Get ready for the Greenhouse
The home for friendly learning
While opportunities exist, many barriers make it difficult for these young people to access and engage with education. About 9% of 19 year old care leavers are enrolled in higher education. This compares to 50% for all 19 year olds and around 37% of care leavers aged 17-18 were not in education, employment or training in 2022. This compares to 11% for all 18 year olds.
Educational achievements are major predictors of employment, income, housing stability, health outcomes and other life chances. Supporting the education of children in care aids their transition to successful, independent adulthood. So In 2024 we are pleased to be introducing the Greenhouse – a learning environment where we will provide a range of educational opportunities tailored to the needs and interests of the young people in our care.
Our goal is to enable personal growth and development for each individual by creating a supportive community that values wellbeing, impactful activities just as much as academic achievement.
On the greenhouse learning website, our students will have access to a variety of online content to enhance their academic performance in important subjects like Maths and English lessons aligned to Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 4 based on the national curriculum for England and Wales. We have created content that is broken down into short, precise and visual lessons with quizzes and resources that can be used by the young people independently, their carers and tutors alike. This will allow them to get extra practice and instruction in these essential subjects at a level that is appropriate for their abilities. We will also offer engaging online instruction in other topics like home economics, arts and crafts, music and more.
In addition to the online academic learning platforms and getting them prepared to gain qualifications, the Greenhouse will have a calendar of in-person events and activities happening on-site or in the homes focused on impact and wellbeing. This monthly calendar will outline various workshops, classes, challenges, and more that students can participate in and start to venture into new realms and discover new passions and hobbies.
For example, there may be cooking and baking workshops where students can learn how to cook whilst getting hands-on experience. Cooking classes will nurture valuable kitchen skills and nutrition knowledge when making tasty, healthy meals together. We encourage our young people to get out into the surrounding areas and nature and with the help of our resource center they will be able to learn orientation skills and local history fact and geography knowledge.
No matter their specific interests or abilities, we want our young people to feel involved in the Greenhouse community and find an enriching mix of social, academic and skill-building activities. It will showcase everything happening in our supportive community.
The Greenhouse is not only virtual
The Greenhouse is not just a virtual concept or calendar of events and learning resources – it also has its own physical space. Set up as a vibrant, flexible learning environment, the greenhouse features multiple desktop computers and laptops and creative spaces available for individual and group learning sessions. We are also creating our very own cooking area called ‘Lily’s Kitchen’, which will not only provide scrumptious meals but a space to actually teach young people how to bake and cook.
The open layout allows students to socialise, collaborate on projects, or just relax in a comfortable lounge area. Our Dedicated staff can actively engage with our young people to provide one-on-one guidance, answer questions, facilitate engaging workshops and lessons, oversee online learning courses, and maintain a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
We hope the accessibility and academic support will smooth the path and unlock the potential for our young people. The Greenhouse aims to become a trusted second home where curious young minds are nourished.
