Explore is our medium-term program designed to further develop learners’ personal, social, emotional, and mental well-being, with an increased focus on fostering agency through a more learner-led curriculum. Explore is intended for learners who have completed either the Roots or Discovery program and are in a transitional phase before returning to a full-time educational placement or planning to access alternative provisions as part of their long-term supplemented education. Learners who continue with Roar Trails will subsequently advance to our Grow program for those under 16 or our Thrive program for post-16 learners.
Program Objectives
General
- To foster learners’ personal abilities such as self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience through learning new skills, being physical active and overcoming challenges.
- To build social skills through building positive relationships, working collaboratively on tasks and engaging in their local community.
- To promote positive mental health and emotional well-being by encouraging self-regulation and personal risk management across a range of different environments.
- To encourage healthy and active lifestyles through physically engaging activities.
Personal
- To support the development of learners’ EHCP outcomes by focusing delivery and setting targets that demonstrate progress towards their cognition and learning, communication and interaction, social, emotional, and mental health, and physical and sensory needs.
Target Audience
Designed as our transitional program learners would have already completed either the Roots or Discovery program and maybe either waiting to secure a full-time educational placement, wishing to extend their program for a brief period or planning for longer-term supplemented education. Roar Trails recognises the diverse needs among young people, particularly those struggling to access mainstream education. Therefore, the Explore program does not have an age range but instead offers an outdoor alternative education provision for those:
- Who require support outside the classroom to help them re-engage
- Who are either at risk or have already been excluded from school
- Who have identified special educational needs
- Who may be home-schooled
Activities Overview
Learners will access a variety of activities from each area to match their interests and needs.
Community & Cultural Visits: Learners will visit cultural locations in their local area, such as heritage sites and museums. They will also explore local towns to understand how to access youth services like libraries, community hubs, and youth clubs.
Outdoor Adventure Activities: Learners will have the opportunity to do a range of outdoor adventurous activities like bushcraft, mountain biking, indoor climbing, hiking, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and canoeing.
Physical Activities: Learners will be active through a series of physical activities that match their interests such as playing racket sports and ball games, swimming, visiting local gym’s and trampoline centres.
Creativity: Learners are encouraged to get creative and carry out a small project around a topic of their interest. This could be in the form of an art and craft project, photography or building something.
Leisure & Recreation: Learners will have the opportunity to organise a leisure or recreation activity within a specified budget. They will be responsible for planning the day’s events and managing the costs.
Session Timings & Program Length
Learners in the Explore program can attend either half-day sessions, in the morning or afternoon, or full-day sessions from 09:00 to 15:00 with lunch included. The duration of the program varies based on the learner’s future destination. If a longer-term provision is agreed upon, learners will advance to either the Grow or Thrive program, depending on their age.
Supervision
We have an experienced team of staff in both outdoor activities and with working with young people with special educational needs. At induction learners’ needs are carefully considered when matching to instructors so that they have the best chance to build appropriate relationships. Dependent on learner needs staff on program can work on two instructors to one learner ratio or within small groups whereby specific social outcomes have been identified.
Personalised Targets & Reporting
Learners with identified special educational needs supported by an education, health care plan have set personalised targets to support their progression towards identified EHCP outcomes. Progress against targets and EHCP outcomes is feedback to stakeholders every half term through a written report.
Accredited Outcomes
Learners can obtain a series of AQA unit award certificates to acknowledge their achievements. The goal of the unit award scheme is to recognize accomplishments of all sizes, provided it offers the learner a valuable educational experience. The scheme aims to enhance learner confidence and self-esteem by rewarding and acknowledging their abilities.