Together, We Create Education That Works
Some young people need education to look and feel different. Apricot Learning works with schools, local authorities, and virtual schools to re-engage students through live, trauma-informed online teaching. We don't replace education, but instead reconnect young people with it. Every lesson is personal, planned, and designed to help students rebuild resilience, confidence, structure, and self-belief.
Resources to Download
Everything you need in one place. Grab our Section 19 Brochure for a full overview of how we help local authorities meet their duties, and the Engagement Framework for a closer look at how we work in practice.
Who We Teach
We teach students aged 8 to 18+ who:
Each lesson begins with understanding, not expectation. Our teaching re-engages young people who've felt unseen or left behind, providing the stability and connection they need to rediscover confidence and a love of learning.
"Apricot Learning helped a student who hadn't left home in months to find a way back into learning. Within weeks, they were logging on daily and smiling again."
How We Teach
Every student learns through live online lessons with qualified subject specialists. Lessons are recorded to support safeguarding and maintain high teaching standards.
Interactive and Flexible:
Students actively participate through Science experiments, hands-on simulations, drawing, writing, and problem-solving in a safe, calm environment. Teachers adapt lessons instantly to pace, confidence, and need.
Whole-Child Focus:
Academic progress is tracked alongside wellbeing and engagement, helping young people develop resilience and independence; skills that stay with them beyond education.
Supporting Fostering Agencies and Care-Experienced Young People
We work closely with fostering agencies across the UK to provide consistent, high-quality education for young people in care placements or transitioning between homes. Our trauma-informed teachers understand the impact of instability and change, creating calm, reliable learning environments where students can reconnect with education at their own pace.
Consistency is Key. Each young person receives a personalised learning plan that fits around their placement, care routines, and emotional needs. Whether they're awaiting a school place, recovering from disrupted education, or preparing for GCSEs and beyond, we ensure that learning never has to stop.
"Apricot Learning's lessons gave our young person a sense of normality during a really difficult time. They felt seen, supported, and motivated again."
Curriculum & Subjects
We teach from Key Stage 2 through to Key Stage 5, offering a broad, inclusive curriculum aligned to the National Curriculum and all major exam boards.
Core Subjects:
English, Maths, Science, and PSHE
Extended Offer:
Humanities, Computing, Business Studies, Media, Psychology, Sociology, Religious Studies, Citizenship, and Economics
Qualifications:
Functional Skills, Entry Level Certificates, GCSEs, A-levels
We teach to ability, not age. Students can move between levels as confidence grows. Our programmes also include targeted interventions to fill gaps in literacy, numeracy, and subject understanding and skills.
Group and One-to-One Teaching
Every young person learns differently. We offer both small group sessions (up to 10 students) and one-to-one teaching, depending on what best suits their readiness, confidence, and support plan.
Group Learning:
One-to-One Teaching:
Our approach is flexible and placements are reviewed termly to ensure each learner is in the right setting.
Data, Progress and Reporting
Clear, meaningful reporting is at the heart of how we work. Our reports are designed to show the full story behind a young person's learning, combining academic progress with insights into confidence, engagement, and emotional development. They help you make informed decisions, evidence outcomes at reviews, and recognise the small wins that matter just as much as grades.
Each week, teachers record progress and emotional resilience, building a narrative that shows where a learner is growing and where support may be needed. Our system brings this together through live data, trending graphs, and cross subject analysis, helping our teachers plan smarter interventions and spot developing patterns early. It is data that works for people, not the other way around.
What You'll Receive
Weekly:
Regular measures of academic progress, attainment against assessment objectives, and development in 21st century skills.
Half-termly:
Learning behaviours are reviewed and reported, offering a wider view of motivation, communication, independence, and engagement.
Termly Individual Learning Plans:
Every student receives a detailed ILP focused on their academic needs and learning behaviours. Each plan includes:
- Previous Targets: Revisited outlining which targets have been met and which require further support
- Our Focus: Explaining the topics and skills covered that term
- Progress Made: Highlighting gains across assessment objectives, 21st century skills, and learning behaviours
- Learning Issues: Identifying any barriers to progress
- Achieve More: Setting clear next steps and actions to support continued development
All stakeholders can access reports and ILPs directly through the Apricot platform, ensuring visibility, clarity, and consistency.
"Apricot Learning's reports give us everything we need for reviews and panels. They show the full story of progress, not just numbers."
Quality and Safeguarding
We uphold the highest standards of safeguarding, data protection, and quality assurance.
All Apricot teachers are enhanced DBS-checked and receive ongoing training in trauma-informed and ACEs-aware practice. Lessons are recorded for safeguarding, reviewed for quality, and anonymised for student safety.
Apricot Learning has been quality-assured by multiple local authorities and contributed to the DfE's pilot inspection framework for online education providers.
Our Partnerships
Our live online provision reaches students nationwide. We currently partner with Local Authorities, Fostering Agencies, and Schools across the UK, including Gloucestershire, Bristol, Somerset, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, West Sussex, Cornwall, and Manchester, London boroughs, Birmingham, Middlesborough, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and more.
We support reintegration, home tuition, hospital education, Section 19 provision, and part-time programmes, always working alongside the professionals already supporting the child. Whether a young person is out of school because of health, care placement changes, anxiety, or complex SEND needs, we join the team around them to ensure they receive their entitlement to education and a pathway back into learning that feels safe, consistent, and achievable.
Partnership Coverage Map
Start a Referral
A referral to Apricot Learning can be the first step towards rebuilding confidence and finding joy in learning again. We'll respond to your enquiry quickly and help you plan the right next step for each young person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions from commissioners and schools
Free Taster Sessions
The best way to find out if Apricot is the right provision for your students is to try a free Taster Session. Tasters are offered every Wednesday.
Ring us on 01242 604985 to sign up.
How do I get started?
The quickest way to get started is to ring us on 01242 604985. We will talk you through the process and schedule a short student induction. You can also download a referral form here and send it in to info@apricotlearningonline.co.uk. We can’t wait to start this adventure with you.
What is a trauma informed AEP?
We understand that trauma exposure can impact an individual's neurological, biological, psychological, and social development. Our staff are ACEs and SEND trained and, therefore, highly aware of how trauma negatively impacts the mental and medical health needs children we teach. This is why we say that we teach the whole child; not just the subject. The help we give students in learning behaviours and 21st c. skills is demonstrated in our relationships and reflected in our reporting.
What about safeguarding?
Currently the DfE is creating a compliance framework for online education provisions. Apricot was invited to consultation meetings with the DfE and has participated in their pilot inspection. We have been quality assured by numerous LAs and councils as part of their vetting process for their Approved Provider Frameworks/DPS.
As an alternative education provider, Apricot is not subject to direct scrutiny by Ofsted. However, we recognise that our clients generally are and, therefore, seek to uphold Ofsted’s expectations on their behalf. Taking a best fit approach, we observe Ofsted’s section 5 inspection criteria along with the statutory guidance for alternative provision issued to local authorities by the DfE. We do all we can to justify your decision to work with us and are happy to participate in your Ofsted inspection on request.
Are you DfE registered or quality assured?
Currently the DfE is creating a compliance framework for online education provisions. Apricot was invited to consultation meetings with the DfE and has participated in their pilot inspection. We have been quality assured by numerous LAs and councils as part of their vetting process for their Approved Provider Frameworks/DPS.
As an alternative education provider, Apricot is not subject to direct scrutiny by Ofsted. However, we recognise that our clients generally are and, therefore, seek to uphold Ofsted’s expectations on their behalf. Taking a best fit approach, we observe Ofsted’s section 5 inspection criteria along with the statutory guidance for alternative provision issued to local authorities by the DfE. We do all we can to justify your decision to work with us and are happy to participate in your Ofsted inspection on request.
What keystages/ages do you teach?
We teach KS2 (Y5/Y6), KS3, KS4, and KS5 – basically ages 8 and up. However, you don’t have to stick to lessons based on the year group of your students’ chronological age. We will teach to the current level of your students and catch them up to their age group level.
What subjects do you teach?
We teach all core subjects and a myriad of others. Check out the full offer of subjects here.
What curriculum do you follow? Are groups by sets/level? How are children assessed?
We follow the English National Curriculum for all keystages and offer full GCSE and A Level qualification courses. We also offer Functional Skills and some BTEC courses. Groups are usually comprised by year group/keystage, but this can be flexible. Differentiation within our small groups is paramount to ensuring everyone gets tailored learning opportunities.
Baseline assessments take place discretely during the first 2 weeks of lessons, which allows our teachers to get the information they need to prepare lessons and resources at an appropriate level and pace. Short assessments termly and mock exam questions (KS4-KS5) are utilised to gauge expected progress.
Do you offer interventions?
Yes. We have several interventions for key marginal students and those who have gaps in their learning. Click here to learn more.
Who are your teachers?
All Apricot teachers have QTS and years of experience in traditional classroom settings. The diversity of character, expertise, and teaching styles within our team enables compatibility matching between teachers and student, creating positive working relationships that lead to successful learning.
Do you set homework? How much? How is it submitted?
Yes, we do set weekly homework through the learning platform. Students can upload their work securely by simply responding to the assignments that are set. Simples!
What reporting do you offer?
Live Reports Cards are accessible on our student information system and include:
- Attendance
- Progress Tracking
- Academic attainment through grades and individual AO
- 21st c. Skills
- Learning Behaviours
- Termly ILPs with teacher comments
Our reports are really in-depth and you can find out more and download a sample report on this page.
What about exams?
Apricot is not an exam centre and, until final advice is forthcoming from the government, every school has their own requirements for teacher grading and evidence. Some examples are: letters from teachers, proof of QTS status (Qualified Teacher Status), course numbers, random evidence of student work and grades, and some form of assessment (defined by the individual schools). Rest assured that whatever the requirements, Apricot has always been able to satisfy schools with what they need. We will continue to do so.
What are schools, parents, and students saying about Apricot?
How many students per group?
We teach a maximum of 12 students per group – the general rule, however, is 5-10 students per group.
Is there a minimum commitment?
Yes – one full term. However, your students can begin their lessons at any point in the school year – we will work out the number of weeks for your commitment.
What is your notification period?
Once the minimum provision threshold has been met, our notification period is only 48 hours. This must be made in writing (email is fine).
Are lessons timetabled?
Yes – lessons are timetabled. Each group or 1:1 student will meet with their teachers on a regular basis each week in our online classrooms.
Where do lessons take place?
Our provision can be accessed anywhere there is a computer/laptop with a good broadband connection. Students can login to their lessons from any safe environment.
What equipment do I need? What resources do you provide?
You will need a computer, headset, and the internet. No printer is required, as we provide all learning resources online.
What is your pricing?
We offer a range of price points. Please get in contact to discuss your needs on 01242 604985.
Do you charge a setup fee?
No. Apricot does not charge any setup fees.
Should I book a Group or 1:1 lessons?
Frequently our students are already isolated by their circumstances. So we encourage enrolment in a group programme to enable a sense of awareness of learning alongside others and to promote the ability to interact with peers. Your students can join our existing nationwide groups or you can create groups that are only open to students referred by you. Our 1:1 teaching service is available for those unable to access group learning.
What if a student leaves a group/goes back to school?
Groups are purchased by seat. Once a student is booked on one of our group programmes, the seat is interchangeable with another student. This provides you with a roll on / roll off education service.
What is flexi-schooling?
Flexi-schooling is when students opt to be taught at home part-time, meaning they spend some time in school and some time learning at home. This option can be seen as the best of both worlds for both educational and social wellbeing.