We are delighted to say that we have partnered with RISE Wild to offer an alternative learning pathway for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and surrounding areas.
Set in a unique outdoor environment, RISE Wild offers hands-on education in horse and animal care, helping learners re-engage with education, build confidence, and develop vital life and employability skills. We spoke to Lianne, Director of RISE, to learn more about their work and the impact of this exciting new partnership with Haddon Training.
Can you tell us a bit about RISE Wild and your role within the organisation?
RISE Wild is a forest school, horticultural and equestrian centre that supports young people with SEND or emotional and mental health challenges to re-engage with education and the world around them. For many years, we’ve supported young people through RISE Space and RISE Stream. RISE stands for Revolutionising Individual and Specialist Education, and that’s exactly what we aim to do – helping as many young people as possible to reach their full potential.
As Director, I’m incredibly proud of our dedicated team of SEND specialists, whose expertise and care make a real difference for our young people and their families. My role is to ensure we deliver exceptional, personalised SEND and SEMH support to as many learners as possible. Partnering with Haddon Training allows us to expand our offerings and provide even greater opportunities for the RISE community.
What motivated you to partner with Haddon Training?
We’ve recommended Haddon Training to our students for years and have seen the positive impact of working with horses and small animals. Now, we’re thrilled to deliver these programmes in-house through RISE Wild, enriching our SEND education offer. Our Provision Lead, Kirsty Capon, has seen first-hand the transformation Haddon Training’s courses bring, and she is perfectly placed to maximise their impact for our learners.
What skills and knowledge do you hope learners will gain from this partnership to prepare them for their future careers?
Our goal is always to give each young person what they need to thrive – and we know that looks different for everyone. Through our partnership with Haddon Training, learners will discover what they enjoy, where they excel, and how to advocate for their needs. These programmes offer both vocational learning and transferable life skills, helping young people build a life they choose, not one limited by their challenges. With Haddon, we can now offer specialist training in horse and animal care alongside support for independence, autonomy, and confidence.
What are your hopes for the long-term impact of this partnership on both your learners and the broader community?
One of the many things that we absolutely love about Haddon is the flexible structure of the courses. Learners can work at their own pace to achieve success at a range of levels. This lets us personalise learning to suit each student’s pace and support their progress over several years of study and apprenticeships.
The RISE / Haddon partnership offers learners a strong foundation in vocational skills and a clear pathway to their future. In the wider community, RISE contributes through local projects and enterprise, and we’re excited to continue this work across Beds, Bucks and Northants alongside Haddon Training.
Applications for Rise Wild are now being accepted for September 2025! If you’d like to apply, please email hello@risespace.uk.
For more information about our Alternative Provision, click here.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here.
