worked really hard towards community independence and now enjoys travelling in his own to visit friends.
- We’d like to thank the Children’s Home staff for their positive participation in their first Ofsted inspection.
- Carley, one of our Residential Support Workers, has been going above and beyond to plan a fun, creative and stimulating summer holiday plan for the young people.
Supported Accommodation (16+):
- We are currently supporting 15 young people across 4 Supported Accommodations (16+), with 3 more people moving in soon.
- 1 young person is awaiting GCSE results, with another having completed a Level 2 Outdoor Education course.
- 2 young people have completed their A Levels and another is returning to college in September to complete their Level 3 Art & Design course.
- 1 young person is starting college in September to complete their Functional Skills in English & Maths.
- 2 young people had an amazing work experience at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix, assisting local florist Carley Designs. Over 16000 steps were covered each day!
- Support Workers recently took some young people to West Wittering for a beach trip. Everyone enjoyed swimming, ice creams and soaking up the sun.
- Sadly it didn’t come home, but young people and staff enjoyed celebrating the Euros football tournament with food, quizzes and watching matches together.
- Support Worker Kass has been getting the garden ready at our new Supported Accommodation (16+) with the help of young people.
- One of the young people went on a walk around South Hill Park with their Support Worker, admired the flowers and made lovely little bouquets.
An Amazing Testimonial
A few weeks ago, we were sent these lovely words by Fiona Frances, a local IRO:
“I have been really impressed from my first visit with the accommodation and how it feels like a home. Having been in many Supported Independent Living environments, the atmosphere and culture of your home is the best that I have seen and this is the view I share widely with SW and other IROs’. The standard you set is what a child should experience. It is warm, caring, and empowering for the young people.
Jade, the work you have been doing with [the young person] is parenting. You show care and love towards her and are so attuned. You were able to identify what her emotions were immediately; you have provided the support she requires and have made her feel safe and loved. This is what young people we care for should all experience.
There is something unique about what I have observed from my first visit, and it was no surprise to learn that the business is led by those who are care experienced. I also know that [the young person] has been involved in the setting up of new homes. This ethos and values are something which I hold deeply within my practice”.
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- We’d like to welcome Rachel Chamberlain to Storyy Group’s Apprenticeship & Training Team as a new Functional Skills Tutor.
- Our CPD Licenses are only £79 per user throughout August and will last until March 2025. You can view our full range of CPD courses here.
Early Years Apprenticeships
Our next Early Years cohort is kicking off in September, so please get in touch with our Partnerships Manager, Lisa, if you wish to reserve a place: [email protected]
Do you have any new or existing staff that would like to gain any of the following qualifications:
- Playworker Level 2
- Early Years Practitioner Level 2
- Early Years Educator Level 3
- Team Leader Level 3 (for Room Leaders)
Lisa can help you access 100% funding for ALL of the above for ALL ages, so long as they are in the right job role and have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years. Give Lisa a call today on 07523 277566 for more information on our September Cohort or to reserve spaces for your staff.
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If you have any questions or queries about our range of services, please feel free to get in contact with us! If you’d like to make a referral for our Alternative Provision, please click here.
