Questions about SEN tutoring, SEMH support and how Thrive works

Yes. Test anxiety often sits at the intersection of academic and SEMH needs — exactly the overlap Thrive specialises in. 1:1 tutoring lets us work on the source of the anxiety alongside the content: building familiarity with exam-style questions, practising in low-stakes conditions, and rebuilding a young person's confidence before they walk into the real thing.

1:1 tutoring removes the variables that make classroom learning hard for many children with SEN and SEMH needs — peer audience, fixed pace, sensory load and unpredictable transitions. Sessions move at the child's pace, in a setting that feels safe, with a tutor who knows them well enough to spot what's working and what isn't.

Tutoring is academic — subject-focused work to close gaps, build confidence with content, or prepare for exams. Mentoring is relational — building self-esteem, motivation and emotional regulation. Many of our young people benefit from both, often delivered by the same person across a placement.

Most families notice changes in confidence and engagement within four to six weeks of consistent sessions. Academic gains follow, though the speed depends on starting point, attendance and the young person's other circumstances. We discuss realistic expectations openly at the point of referral and review progress at every reporting cycle.

Session length is agreed based on what works best for the individual child — many children with SEN benefit from shorter, more frequent sessions rather than long ones. We discuss this at the point of referral and adjust as we learn more about how the young person works best.

Yes. ADHD, autism and dyslexia are core to Thrive's specialism. We match each child to a tutor whose experience fits their profile, and we adapt pace, environment and presentation to suit how the child actually learns — not how the curriculum assumes they should.

SEMH stands for Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. It covers anxiety, low self-esteem, attachment difficulties, regulation challenges and the impact of trauma. SEMH affects learning because a young person who doesn't feel safe or settled cannot access the academic content in front of them, no matter how well-pitched it is.

Yes. A significant proportion of our placements are with young people who are out of school — whether due to anxiety, exclusion, awaiting placement, or medical reasons. We work in the home or in community settings with the goal of maintaining engagement and progress while longer-term arrangements are agreed.

Yes. Tutoring at home or in a community setting can be a critical bridge for children who cannot currently attend school. It maintains academic continuity, rebuilds the child's relationship with learning, and provides evidence of engagement for EHCP reviews or local authority commissioning.

Our SEN tutors support children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, speech and language difficulties, anxiety, and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Every child is matched with a tutor whose expertise fits their specific profile — we never place a generalist where a specialist is needed.

Yes. We have extensive experience supporting children with Education, Health and Care Plans. We align our provision to each child's EHCP targets and outcomes, provide clear progress documentation suitable for annual reviews, and work closely with families, schools and local authorities throughout.

It means we read and work from each child's EHCP before a session even starts. We understand their stated outcomes, the provision specified, and their individual needs — then we design a tailored support plan that actively works towards those targets, not just a generic curriculum.

Yes. Many children with SEN and additional needs do not yet have an EHCP, or are going through the assessment process. We work with children across all levels of need — an EHCP is not required to access our specialist support.

Yes. We use IXL to support structured learning and track measurable progress. It gives families and commissioners clear visibility of what the child is working on and the progress they're making session by session — a particularly useful tool for EHCP evidence and annual review preparation.

Yes. Home-based tutoring is one of Thrive's core delivery models, particularly for children who find leaving the house difficult or who are out of school. We also tutor in community settings such as libraries and family hubs where appropriate, with safeguarding considered at every step.

We cover Kent, Hampshire, South Gloucestershire and surrounding areas, with active tender and framework activity in each. Placements outside these areas are considered case by case. Contact us with the young person's location and we will confirm availability.

We match based on the young person's needs, learning profile, EHCP targets where applicable, and the tutor's specialist experience. We don't assign whoever is available — we take time to find the right fit, and we always discuss the proposed match with the referring professional or family before sessions begin.

Yes. All Thrive tutors and mentors hold an enhanced DBS certificate, verified before any placement. We never place unvetted individuals with children.

Yes. All our tutors are qualified professionals with relevant experience in special educational needs. We verify qualifications and experience as part of our onboarding process. Every tutor is carefully matched to each child based on their specific needs and learning profile.

Safeguarding is our highest priority. All staff operate under Thrive's Safeguarding Policy and are required to report any concerns in accordance with statutory guidance. Our safeguarding culture runs through every aspect of how we work.

Both. We offer online 1:1 tutoring across the whole UK, and face-to-face tutoring across Kent, Hampshire, South Gloucestershire and surrounding areas. The right setting depends on the young person — some children work best in person, others find online actually suits them better. We discuss this at the point of enquiry.

We work with primary and secondary schools to deliver targeted intervention, pupil premium support, alternative provision, SEN specialist tutoring and mentoring for vulnerable learners. Provision can be commissioned directly by the school or routed through a local authority framework.

A school can refer by contacting us directly with the young person's profile, the support required, and any relevant EHCP or safeguarding information. We confirm match availability, agree the service specification in writing, and begin placement once paperwork is in place.

Most local authorities commission tutoring and mentoring through frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems, mini competitions or spot purchase. Thrive engages through each of these routes. Active framework and tender work currently includes Kent, South Gloucestershire and Hampshire.

Yes. We work with local authorities across England providing commissioned tutoring and mentoring provision, including EHCP placements, support for looked after children and care leavers, exclusion and reintegration programmes, and trauma-informed mentoring.

Yes. For all EHCP placements we provide structured progress reports aligned to the child's EHCP targets and outcomes. These are designed to be used directly as annual review evidence.

We aim to confirm a placement as quickly as possible after receiving the relevant information about the young person. In most cases we can confirm a match within a few working days of an initial discussion.

We provide regular written progress updates covering what the young person has worked on, how they are responding, and progress against any EHCP targets or agreed outcomes. For local authority and school placements we provide structured reports suitable for review meetings, annual reviews and commissioning records. Families are kept informed throughout.

Use our contact page to make an enquiry and we'll be in touch to arrange an initial conversation. There is no obligation to proceed — it's an opportunity for us both to assess fit and discuss what support might look like.

Most families access our services through a referral from their local authority or school. If you believe your child may benefit from our support, speak to your SENCO, social worker or local authority SEND team and ask them to consider a referral to Thrive. If you're a family making a direct enquiry, we're happy to talk through the options — use our contact page and we'll point you in the right direction.

Provision is most often funded by a school or local authority through a referral or commissioned arrangement. Fees are agreed before any provision begins and confirmed in writing — there are no hidden charges. Contact us to discuss requirements.

Commissioned and referred placements run for the period set out in the relevant service agreement, agreed with the school or local authority. For school and local authority commissioned contracts, terms are set out in a separate service agreement.

Cancellation and rescheduling terms are set out in the service agreement for each placement. Where we need to cancel, we will always give as much notice as possible and arrange a replacement session at no additional cost.