28/08/2026
🌟 A special place in Haverfordwest giving children another chance to love learning
Grove Learning Centre in Haverfordwest has held a fantastic Family Fun Day, raising an incredible £2,200 for a local youth club supporting 84 young people.
It was a brilliant result, but the day was about much more than the money raised.
It gave families the chance to see what Cherry Grove is all about, and why so many parents are now talking about this small but hugely important learning centre.
Cherry Grove offers alternative provision for children and young people who may not cope well in mainstream school. That could be due to anxiety, emotionally based school avoidance, additional learning needs, sensory needs, trauma, poor attendance, or simply because a large, busy school setting has not worked for them.
For some children, mainstream school is overwhelming.
For some parents, every morning can feel like a battle.
And for some families, finding Cherry Grove has been the first time in a long time that education has felt possible again.
That is what makes this place so special.
Cherry Grove is not trying to squeeze every child into the same mould. It offers small classes, a calm setting, strong relationships and a much more personal approach to learning. Children are given time, space and support to build confidence at their own pace.
For young people who have lost trust in education, that can make a huge difference.
The Family Fun Day had a lovely community feel, with henna stalls, a tombola, local craft stalls and activities for all ages. Families were also able to look around the centre and see the impressive range of facilities available to learners.
These include a welcoming common room with pool and table tennis tables, a Model Railway Club, STEM Club, Animal Care Centre, mixed martial arts dojo, a new sensory garden, a sensory room and plenty of practical learning spaces.
It is a very different kind of education.
Less pressure.
More patience.
Less judgement.
More understanding.
Less “you must fit in”.
More “let’s find what works for you”.
And that is exactly what some young people need.
Kerry Carrasco, Chair of the Cherry Grove PTA and organiser of the Family Fun Day, said:
“Cherry Grove has genuinely changed our family’s life. Both of my boys love coming to ‘school’, which is something I never thought I would be able to say. They feel safe, understood and happy here, and as a parent there is nothing more important than seeing that change in your children.”
Another parent said:
“For the first time, we’re not fighting every morning just to get through the door. My child actually wants to come. Cherry Grove has given us our child back.”
That is the sort of sentence that stops you in your tracks.
Because if you have never had a child struggle with school, it can be hard to understand just how hard it can become. It is not just a child “not wanting to go”. It can affect the whole household. It can take over mornings, evenings, sleep, work, relationships and family life.
So when a child starts wanting to attend again, starts smiling again, starts joining in again, that is a massive step forward.
Cherry Grove was created at a time when alternative and specialist education in Pembrokeshire has been under real pressure. With two independent schools closing locally in recent years, including one which supported children with additional needs, some young people were at risk of being left with nowhere suitable to go.
Cherry Grove Learning Centre was born because something different was needed.
The centre is a non-profit Community Interest Company, meaning it is there for the benefit of the community, not shareholders. It is also understood to be one of the more affordable alternative provisions in South Wales, making this kind of support more accessible for families who need it. And what it offers is genuinely unique.
Academic learning.
Practical skills.
Animal care.
STEM.
Creative activities.
Martial arts.
Sensory support.
Life skills.
Confidence building.
A calmer route back into education.
All in a setting where young people are treated as individuals, not problems to be solved.
Cherry Grove seems to understand that some children do not need more pressure. They need the right adults, the right environment and the right pace. They need to feel safe before they can learn. They need to feel understood before they can trust. That approach is clearly working for many families.
The £2,200 raised from the Family Fun Day will now go towards a local youth club which gives 84 young people a safe and welcoming place to spend time, make friends, build confidence and take part in positive activities.
So not only is Cherry Grove supporting its own learners, it is also helping young people in the wider community too.
A huge well done to Kerry, the Cherry Grove PTA, all the volunteers, stallholders, families and everyone who supported the day.
£2,200 raised is a fantastic achievement. But perhaps the biggest success of the day was showing more families that there is another option out there.
For children who have struggled in mainstream school, Cherry Grove Learning Centre is proving that education can look different, feel different and, most importantly, work differently.
And for some families, that can mean everything. ❤️
