New Leaf Centre - Penrith

09/10/2026

Feeling incredibly proud and grateful.

Being named Educational Champion at the Diverse Cumbria Awards was such a special moment, and to then be shortlisted at the Golden Apple Awards last night was fantastic.

Although we didn’t take home an award last night, we have so much to be proud of at New Leaf. We’ve achieved so much in such a short space of time, and that’s down to our fabulous team, our incredible learners and everyone who has supported us along the way.

Thank you for making New Leaf what it is. We have so much more we want to achieve, and this really is just the beginning. 🌿🫶

30/09/2026

🎓 We’re officially an examination centre! 🌿

Something we’re really pleased to share…

New Leaf Centre is now officially registered with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) as an examination centre.

This is a really important development for New Leaf and, most importantly, for our learners. It means our young people can now sit their examinations here at the Centre, in an environment that understands them and their individual needs.

For some of our learners, being able to complete their examinations in a familiar and supportive environment can make a real difference.

JCQ Centre Number: 75170 🌿

29/09/2026

We know that many of the families we support will recognise parts of this story. ❤️

If you are navigating school distress, anxiety or attendance difficulties, please know that you are not alone.

At New Leaf, we’re here to support our young people and their families with understanding, compassion and without judgement. 🌿

A really important film and one we hope reaches the families who need to see it.

When a system is in crisis, who pays the price?The trailer for th...

27/09/2026

🏆 WE WON! 🏆

We are delighted to share that New Leaf Centre has won the Educational Champion Award at the Diverse Cumbria Awards 2026! 🌿

It was such a proud moment to be amongst so many incredible and deserving winners, all doing amazing things across Cumbria. To have New Leaf recognised alongside them was really special.

Our team brings an incredible level of commitment, compassion and drive to making a difference every single day. They genuinely care about making our young people's lives better.

For a young person who once struggled to engage with the world to begin to feel safe. To see them start to believe in themselves. To see smiles, laughter and friendships emerge. To see them discover what they are good at, to re-engage with learning and watch their confidence grow.

That is the real award.

Those moments are why New Leaf exists. 💚

We are incredibly grateful to our learners and their families, and to the schools, commissioners and professionals we work alongside who trust us and share our commitment to finding the right opportunities for young people.

And to Ben, our Centre Manager, and the whole team - thank you. You are what makes New Leaf what it is. This award is a recognition of the work you do every single day.

We are incredibly proud to be Educational Champions 2026. 🏆🌿

25/09/2026

🍂 AUTUMN HAS ARRIVED AT NEW LEAF! 🍎

As the seasons change, there is something really special about slowing down, noticing what is around us and making the most of the simple things at New Leaf. 🍂🌿

This week has been all about friendship, connection, creativity and having fun together.

🫧 GIANT BUBBLES! 🫧
Who doesn’t love making massive bubbles?! Watching them float, chasing them, popping them and encouraging each other created plenty of smiles and laughter.

Behind the fun, something even more important was happening. 💚 Learners were joining in together, communicating, taking turns, encouraging one another and sharing experiences. These simple moments can help build confidence, strengthen relationships and create opportunities for friendships to grow — all in a relaxed environment without pressure.

🍎 APPLES, APPLES & MORE APPLES! 🍎

We have an abundance of apples at New Leaf at the moment, so naturally they have become a BIG topic!

From picking and collecting apples to talking about where our food comes from, weighing and measuring ingredients, following recipes and of course enjoying the finished results!

🥧 Homemade apple pie
🍎 Apple crumble
👩‍🍳 Cooking together
⚖️ Weighing & measuring
📝 Following instructions
🤝 Sharing the experience

🌿 MAKING THE MOST OF OUR OUTDOOR SPACE 🌿

Our outside area has also provided us with everything we need to get creative with autumn wreath making. 🍂🌿

Learners have been collecting natural materials from around New Leaf and turning them into their own unique autumn wreaths. It’s been wonderful to see everyone choosing their own materials, sharing ideas, helping one another and taking pride in creating something from nature.

And once again, what looks like a simple creative activity brings so much more — fine motor skills, decision making, creativity, communication, teamwork and confidence. 💚

This is what we love about our therapeutic curriculum at New Leaf — learning doesn’t always have to look like sitting at a desk.

Sometimes it’s found in a giant bubble, a freshly picked apple, a handful of leaves, a shared laugh or sitting around the table enjoying something you’ve made together.

🍂 A new season. New experiences. New friendships.

Small moments. Big achievements. Making memories together. 💚

15/09/2026

📸 Look at this talent! 🌿

One of our learners has been practising his photography skills and we honestly think he’s got a real eye for it! 👏

His attention to detail, creativity and the way he captures both photos and videos are amazing, his work looks so professional!

We’ve pulled together a few of his favourite photos and videos into this little reel, and we couldn’t be prouder of what he’s creating.

Hasn’t he got talent?! 📸🎥

Well done! 🫶🌿

13/09/2026

We’re pleased to share our attendance figures for the 2025/26 academic year. 🌿

Our overall attendance at New Leaf was 77.36%, compared with a national Alternative Provision average of 58.6%.

This places our attendance 18.76 percentage points above the national average.

Attendance is an important part of helping young people access education, build relationships and engage with learning, particularly where there may have previously been barriers to attendance.

Thank you to our learners, staff and families for the continued support and commitment.

Nurturing Growth, Inspiring Potential. 🌿

07/09/2026

🌿 What a fantastic start to the new academic year!🌿

Welcoming our learners back has been wonderful, and we couldn’t be prouder of both our new and returning learners. 💚

We know that coming back, meeting new people and facing new routines can feel daunting, so it has been fantastic to see our young people return with such enthusiasm, positivity and a willingness to embrace the year ahead.

And what a start it has been!

🎵 Our brand-new digital and music production room is starting to come to life, with learners getting stuck in and helping to create a space they can all enjoy.

🐔 Our animals have kept us entertained too! One particular chicken has developed a love for going off-site for a little adventure 😂. Learners have been brilliant at helping us find the escape route and keep her safely where she belongs although perhaps slightly less amused each time we have to bring her back!

🌱 We’ve harvested home-grown vegetables, with several learners trying beetroot for the first time, while our sewing area has welcomed a new mannequin. After a few unexpected screams from people forgetting she was there, learners have given her a personality, dressed her and brought her to life! 😂

🚲 One of our learners learned to ride a bike for the very first time, cheered on by their peers. Seeing learners encourage and celebrate each other was such a lovely reflection of the supportive community we are building at New Leaf. 💚

💭 We’ve explored emotions, highs and lows, supported learners to understand and communicate their feelings, and given everyone the opportunity to think about their own targets and what they want to achieve this half term.

✈️ Our curriculum has been brought to life through interactive learning too, with learners exploring geography, maths, percentages, flight times and destinations alongside challenging themselves with flag identification.

👩‍🏫 And behind the scenes, our staff came together for a really positive INSET day, preparing, planning and getting excited for the year ahead.

Most importantly, we’ve seen new friendships developing, confidence growing, curiosity returning and learners beginning to find their place.

And this is exactly what we mean when we say:

Nurturing Growth, Inspiring Potential. 🌱💚

What a brilliant start it has been! We can’t wait to see what the rest of the half term brings.

03/09/2026

03/09/2026

🌿 We're hiring 🌿

We’re looking for a Learning Support Mentor to join the New Leaf Centre team.

If you’re passionate about supporting neurodivergent young people and those with SEMH needs, enjoy building positive relationships and can bring patience, flexibility and creativity to your work, we’d love to hear from you. 💚

📍 Penrith
⏰ 19.5 hours / 3 days per week, term time
💷 £12,124 pro rata (£27,174 FTE)
📅 Closing date: 18 September 2026

For further details and information on how to apply, visit:

🌐 www.newleafcentre.co.uk⁠

Please feel free to share this post 🌿

We provide holistic support for children and young people with SEND and SEMH needs. In our nurturing, therapeutic environment, we help those who struggle in mainstream settings build confidence, engage with learning, and achieve meaningful outcomes.