Meaningful Opportunities for Teenagers

Background

Following more than eight years and 2 Outstanding Ofsted inspections, Cherry Tree Education will be closing. It is well known that the SEND system in England is at breaking point and as a direct result, referrals to small independent schools have rapidly declined. To ensure that the pupils and the business would not be left vulnerable, Soo and Emma took the difficult decision to see the year through and close the school in July 2026.

The current SEND crisis has seen a significant increase in numbers of young people being educated or isolated at home due to mental health challenges, so we have decided to use the existing therapeutic school premises to start a new service. Cherry Tree Connect will focus on offering meaningful socialisation and communication opportunities that can often be hard to find for teenagers who are overwhelmed with anxieties. Cherry Tree Connect will empower young people (aged 11-16) to build their self-worth and confidence through those opportunities, supported by specialist staff. Various non-academic projects and interests will be on offer e.g. art, upcycling, cookery and gardening in small groups of 5 or less.

The new venture will continue with the underpinning belief that when young people feel safe and have the right support, they will begin to explore who they are and engage meaningfully with their peers. Our core ethos also recognises the importance of giving young people time and space to discover their individual identity and find a comfortable place in the world around them.

Why Cherry Tree Connect?

Throughout their careers, Soo and Emma have observed the huge impact anxiety can have on young people and how this leads to isolation and can severely affect their mental health. This is corroborated by a mountain of research and evidence, with similar conclusions that: anxiety, isolation, and loneliness can create a negative and downward spiral for young people's mental and physical health, and their ability to engage in everyday life. Without the right help or support, this can also have an impact within the home environment by causing additional problematic relationships.

Cherry Tree already has an established therapeutic and successful working model that has enabled ‘switched off' young people to engage within a safe environment. Working in this way has supported many young people to work through difficulties and to grow and thrive. Soo and Emma will continue to do this through Cherry Tree Connect by:

Ensuring a non-judgemental, calm and quiet environment with agreed boundaries for young people to feel accepted and protected from external emotional triggers.
Creating a sense of acceptance, security and belonging outside of the home by promoting social inclusion via peer companions and friendships.
Pro-actively agreeing individual and manageable strategies with young people to limit hypervigilance or a need for a fight, flight or freeze response.
Creating a sense of excitement and enjoyment of shared interests and activities and thereby initiating ‘something to look forward to'.
Enabling young people to develop and build their self-esteem and confidence and widen their life experiences through gradual exposure to other external social opportunities.

How will Cherry Tree Connect do this?

The ‘teenage' years are an important stage of self-discovery and identity and are achieved in the healthiest way through peer interaction and relationships. So many young people who experience severe anxiety are missing this crucial time because of their social isolation. The impact of peer interaction during this time is often underestimated. Positive connections and interactions with their peers encourages and reinforces a sense of belonging, good self-esteem and a shared identity. Through highly experienced staff, Cherry Tree Connect will:

Ensure rigorous and effective Health and Safety, Fire Safety and Safeguarding systems are in place and ensure staff are highly experienced and have ongoing training in all of these statutory areas as well as ongoing mental health training.
Have a consistent and predictable environment, routine and structure to reduce uncertainty, but with a flexible option within the boundaries, allowing for personal exploration and growth.
Have consistent support, guidance and validation from highly trained and experienced staff.
Build on small connections to prevent being overwhelmed
Create appropriate opportunities to enable a sense of achievement and build on them at the young person's pace
Promote self-expression and encourage self-discovery through engaging with their peers without fear of judgements
Supply appropriate good quality art, craft, gardening, cookery and activity resources.
Complete a Cherry Tree Connect Confidence questionnaire with the young person when they are ready, which will be revisited at the end of the block sessions to measure progress.

Staff Qualifications & Training

Soo Finn

Soo is a qualified and experienced headteacher who led Cherry Tree Education through its second Outstanding Ofsted Inspection in September 2025. Click here to read the report. She has worked with many vulnerable children and young people for over 30 years, including those who have enduring mental health diagnosis and difficulties, learning disabilities and challenging behaviours, homeless young people and young offenders. Soo also has extensive experience working alongside children in the care system who have trauma and attachment difficulties and find it hard to make meaningful connections in the world. One of the key factors that has driven Soo's career was an early recognition that many of these children and young people had negative learning experiences at school and as a result either left school or were excluded. Her career first took the path into education when she set up her own training company and completed her Cert Ed. Soo then gained a BA Hons in Education and Training and went on to complete the National Professional Qualification for Headship with outstanding feedback. In her previous career Soo has worked for, and alongside various organisations including the Voluntary and Charitable Sector, The Prince's Trust and Kent Police. Soo was also involved in a multi-national project in France which brought together children and young people from Britain, France and Turkey. She also set up and led an Alternative Education Provision throughout Kent with two ‘Good with Outstanding Features' Ofsted Inspections and led the same team to win a Gold Award for Innovation in Education.

Soo regularly completes all generic training requirements and her training over the last couple of years has also included: Designated Safeguarding Lead, Certificate in Teaching Mental Health & Well-being, Certificate in Understanding Mental Health, Supporting Mental Health & Well-being of Autistic Pupils, Advanced Certificate in Safeguarding for DSLs and many others.

In her spare time Soo enjoys upcycling, gardening and is writing a book about the importance and rewards of daily communication with adolescents.

Director - Emma Brown QTLS

Alongside Soo Finn, Emma led Cherry Tree Education through 2 Outstanding Ofsted Inspections, one in 2025 and one in 2022. She has worked with vulnerable children and young people for over 20 years in various capacities including youth work, coaching and tutoring. Emma has completed the Diploma for Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector and went on to gain her QTLS accreditation. Throughout her career she has attended various training events and conferences related to children and young people with behavioural, social and learning difficulties. Emma completed a Diploma in First Line Management while employed as a School Operations Manager in an Alternative Education Provision. Within this role Emma was a key figure in the Senior Leadership Team that led the provision through two ‘Good with Outstanding Features' Ofsted inspections. Emma has an array of experience of working with vulnerable teenagers that are on the fringes of society and also has a vast amount of experience in overseeing EHC Plans and ensuring children have what they are entitled to.

Emma regularly completes all required training and her training over the last couple of years has included: Mental Health Lead, Designating safeguarding Lead, Certificate in Safeguarding Students with Mental Health Needs, Advanced Certificate in Online Safety for DSLs, and many others.

In her personal time Emma enjoys metal detecting and walking.

What are the hours and fees?

Bookings will be available for the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week in blocks of 5, 6 or 7 weeks in line with the calendar below. This will enable young people to gain and feel a benefit from the service and for us to be able to measure improvement. Follow on blocks will be available if needed.

	7 week block
	7 week block
	6 week block
	5 week block
	7 week block
	7 week block

Spaces will be limited as there is a limit of 5 young people per slot. Once the slots are filled, young people will be placed on a waiting list for when a vacancy becomes available.

Tuesday	9.30am – 12.00pm Fee for 2.5 hours is £80 + VAT	12.30pm – 3.00pm Fee for 2.5 hours is £80 + VAT
Wednesday	9.30am – 12.00pm Fee for 2.5 hours is £80 + VAT	12.30pm – 3.00pm Fee for 2.5 hours is £80 + VAT
Thursday	9.30am – 12.00pm Fee for 2.5 hours is £80 + VAT	12.30pm – 3.00pm Fee for 2.5 hours is £80 + VAT
All sessions will be managed by Soo and Emma and any other staff needed will also be highly qualified and experienced. Fees for the service also includes all good quality equipment and resources and access to healthy drinks and fruit.

What to do next

Interest must initially be sent via email to either soo@cherrytreeconnect.co.uk or emma@cherrytreeconnect.co.uk with a brief description of what your young person wants, and or needs, and we will respond to you as soon as possible.

Please note that we cannot accommodate young people who are displaying aggressive challenging behaviours as this would be detrimental to the calm environment needed for highly anxious young people.

Following your email, if we feel this is a suitable service for your young person:

Step 1. Soo and Emma will arrange to meet with parents or carers and the young person in their home environment to introduce themselves.

Step 2. Arrange for young person and their parent or carer to visit the Cherry Tree Connect environment.

Step 3. If agreed Cherry Tree Connect will be a suitable option for the young person, various forms would need to be completed before a final decision can be made to ensure we have all information available and can accommodate their needs. The forms include:

Confidential information including all medical, diagnosis and current information details
Emergency contacts
Block booking and payment agreement

If you need any further information not covered above, please message Soo on soo@cherrytreeconnect.co.uk or Emma on emma@cherrytreeconnect.co.uk with your questions and they will respond as soon as possible.

Policies & Procedures

Please note that our policies and procedures are currently under review.