As another busy month comes to a close, July has given us plenty to celebrate across Storyy Group. From the end of another successful academic year to young people achieving qualifications, preparing for college, securing employment and developing valuable life skills, it has been a month that truly reflects the progress being made every day across our services.
With the summer holidays now underway, our teams have continued to provide consistency, support and opportunities that allow young people to build confidence both inside and outside of education. Whether completing creative projects, learning practical skills, enjoying community activities or simply making the most of the sunshine together, every experience has helped strengthen relationships, encourage resilience and create positive memories.
As we look ahead to September, we are incredibly proud of everything our young people have achieved and look forward to supporting them as they begin their next chapters.
Alternative Provision
Across our Alternative Provision settings, July marked the end of another successful school year. It has been a month of celebrating progress, recognising achievements and reflecting on the confidence and resilience our young people have built throughout the year. Alongside their learning, students have continued to explore new interests, develop practical skills and enjoy activities that support both their personal development and wellbeing.
Storyybrook
As the school year came to an end, Storyybrook celebrated another fantastic year of learning and development. It has been wonderful to see every child grow in confidence, develop new skills and make meaningful progress throughout the year. While many young people will be returning after the summer holidays, others are preparing to take the exciting next step into school, and we wish them every success as they begin this new adventure.
Learning continued to be creative and engaging throughout July. young people explored the topic of Kings and Queens, learning about castles, royal life and history through hands-on activities including creating shadow paintings, designing coats of arms and building impressive castles from recycled materials. Working together on these projects encouraged teamwork, creativity and problem-solving while allowing every child to contribute their own ideas.
The following week brought a Movies and Films theme, where young people took part in Finding Nemo scavenger hunts, created Inside Out stress balls, decorated Monsters, Inc. cupcakes and completed a range of other film-inspired activities. Physical development was also encouraged through slackline sessions, helping young people improve their balance and coordination while trying something completely new.
To finish the year, Storyybrook hosted a Circus-themed Fun Day packed with exciting activities including juggling, plate spinning, fairground games, face painting, cake decorating and an inflatable obstacle course. It was a fantastic way to celebrate the end of term, with young people encouraging one another, embracing new experiences and finishing the school year with plenty of smiles and confidence.
Finchampstead
At Finchampstead, students finished the academic year by exploring a range of important PSHE topics, including staying safe outdoors, drugs and alcohol awareness, healthy relationships, budgeting and preparing for change and transitions. Through discussions, quizzes and creative activities, students strengthened their understanding of these key life topics while gaining AQA Unit Awards that recognised both their learning and participation.
Beyond the classroom, every student contributed to an environmental mural created entirely from recycled and upcycled materials. The project encouraged teamwork, communication and creativity while reinforcing positive environmental messages. The finished artwork became something the whole group could be proud of, reflecting both their effort and collaboration.
One young person also dedicated time to writing and producing their own play, complete with songs and props. By combining creativity with literacy and ICT skills, they developed greater confidence while pursuing a passion that truly motivated them. Projects like these continue to demonstrate how personalised learning can inspire young people to achieve more than they ever thought possible.
Birch Hill
At Birch Hill, students completed the school year by exploring topics including health and fitness, the impact of social media on mental health, and politics and democracy. These sessions encouraged thoughtful discussions around healthy lifestyles, emotional wellbeing and the importance of becoming informed and active members of society. Students also achieved AQA Unit Awards in recognition of their knowledge, engagement and personal development throughout the term.
Outside of the classroom, young people embraced a wide variety of enrichment activities including football, boxing and axe throwing. These experiences helped build resilience, teamwork and confidence while encouraging healthy lifestyles and positive risk-taking in a safe environment. Students also completed an Environmental Mural project, developing practical outdoor skills while learning more about conservation and caring for the world around them.
Storyy Trades
At Storyy Trades, practical learning remained at the heart of everything our young people achieved. Throughout the month, students worked independently on a variety of woodworking projects, designing and building planters using both recycled tyres and timber before preparing them for future planting projects.
Another young person challenged themselves by designing and constructing a bird box completely from scratch. Along the way they encountered several obstacles but demonstrated excellent resilience, patience and problem-solving to successfully complete the project. Experiences like these not only develop practical trade skills but also encourage perseverance, independence and confidence that will benefit young people far beyond the classroom.
Supported Accommodation
July has been another positive month across our Supported Accommodation (16+) homes, with young people continuing to make excellent progress towards education, employment and independent living. Alongside achieving important milestones, they have enjoyed making the most of the summer weather through shared activities that continue to strengthen relationships and create lasting memories.
Holland Pines
Holland Pines currently supports five young people, four of whom remain engaged in education. This month, one young person successfully completed her GCSEs in Maths and English alongside Business Studies, an outstanding achievement that reflects her commitment and determination. Another young person continues to actively seek employment with support from the team as they work towards securing the right opportunity.
The home also enjoyed a fantastic day at West Wittering Beach, giving everyone the opportunity to relax, enjoy the sunshine and plan future activities together. One young person has even taken the lead in organising an “Eat Well for Less” taste test challenge, comparing premium and budget food brands to see whether paying more really makes a difference. We look forward to sharing the results next month.
Higher Alham
Higher Alham has seen two young people preparing to begin college this September, taking another exciting step towards their future aspirations. Three other young people continue to actively seek employment and have shown resilience and motivation throughout their job search.
The home has also enjoyed a variety of social activities throughout the month, including movie nights with pizza, watching the FIFA Club World Cup, a sunflower growing competition and a taco-making evening. These experiences continue to build independence, confidence and positive relationships while making everyday life enjoyable.
Illingworth
At Illingworth, one young person recently completed his GCSEs and is preparing to return to college in September, marking another important educational milestone.
The remaining young people have continued working hard to secure employment, applying for vacancies, distributing CVs and taking part in employment workshops with staff. Despite the challenges of today’s job market, they have remained determined and focused on achieving their goals.
The warm weather has also provided plenty of opportunities to enjoy the home’s outdoor space, with football, basketball, water fights and afternoons spent in the swimming pool bringing everyone together during the summer holidays.
Children’s Home
It has been a fantastic month in our Children’s Home, with plenty of achievements worth celebrating.
Two of our young people finished school for the summer, with one receiving a school trophy in recognition of their outstanding attitude towards learning. Both have worked incredibly hard throughout the year and should be extremely proud of everything they have achieved.
Another young person also celebrated completing college and received even more exciting news after successfully securing employment following a recent interview. Their commitment, determination and positive attitude continue to shine through, and everyone is incredibly proud of this fantastic achievement.
Alongside these milestones, the home has enjoyed a fun-filled month of activities. Watching the World Cup together became a favourite pastime, while trips to the cinema, bowling, meals out and the arcades created plenty of opportunities to spend quality time together. The warm summer evenings have also been spent making the most of the swimming pool in the garden, creating lasting memories before preparations begin for an exciting house holiday in August.
A Message from the Team
As another academic year comes to an end, we would like to thank every member of our team, our partners, families and everyone who continues to support the work we do across Storyy. Every achievement, whether big or small, is made possible through the dedication, encouragement and belief shown by the people around our young people every single day.
We are incredibly proud of everything our young people have accomplished throughout July and look forward to continuing to support them as they begin new schools, colleges, employment opportunities and exciting new chapters over the months ahead.
If you would like to find out more about any of our services, we’d love to hear from you.
📧 hello@storyy.group
📞 01344 987 877
🌐 www.storyy.group
