Co-Regulation Before Curriculum: Why Readiness to Learn Must Come First in Alternative Provision

In Alternative Provision (AP), it’s tempting to focus on curriculum delivery as the primary benchmark of success — attendance, progress in English and maths, working towards qualifications. But for many learners with complex needs, this model skips the first and most critical step: readiness to learn.

At KCL, we start with co-regulation — not curriculum.

What Do We Mean by “Readiness to Learn”?

For a young person with an EHCP, social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, or a history of trauma, “readiness” doesn’t simply mean sitting quietly in front of a screen or worksheet.

It means:

Feeling emotionally and physically safe in the learning environment (whether online or in-person)

Having access to emotional regulation strategies
Being supported by an adult who is calm, predictable, and emotionally attuned
Being met with curiosity, not control

This is the foundation for learning. Without it, academic targets become meaningless. With it, learners can begin to trust, engage, and progress.

Co-Regulation: The Heart of Trauma-Informed Tuition

Our practitioners are trained in the PACE model (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy) and ACES-informed practice, equipping them to build secure learning relationships over time. But these aren’t abstract concepts — they are applied session by session.

A typical 3-hour learning block might include:

A regulation check-in using Zones of Regulation visuals

A gentle “soft start” activity (music, drawing, movement) to settle and engage. Scaffolding tasks with co-regulated coaching, not instruction
Intentional use of calming tone, praise, and emotional pacing
A closing reflection or grounding task

This is therapeutic learning in practice — and it’s how we build bridges from disengagement to empowerment.

Why It Works — Especially for Complex Learners

Many of the learners referred to us have been out of school for extended periods, are under CAMHS or educational psychology, and are living with PTSD, anxiety, or executive functioning delays.

For these young people, conventional “lesson plans” fail. They need a relational recovery space.

By starting with co-regulation:

Learners show higher attendance and retention

Emotional dysregulation reduces over time
Engagement in English and maths increases steadily

Progress can be mapped not just academically but therapeutically (e.g. resilience, self-advocacy)

A Curriculum That Doesn’t Ignore the Brain

Neuroscience tells us: You can’t access the prefrontal cortex (thinking, learning, memory) if the brain is in survival mode. Yet we continue to push curriculum targets onto children who are emotionally flooded, hypervigilant, or withdrawn.

At KCL, we align curriculum delivery with emotional readiness. It’s not about reducing expectations — it’s about sequencing them correctly.

What This Means for Commissioners and SENCOs

If you are commissioning tuition for a learner with SEMH needs or complex trauma, ask not just:

What subjects will be covered?

What qualifications will be pursued?

But also:

What therapeutic frameworks are in place?

How are tutors trained to respond to dysregulation?

What strategies are embedded to support engagement?

Because progress in English and maths only happens when the learner feels safe enough to be present.

The KCL Difference

We offer structured 1:1 online and location based tuition with qualified, trauma-trained tutors.

Each session integrates:

Therapeutic mentoring and regulation strategies

EHCP-targeted learning plans
Personalised support through the SAFEGROUND™ Framework

For us, emotional regulation is not an add-on — it is the method.