01603 622288
admissions@rbnorwich.org.uk
289 Drayton Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 2PW
Red Balloon Norwich Team

Welcome To Red Balloon Norwich

We aspire to ensure all young people who access our Learning Centre can re-connect with the education system through a range of character and career enriching opportunities which place wellbeing at their core.

“Red Balloon creates a nurturing environment for students who cannot thrive in a mainstream environment. We are here to re-build trust, confidence, skills and academic knowledge through our curriculum sequencing and narrative approach”.

Mark Anderson Head of Centre

About Red Balloon Norwich

Red Balloon Norwich provides a safe, supportive and nurturing environment for 40 young people from Norfolk and the surrounding counties. Our centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 15.30pm during term time, and students attend full-time.

Depending on their needs and abilities: Students can join Red Balloon Norwich from age 11 to 16, with those already with us able to stay to age 17 in exceptional circumstances where there have been significant gaps in learning and extra time is essential to fulfil a students potential.

Our Mission

  • To provide a nurturing and supportive learning environment for students with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan who have suffered severe anxiety and significant trauma to the extent they are unable to access mainstream education.

 

  • To offer a tailored blend of academic, vocational and wellbeing intervention to ensure each student can attend school regularly, access a full time education and make a positive career transition Post 16 once they leave Red Balloon Norwich.

Our Values

WELLBEING

Mental health and emotional wellbeing are essential to being a happy and healthy individual, not only important in their own right they also form the foundations to enable us to thrive and to succeed.

Throughout their time with us our students are able to have counselling or therapy as part of their timetable, to help them with the problems they have been facing and support them in developing resilience against any issues they may face in the future.

ACADEMIC

We know education is not just about exams, and it’s not one-size-fits-all. We work under a negotiated curriculum, where the student has a say in what they want to learn, so we find an approach that enables them to learn successfully and feel motivated to attend. Our students come to us at various levels of ability, and we support them to get back on track and level with their peers, so they feel confident and capable when their time with us comes to an end.

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT (COMMUNITY)

Our Centres are small and focused on making students feel part of the family. Our students have often had similar experiences so there’s an innate level of understanding and acceptance already, and our inclusive atmosphere makes sure everyone feels valued. We seek to engage students in communities that are both supportive and demanding, so they understand both the value and realities of communities we experience throughout life. We believe it’s important that students belong to the community and that they accept responsibility for their contribution to that community and for upholding the rights of the other community members.

ACADEMIC

WELLBEING

VOCATIONAL

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT (COMMUNITY)

How Do We Deliver?

Our Approach

We provide “student led intervention” to rebuild a student’s trust with the education system. Through tracked skills for life/academic and vocational learning combinations we recover their self-esteem, help student’s to re-engage with their peers and successfully form relationships in preparation for when they are ready return to a mainstream setting.

The time a student spends at Red Balloon Norwich depends on at what age they arrive, what they have experienced, their resilience and individual circumstances.

Find out more about Red Balloon Norwich

At Red Balloon we judge success and progress for our students against their unique goals. It’s not just about getting good grades, we want to see our students grow as individuals and develop the personal skills, social skills and confidence to make a positive contribution to society.

What our students & parents think

At Red Balloon Norwich, we take immense pride in the positive impact we have on our students and their families. Hear directly from them about their experiences, achievements, and the transformative journey they’ve undergone under our guidance. These heartfelt testimonials serve as a testament to our unwavering commitment to academic excellence and holistic personal growth.

  • “Hard to put into words what a godsend Red Balloon has been, after years of severe school-based anxiety culminating in two years out of education, signed off on medical grounds, for our neurodivergent daughter. The staff at Red Balloon just 'get' her. For the first time, she's in an educational setting that is sensitive to, and understands, her needs and is focussed on accommodating them so that she can be free to learn.The head teacher has gone absolutely above and beyond, taking time to find out her special interests and favourite subjects, fears and particular issues, big and small, and the school has been incredibly responsive in tailoring, checking, and re-adjusting a programme that gently eases her back into education in a way she can cope with.Two years' absence from school for a child with intense anxiety and sensory issues, etc, has made this a challenge, but I've been amazed at how quickly and painless she's settled in, and touched by the degree of care and attention to the small details that make all the difference to a highly anxious neurodivergent child that have enabled this transition to work so well. The level of support and kindness I've experienced as a parent is also outstanding.I wish every child who struggles to cope in mainstream education had access to a place like Red Balloon.”

    Parent of

    Red Balloon Norwich Student

  • "Red Ballon has been absolutely amazing. My son joined in year 8 when mainstream school had let him down. He barely spoke and we had given up on getting any support for him. Red balloon took him under their wing and supported and nurtured him. He is now full of confidence, asserts his own opinions and is enjoying life to his full potential. I can’t thank Red Balloon staff enough."

    Parent of

    Red Balloon Norwich Student

  • “Red Balloon is everything in a school I'd hoped to find. No bullying, no judgement, a safe environment for everyone to learn.”

    Mia Cole

    Red Balloon Norwich Student

  • Our daughter has a complex medical need, since joining Red Balloon 3 years ago, I now no longer have the constant worry of 'is she being cared for. The excellent team and 1-1 at Red Balloon have looked after our daughter with the same care we would! We can't thank them enough!

    Parent of

    A Red Balloon Norwich Student

  • “Thank you for giving us our son back. We do not know what would have happened if he did not come to Red Balloon.”

    Jayne Thomas

    Parent Of Red Balloon Norwich Student

  • “Since coming to RB I have made lots of friends and have unforgettable good memories.”

    Danny Barker

    Red Balloon Norwich Student

  • “It has been a fantastic place and has really helped our child who now feels that they have a purpose and the confidence to act on their feelings.”

    Wayne Fisher

    Parent Of Red Balloon Norwich Student

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