Penshaw Equestrian Centre - Changing Lives Through Horses

About

The British Horse Society - Changing Lives Through Horses is an alternative education programme where children and young people can learn in a safe and nurturing environment alongside highly trained coaches at British Horse Society Approved Riding Centres. The BHS believes that horses and equine facilitated learning can have a remarkable role to play in impacting on a young person's life. Since launching in 2016, the Changing Lives Through Horses programme has now in excess of 130 trained centres nationwide and over 3500 young people accessing the programme to date.

The programme welcomes children and young people aged 5-25 years who have additional needs in the widest sense that may benefit from access to equine facilitated learning. Participants may include those with special educational needs, including social and emotional mental health needs; those who are without a school place or are electively home educated and those who may have experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences.

The main aim of the programme is to develop and support 6 key life skills: Communication, Confidence, Teamwork, Building Relationships, Perseverance, and Responsibility. The programme is structured around two frameworks aimed at younger and older participants. Both offer horse care and ridden modules (some centres only offer horse care) with structured awards and certificates that recognise and reward achievement. Activities contained in each award provide opportunities for the participant to develop in the six key life skills that are widely transferable back to school, further education opportunities or socially, practice learning skills linked to their school curriculum and build a portfolio of equine knowledge and experience that could lead to a pathway of further industry qualifications.

Some centres also offer an Ofqual accredited Personal Development Qualification integrated within the programme at Entry Level 3, Level 1 and Level 2. 

Our approved Changing Lives Through Horses centres all offer the programme differently from full school days for small groups to 1:1 sessions at certain times. This will be depending on the needs of the individual and what the referring school is looking for.

They cater for many individual needs and invite discussion from anyone interested in potentially joining our program.

Suitable ages ranges 

The programme can accept young people from aged 5 to 25 years old. 

Qualifications available

They offer structured awards and certificates that recognise and reward achievement in horse riding and horse care.

About the teaching

All training is carried out at Penshaw Equestrian Centre, Penshaw village, Houghton le Spring.

Students can attend from locations across the North East including Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland.

Teaching is delivered typically with a ratio of 1 teacher to 5 students.

The provision is open from 9.30am to 2.30pm for up to 18 hours per week. 

Transport is not provided. 

They are able to provide urgent placements. 

The length of programme can be adapted to what is required for each student. 

Pricing 

Cost for sessions are as follows:

• £80 per day

How to apply for a place for a student

To apply for a place please contact [email protected]. 

Contact with schools 

They will confirm attendance daily with the school via email/phone. 

The school will also receive progress reports daily, weekly and termly. 

Other relevant information 

Ofsted registered 

N/A 

Insurance 

Penshaw Equestrian Centre have current public liability cover and insurance certificates are displayed. 

They also have current employee liability cover. 

Safeguarding 

Penshaw Equestrian Centre have a compliant safeguarding policy in place which is reviewed yearly. 

Pre-employment checks are carried out in line with guidance. 

The provision has a designated safeguarding lead and there is regular training for all staff at the provision. 

Health and safety 

Penshaw Equestrian Centre have a health and safety policy in place.

They have full risk assessment for the premises and carry out regular fire drills which are recorded. 

They have all required first aid equipment in place in line with RIDDOR procedures (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013). 

Data protection

Penshaw Equestrian Centre have a data retention policy in place which is reviewed regularly. Staff also receive regular training. 

They have a privacy notice in place that explains how they collect, use and protect people's personal data. 

Compliments and complaints 

There is a compliments and complaints policy and procedure in place.