RESET: A Re-engagement Programme for Primary Schools
Rebuilding Relationships, Routines and Readiness to Learn
Overview
The RESET Programme: Helping Students Reinvent Their School Journey
The RESET Programme is a 12-week intervention designed for students struggling with behaviour, attendance, or engagement in school. Our focus is on five key areas:
The term re-engagement highlights the need to rekindle motivation, curiosity, and trust in the learning process before the child progresses back into their mainstream classroom on a full-time basis.
The programme delivers targeted academic support tailored to individual needs, helping children regain confidence in core areas such as early literacy and numeracy through play-based and structured learning.
Fostering positive peer interaction and communication is central. Students are supported to develop essential social skills such as sharing, turn-taking, teamwork, and respectful communication.
Through age-appropriate emotional literacy activities, children learn to identify and express their feelings, understand triggers, and begin building foundational self-regulation strategies.
Transition support ensures children are prepared to take their next steps—whether returning to their classroom, moving into a new class, or settling into a new routine—with confidence, structure, and the right support in place.
Benefits
Who is RESET for?
RESET is a short-term early intervention for primary school children (Years 1–6) who are:
Struggling to engage in classroom learning.
Displaying low-level challenging behaviours.
Avoiding or withdrawing from peer interaction.
Finding it difficult to separate from parents/carers.
Showing signs of emotional distress or anxiety in school.
Impacted by disrupted routines, trauma, or extended absence.
Not benefitting from current school-based interventions.
RESET is not a last resort, it is designed to catch children before crisis.
Explore
Referral Criteria
Early signs of school-based distress, avoidance or withdrawal.
Poor peer relationships or difficulty with group work.
Increasing dysregulation or unpredictable behaviour.
Parental concern about school engagement.
Programme Focus
RESET Supports Reengagement With Learning Through:
- Emotionally safe and nurturing environments.
- Consistent routines, visual schedules and adult co-regulation.
- Development of social communication and emotional literacy.
- Experiential, play-based and outdoor learning approaches.
Children will not be pressured to “keep up”; they will be supported to join in, build trust and reconnect with the joy of learning.
Outcomes
RESET Outcomes
Children leave RESET with:
Greater confidence and trust in adults.
Stronger emotional regulation skills.
Improved social communication and peer interactions.
A realistic plan for further support in school.
Renewed curiosity and motivation to learn.
What to expect
Duration & Structure
A 6-to-12-week programme, depending on pupil needs and school context, delivered in small groups (max 4–6) or 1:1 where appropriate.
Reconnection & Regulation
Readiness & Re-engagement
What to expect
English and Maths Provision: A Balanced Approach
A 6-to-12-week programme, depending on pupil needs and school context, delivered in small groups (max 4–6) or 1:1 where appropriate.
Diagnostic Assessment & Learning Profiles
At the start of the programme, each child completes baseline assessments in reading, writing and number skills. These are conducted in a low-pressure, informal way and are used to:
- Identify gaps in knowledge and misconceptions.
- Understand learning preferences and emotional barriers
- Inform a personalised learning plan.
Daily Academic Sessions (Short, Structured, Supportive)
These sessions are heavily differentiated, multisensory and delivered by staff trained in supporting children with additional learning needs.
Cross-Curricular Integration
Where possible, Maths and English are embedded into wider experiential.
What We Do
Supporting a Learning Journey, Not Just Catch-up
Our approach is not simply about filling academic gaps, it’s about rebuilding a positive relationship with learning. We want children to:
- Feel capable and proud of their progress.
- Reconnect with the joy of reading, writing and problem-solving.
- Return to class with tools, strategies and confidence to access the curriculum.
How We Work
Ongoing Monitoring & Transition Support
Throughout the programme, academic progress is tracked using formative tools such as:
At the end of the programme, each child’s receiving school is provided with a Pupil Academic Snapshot, detailing:
By embedding core learning into a nurturing and trauma-informed setting, RESET ensures children are not left behind academically and are better prepared to re-engage in their classroom, both emotionally and educationally.
Proven Outcomes
Nature-Based Learning in the RESET Programme
At the heart of the RESET programme is the belief that connection to nature is connection to self. Many children referred to RESET present with heightened anxiety, sensory regulation needs and challenges in trusting adults or engaging in structured learning environments. Incorporating Forest School principals and outdoor learning provides an essential therapeutic foundation to reengagement.
Improved self-regulation and reduced anxiety.
Increased motivation to learn and explore.
Strengthened peer relationships through collaborative play.
Enhanced communication and problem-solving skills.
Greater connection to the environment and sense of responsibility.
By embedding outdoor learning into RESET, we create a safe, sensory-rich environment where children can rebuild their confidence, develop emotional resilience and rediscover the joy of learning, before stepping back into the classroom.
Celebrating Progress
Celebrating progress is a vital part of the RESET Primary journey. It provides children with a sense of achievement, reinforces their growth, and helps to positively frame their transition back into education.
Children leave RESET not just with a certificate, but with a personalised “Ready to Reengage” Profile that outlines what support strategies were successful, what helps them thrive, and a bespoke transition plan to ensure their next steps are supported. Ongoing check-ins from RESET staff or mentors maintain connection and continuity, helping the child sustain progress and succeed in their setting.
This final step reinforces to the child that they can succeed, and that their journey is recognised and supported, an important message for long-term confidence and reengagement with education.
Ready to Refer a Pupil?
If you’re supporting a child who is beginning to struggle in school (whether that’s with regulation, relationships, or engagement) the RESET Programme may be the right next step.
We’re here to catch children before crisis, offering a safe and nurturing space where they can rebuild confidence, reconnect with learning, and prepare for a supported return to school.
Referrals are now open for our next intake. We welcome early conversations and are happy to talk through any questions you may have.
Make a referral today via our online form:
