Our Story

It started with two people, and one belief that education could be different.

The River Bourne Edge began in May 2024 with a simple question:

Why were so many young people with so much potential falling through the cracks?

After many years working in education, we had met children and young people who were funny, kind, creative and capable, yet many had stopped believing in themselves because mainstream education was no longer the right environment for them to thrive.

We knew there had to be another way.

So we created The River Bourne Edge — a place where relationships come first, young people are truly understood, and education is built around the individual rather than expecting the individual to fit the system.

What began with just a handful of young people has grown into a thriving alternative education provision, but our purpose has never changed:

To help young people rediscover their confidence, recognise their strengths and believe that they can succeed.

Relationships First. Responsibility Always.

Our approach is restorative, relational, trauma-informed and guided by PACE.

We take time to understand what sits behind behaviour, while maintaining clear boundaries, high expectations and accountability.

When things go wrong, we don't simply ask “What did you do?”

We explore:

What happened? • Who was affected? • What needs to happen now? • What can we learn?

Understanding behaviour doesn't mean excusing it.

Restorative practice is accountability that teaches.

Our approach is built around five principles:

Relationships • Respect • Responsibility • Repair • Partnership

These shape how we work with young people, families, schools and professionals every day.

Who We Support

We support children and young people aged 6–18 who need a different approach to education. This may include those who are:

• struggling to engage or thrive in mainstream education
• experiencing anxiety, poor attendance or barriers to learning
• at risk of exclusion
• living with SEND and needing a more personalised approach
• waiting for a specialist placement or alternative setting
• ready to rebuild confidence, independence and a belief in themselves

Every young person is different, so their education should be too.

We don't ask, “What's wrong with this young person?”

We ask, “What has happened, what do they need, and how can we help them succeed?”