Nurturing Growth: The Role of Leadership in Education
Tuesday 03 March 2026
Last updated: Monday 02 March 2026
Chris Sweeny has used his 33 years of experience working in the SEN field to better the lives of countless children. He is driven by a passion for helping children see beyond their labels, focussing on their futures and working with them to create a bespoke learning plan. Achieving Good and Outstanding across every Five Rivers School is something we are extremely proud of as a team. We sat down with him to discuss our recent Ofsted ratings, how he plans to cultivate a culture that is child centred and his hopes for his students and the future of his team.
As Head of Education, what does achieving a “Good” or “Outstanding” rating really mean for the children and young people we support across Five Rivers?
It means they’re safe and receiving the highest quality education that will set them up for a brighter future.
What is your overarching vision for education at Five Rivers, and how does this support us consistently with receiving high standards across our services?
As a service, we are relentless in balancing therapeutic approaches and a high-quality education. Our curriculum is based on an ammonite model, and we provide truly bespoke services placing the child at the centre. Working at their pace, we gradually widen their experiences. We combine high structure with high nurture, meeting children at their starting point and supporting them towards their goals.
We have a truly flexible education service which offers a number of different options. Our Ofsted‑registered day schools provide small, focused classes, while our on‑site integrated schools within Children’s Homes offer a seamless, supportive learning environment. We also offer 1 ACE programmes, providing 1:1 or 2:1 learning in the community, along with a virtual service that delivers education online.
Children often start with virtual classes, then step into a face-to-face 1 ACE programme before transitioning into a school. We have recently started a new Specialist Inclusion Service, which has two principle aims. To support and educate children out of school and transition them into a new placement, as well as to support children and staff when they are at risk of exclusion, helping them maintain and safeguard the placement.
Many of our children have experienced trauma or disrupted education. How do our education services respond to these needs to help children re-engage and meet their goals?
Children need to feel safe before they can learn. In order to do this, we start by establishing relationships and building trust. Behaviours are viewed through the prism of a child’s lived experience, and we seek to understand what is being communicated behind the behaviour. Trust takes time and our staff work alongside our children looking for success however small. Staff are supported by our therapy teams with regular opportunities for consultation and supervision, allowing them space to reflect and consider the best approach for each individual child.
How do you ensure high quality teaching and learning across our schools and education provisions, even when pupils’ starting points vary widely?
We offer a broad and balanced curriculum with the child at the heart. Baseline assessments allow us to shape each child’s education, starting from their current level of development. High quality teaching will focus on filling gaps and finding the best route to successful outcomes for each student.
Five Rivers operate education services in different regions and settings; how do you balance consistency in quality by meeting local and individual needs?
Our relationship with Local Authorities is crucial here. We ensure we are developing services that meet the needs of the Local Authority and the children. We have a highly experienced leadership team who will ensure they have a presence across all the regions and services. Headteacher meetings and termly school forums offer an opportunity to share good practice across the service.
What role does staff training, supervision, and professional development play in achieving “Good” and “Outstanding” outcomes in education?
Our staff need to have access to the most up to date research-based practice to meet the highly complex needs of some of our children. We have an in-depth mandatory induction programme; this is supplemented by additional training both internally and externally. Mandatory training covers a wide range of subjects from Safeguarding to Understanding Child Development, Shame and De –Escalation Strategies. We also access regular training on Education topics such as specific curriculum areas and understanding cognitive load. We hold group education training days for all our staff twice a year, which is also a key opportunity to share good practice. We continuously invest in training opportunities for individual staff, for example supporting progression from Unqualified Teacher to Teacher. Additionally, we look at whole service projects, for example each school has a level 3 trained Dyslexia Lead. All of these contribute to the positive outcomes for our children.
How does Five Rivers’ therapeutic approach contribute to positive educational outcomes for children and young people?
Children learn best when they feel safe and the best way for the children to feel safe is to ensure the adults around them feel safe. This is where our therapeutic approach is central, whether through direct work with children or reflective work with our staff teams.
How do you use feedback from pupils and professionals to drive and maintain high standards?
We take informal feedback from children regularly; this is a key part of reflecting their learning and progress. Timetables and programmes of study are adjusted as a result. We also seek opportunities to take formal feedback from our pupils at regular points throughout the year. Likewise, with professionals, whether through formal meetings such as Annual Reviews, Personal Education Plans or Quality Assurance visits; we seek feedback and then use this to drive changes and improvement within the Service.
How important are partnerships with Local Authorities and other professionals in achieving strong inspection outcomes?
This is essential. It starts at the point of referral, working with the Local Authorities to make sure we are getting the right referrals. We then work closely with them to clearly communicate the outcomes we are looking to achieve. Regular Quality Assurance visits contribute to our clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development of each of our schools. This supports us in the inspection process when Ofsted speaks to our partners in the Local Authorities.
“We have had the privilege of supporting Chris Sweeney and Vicci Elworthy in the opening of two outstanding new schools and two new residential homes: Sky Vale School near Bristol, River Valley School near Rotherham, Clara House in Plymouth, and Namwera in Darite. These successes reflect exceptional teamwork between IT, Facilities, and our colleagues across the Education and Residential services. From identifying and acquiring new sites, securing planning permissions, and overseeing construction, to furnishing the buildings and navigating extensive regulatory requirements, this has been a true collective effort. The result is a set of fantastic, nurturing environments for the children and young people we educate and care for.” – Jon Reed, Head of IT and Facilities
From your perspective, what makes Five Rivers’ education services stand out in the sector?
We are flexible and transparent. We believe in the Five Rivers Values; they’re more than just words on a page. We are a trusted partner because we work with children and families in the most complex circumstances and provide truly bespoke services to meet their needs. For example, an LA recently approached us because they had a number of children who had no school placement. We create a bespoke programme built around three clear phases: an engagement and assessment phase, an intervention phase, and a transition phase, designed to support the local authority while they secure suitable placements and to help children move smoothly into them.
What are your key priorities over the next year to ensure Five Rivers education services continue to achieve and sustain “Good” and “Outstanding” outcomes?
Well, with a changing Ofsted framework in Education, our first priority is to ensure we are ahead of the game in understanding the impact of this in our sector. We will then focus on balancing high structure and high nurture with the highest quality teaching. We are growing our existing services further, so we can turn more children’s lives around. Focussing on staff development and training to ensure we are at the forefront of therapeutic education.
Finally, what message would you like to share with the Education team and the children they support about the role they play in achieving these standards?
I want to thank each and every one of our team members. I am humbled every day by the dedication they show in reaching and supporting children who have too often been labelled as unreachable or unteachable. I am genuinely in awe of the efforts and relentless positivity that they bring to the workplace day in, day out. And to the children, thank you for providing us with the highest moments of joy and allowing us to be a part of your journey.