Who We Support
Maypole Farm supports children and young people with SEND, SEMH, EBSA, ASC, ADHD, care experience, and complex needs who are not currently thriving in mainstream education.
Who we work with
We don't categorise children — we get to know them.
The young people who come to Maypole Farm don't all fit the same description. What they share is that the mainstream system hasn't been able to meet their needs — and they deserve something better.
Below we describe some of the common profiles we work with. But please don't read these as rigid categories. Most children we support have overlapping and interacting needs. Some have complex combinations that don't fit any single label. That is exactly why we start with the individual, not the diagnosis.
We support young people aged approximately 5–25. Many hold EHCPs; some do not yet have formal diagnoses but have clear and significant support needs.
SEND — Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Many children at Maypole Farm have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) recognising a wide range of special educational needs. We have experience supporting children across the SEND spectrum — from mild, undiagnosed difficulties to complex multi-area needs.
We work closely with local authorities and families to implement EHCP targets within our provision and contribute to annual reviews. Having an EHCP is not a prerequisite — we also support children with identified SEN who do not yet have a plan.
SEMH — Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SEMH needs are at the heart of what Maypole Farm does. Many of our young people experience anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, attachment difficulties, or emotional dysregulation that makes mainstream education genuinely unmanageable.
Our Thrive-informed approach helps us understand what is happening beneath behaviour — and respond with empathy, consistency, and appropriate support rather than consequences and sanctions. We do not exclude children for behaviour driven by distress.
EBSA — Emotionally Based School Avoidance
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) — sometimes called school refusal — is one of the most misunderstood and underserved areas in education. Children with EBSA are not simply "choosing" not to attend. Their anxiety is real, their distress is genuine, and they need support that acknowledges this.
Maypole Farm is experienced in working with young people where EBSA is central. We understand that attendance builds through relationship and safety — never through pressure or ultimatums. We work gradually, at the child's pace, building the trust and confidence that makes attendance possible again.
ASC — Autistic Spectrum Condition
We support many young people with autism, including those with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profiles and complex sensory needs. The farm environment — with its natural spaces, predictable rhythms, and freedom from the social demands of a large school — can be genuinely beneficial for autistic young people.
We adapt our provision to individual sensory and communication needs, work with non-traditional timetables where needed, and take a low-demand, high-trust approach that is particularly effective for those with PDA profiles.
ADHD and attention difficulties
Children with ADHD often struggle most in settings that require prolonged sitting, strict focus, and constant transitions — which describes most mainstream classrooms. Our practical, outdoor, activity-based provision is a much better fit for many young people with attention differences.
Physical activity, movement breaks, hands-on tasks, and a flexible timetable mean that ADHD is less of an obstacle here — and more of something we can build around productively.
SpLD and SLCN
Specific Learning Difficulties (such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) are common amongst the young people we support, often alongside other needs.
We adapt how we deliver learning so that the method matches the learner — not the other way round. This includes multi-sensory approaches, assistive technology, access arrangements, and working with speech and language professionals where needed.
Care-experienced young people
Children in care — or with significant disruption to their home life — often have unmet attachment needs, trauma histories, and a deep mistrust of adults and institutions that can make education almost impossible.
Maypole Farm provides the consistency, warmth, and reliability that care-experienced young people need. We work closely with Virtual School Heads, social workers, foster carers, and residential workers to ensure our provision is genuinely joined up with the rest of the support around each child.
Alternative Provision
Maypole Farm accepts referrals as alternative provision — for young people who are unable to attend their registered school, facing exclusion risk, or requiring a different educational environment for a period.
We can offer both short-term and longer-term placements, and work with schools and local authorities to ensure appropriate review, documentation, and communication throughout.
Not sure?
If you're not sure whether we can help, please ask.
We would rather have a conversation and tell you honestly whether Maypole Farm is the right fit than have you wonder from afar. If we can't help directly, we will do our best to point you in the right direction.
Find out if Maypole Farm is the right fit
Every referral starts with a conversation. Tell us about your child and we'll be honest about whether we can help.