Testimonials

“My daughter spent years out of school and the times she did attend school she had many negative experiences and traumas. Despite my ongoing battles with the LA she was then placed in a mainstream secondary school where it all went horribly wrong. Subsequently my daughter hit rock bottom, the lowest I had ever seen her. She spent a further year out of school where she didn’t want to see anyone and would barely come out of her bedroom. It was impossible for her to imagine how she would ever move forward.

I desperately searched many SEN schools, trying to find a school that I could imagine her attending, the right place to reengage her and encourage her back in to education.

I heard about TLC and I arranged a visit to meet Helen Dyer.

As soon as I walked in to TLC I knew that it was the right place for my daughter. There was a welcoming environment. It was small and not at all overwhelming. The staff were warm and friendly, the young people said hello to me and I could really feel a sense of community.

When I spoke to Helen, she was so down to earth, as she spoke she showed real empathy and I really felt that she understood our situation. I had been through such a long battle fighting for my daughter to access education that it was quite overwhelming to finally feel listened to and understood. I felt so excited about the prospect of my daughter attending TLC and I couldn’t wait to bring her along to meet Helen. I wanted to show my daughter that there were places out there where she would fit in and would feel part of. I felt confident that this could be the way forward for her.

My daughter immediately connected with Helen due to Helen’s warm and non judgemental approach. I watched as my daughter chatted away to Helen, my daughter was enthusiastic, animated and engaged, something I had not seen in a long time, I could really feel her excitement about TLC and it was so refreshing to witness!

It was also so wonderful for both my daughter and I to see that Helen recognised the potential in her, where many other educators had only noticed her struggles.

My daughter has been attending TLC for over a year now. She loves the entire TLC team. She feels understood and listened to and most of all she trusts them.

The staff at TLC really go above and beyond to get the best results from your child. They are great at communicating with parents and they approach the well being and development of your child together with you, as a team. I feel that we all have the same aims and we work together for my child as opposed to my previous experience of feeling  isolated, battling against the system, to help her access education.

Both my daughter and I feel listened to and fully supported. The TLC staff team genuinely want your child to achieve and grow and they work tirelessly to support your child. Crucially, they understand how much extra support your child needs, both academically and emotionally, when they have had so many gaps and negative experiences in their educational journey. This unique approach that the TLC staff team have provided has helped to heal my daughter and rewrite her educational experience to the extent that she now wants to go to school and she feels positive about her future.”

“My daughter joined TLC 2 years ago. When she first started there she was extremely anxious and traumatised from being in a mainstream school environment. She was so frightened of going to school, but on the first day the whole school looked after her and showed her that it will be OK, that school can be an enjoyable experience.  I remember Bella coming home from school that day absolutely buzzing that the other children were nice to her and wanted to include her in the activities they were doing.

I received regular phone calls from the school and messages reassuring me that my little girl was ok, and happy. I am so thankful to Helen and the fantastic teachers at TLC, they really do care and the learning is very much individual to each student. The school is such a nurturing environment and my daughter feels safe, happy and confident to speak out! She has found her voice and was encouraged to join in and to embrace her own self. This was a child that would put her hand in front of her mouth and keep her eyes on the floor when speaking, she would shake and be terrified to talk to anyone. 

Today I am delighted to say that she now has the confidence to speak to people (even strangers) she has good eye contact and her hands are by her side! I am delighted to say that The learning Centre has been the best school for Bella, the whole teaching team really go above and beyond to do their very best for my child. I know that any problems or difficulties are dealt with quickly and easily.  My daughter was very behind in her school work when she started at TLC but with patience, kindness and a lot of encouragement from the various teachers Bella is preparing for her exams next summer.  I will be forever grateful to the wonderful Head teacher and her excellent staff for all the help,  kindness and support they have given to my child and my family”.

“My daughter has been attending TLC since year eight. She arrived after a very traumatic year in mainstream secondary which had really knocked her confidence and given her a very low opinion of herself. She very rapidly gained in confidence and self-esteem due to the hard work and support of staff at the school.

The small setting and the high adult to pupil ratio have really helped her to access the curriculum and she has progressed academically to the point where she is able to sit GCSE’s and this was from a very low starting point academically.

Her high levels of anxiety are managed skilfully and every episode is a teaching point, as far as staff are concerned, in Rhiannon managing life on a day-to-day basis.

The family atmosphere allows all the pupils to explore their feelings and emotions on a day-to-day basis and whenever I visit, this close atmosphere is very evident.

Rhiannon loves coming to school and hates to even miss a day when she’s unwell. She has formed a close circle of friends (this was beyond her previously) and their in school and out of school social communication is managed and monitored well by staff.

Communication with the school is extremely easy and I’m kept up-to-date on academic and social matters by emails and texts.

It is always easy to come in and speak to a member of staff if we have any concerns and these are always followed up and the children are always part of any problem-solving needed.

I would unreservedly recommend TLC to any parent of a child with anxiety and/or learning needs.”

“I fought for ten years to get my daughter into a school that was suitable for her and TLC The Learning Centre is that school.  My daughter has been at this school for two years now and has become a valued member of the school community. Being accepted for who she is has made a huge difference with her confidence and self worth. She has progressed with her education in leaps and bounds, has matured and is a happy teen with where she is at now. 

The staff at TLC care about each individual child and it shows in how they are treated and respected. They have picked up on things no one else had without me telling them. Things have been put in place to help my daughter be the best person she can be. 

Communication between school and home is brilliant and I feel I can talk to any member of staff about anything. The support I have had has been nothing but brilliant going above and beyond to help. Not only is my daughter doing really well in school she is also doing much better at home. If my daughter could be at the TLC 7 days a week 52 weeks of the year she would and I think that says it all.”

“Since my daughter has joined The Learning Centre, she has blossomed, her confidence has grown enormously and she is smashing her goals. Before joining The Learning Centre, she was shy, she had awful panic attacks from the trauma she suffered in mainstream school and she was so far behind in her education, as she was failed by her previous school.  

Fast forward to today and she is happy, confident and achieving good grades in school. I cannot praise this school enough and all of the fantastic teaching staff for helping my daughter to blossom.  

Thank you all ever so much, this school is amazing, it has been the best decision I have ever made for Isabelle.”

“I’m so grateful how all the staff at TLC treat my son – they go above and beyond to help your child. They are all so caring funny and understand their needs. My child LOVES coming here and I appreciate all the hard work and dedication they put in daily for them all. All the fun things they do and rewards they get really helps the students learn and want to be in school daily. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!” 

“The staff give such personal care for my child, always helping her feel secure and happy in her environment even through anxiety challenges. Communication with parents is great and I always feel kept “in the loop”.”

“The whole team at TLC go above and beyond and their different strategies and strengths are the main reason my daughter is a functioning, well developing young person. Also the small community is just so safe for her. I have already recommended several times to different people as I think the school is just so unique.”

“All the staff are amazing and go above and beyond, not only for my son, but for me as a parent. It hasn’t been an easy start but you have all never given up on him and shown such care, support and encouragement when he has struggled. I couldn’t be prouder of the progress my son has made, passing tests he never thought he would. I don’t say it enough but thank you for everything you do for us both.”

“The Principal, Helen Dyer is a star. She is very attentive and able to meet my young person’s needs in the moment of difficult behaviours. She always keeps me up to date with what is going wrong and what is going well, and has had a positive impact on my young person.”

“Staff seem to really love the children they work with and are easy to talk to from both a parent and student perspective.”

“All staff at TLC are amazing, supportive and go above and beyond.”

Where do I start?  When we viewed TLC as a possible school we left feeling comfortable and welcomed, you could see how much of a family unit there was within the setting.  As time grew on I felt confident that my son was in the right place and would continue to grow.  We are now over two years down the line, we still have a long way to go, but compared to the boy he was when he was struggling in mainstream to the more confident teenager we have now, I couldn’t be more grateful to TLC and the wonderful staff.  They always go above and beyond and ensure I’m up to date with everything.  But it’s nothing compared to how they treat their students, when I said I felt a family unit when I viewed the school I wasn’t lying…my son has even said he feels like they are – they honestly do treat the students with so much respect – teachers are superheroes – but TLC teachers are so much more.  Thank you to all the wonderful staff, old and new.

My son has attended TLC for a year now, joining in year 8 after a year and a half out of the education system.  The staff members were so supportive with his transition back in to school and he now goes in every day without any resistance.  He really enjoys learning and engaging in the classroom and we feel the smaller class sizes have benefitted his education.  TLC have really accommodated my son’s needs and we have watched him grow in confidence over the last year.  We are grateful to all the staff at TLC for turning our Son’s situation around – he is looking forward to year 9!

We are pleased with L’s progress at TLC.  If L had not been accepted at TLC we feel he would not have been able to concentrate on revising and sitting 5 GCSEs.  The TLC have enabled L to be able to focus on his schooling rather than him being in competition with his peers as at his previous school.

Despite the odd wobble, Charlie enjoys coming to school.  I am confident that he is safe and well looked after. Each teacher and staff member have got to know my son and are really keen to keep him engaged despite his reluctance in some subjects.  The support the school offer to Charlie and our family is amazing.

TLC has been amazing with my daughter Emma, very passionate about the kids, very patient, kind and understanding with my daughter’s needs.  It’s taken her some time to get her to where she is now but she’s thriving and is content and happy; and it’s all thanks to the wonderful staff at TLC.

Our Son has been going to TLC for three years now. He was in a mainstream school previously which he found overwhelming and struggled to fit in and make friends – he refused to go to school for two years.  However, TLC persevered and encouraged Alfie into attending.  Since attending, staff have supported him to grow in confidence and blossom as a young man.  He now takes part in after school activities and socialises with a group of friends.  We are over the moon with our son’s progress and will be eternally grateful to the staff at TLC.

My daughter came to TLC The Learning Centre two terms ago after six years of home education and a stressful time in our lives. Up until then I had spent ten years trying to get her a suitable education but I can say it was worth every minute of waiting and fighting for her to be in this wonderful school. The staff have noticed a lot of my daughter’s needs without being told and act upon them in a caring and kind manner when many others before didn’t even want to hear about them. The support my daughter receives is brilliant with everything taken into consideration and acted on appropriately with therapies being offered and referred to when needed. The staff are kind and caring and get to know every individual child which makes a huge difference, but are firm and fair when needed.

I have been kept up to date on progress/issues and anything going on, as well as being offered support for myself which I never expected. I am always asked my views and opinions on things regarding my daughter which makes me feel a part of the whole process and that I matter.

On the whole this all goes to make home life easier and more successful.

The head teacher Helen has always been understanding, willing to listen and help where it’s needed. Only starting the job when my daughter joined, she seems to have taken to the role with great enthusiasm and a caring attitude to all.

This school I can hands down say is the best place for my daughter where she gets a good education and is accepted for who she is as well as being a valued part of the school’s community. The only regret I have is not being able to get her in sooner!