OpenGate Education Central
Specialist alternative provision for primary-aged children (ages 4-11)
Our Central Region operates across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
Regional headquarters
Bedfordshire
Alternative Provision Centres
Coming soon
Local authorities served
- Bedford Borough Council
- Buckinghamshire Council
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- Hertfordshire Council
- Luton Borough Council
- Milton Keynes City Council
Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2024.
Who we support
We support children aged 4-11 years (Reception, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2) who require additional support to access, engage in or remain connected to education, including those with:
- SEND, SEMH, autism or ADHD
- Anxiety and Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
- Attendance, behaviour or inclusion challenges
- EHCPs or EOTAS arrangements
- Risk of suspension, exclusion or placement breakdown
- Complex educational, emotional or social needs
What we provide
We provide flexible, targeted support tailored to individual needs, which may include:
- Assessment and identification of need
- SEND, SEMH and inclusion support
- Academic, attendance and engagement programmes
- Early intervention and exclusion prevention
- EBSA, EHCP and EOTAS support
- Crisis intervention, outreach and reintegration support
- Therapeutic support and mentoring (where commissioned and subject to assessment)
- Enhanced safeguarding transport (coming soon)
Our provision
Our provision is:
- Needs-led
- Time-limited
- Outcome-focused
- Trauma-informed and relationship-based
- Designed to complement existing educational provision
Intended outcomes
Our programmes are designed to support children towards:
- Improved attendance and engagement
- Increased confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing
- Improved self-regulation and behaviour
- Stronger relationships and social skills
- Successful reintegration into school, where appropriate
- Transition to a more suitable educational setting, where required
- Long-term participation in education
Our team
Our multidisciplinary team includes qualified teachers, SENCOs, specialist teachers, inclusion practitioners, BACP-registered counsellors and qualified play therapists, with expertise across education, SEND, SEMH, safeguarding and therapeutic support.
With experience spanning schools, alternative provision and local authority services, we support children with complex educational, emotional, behavioural and attendance needs, including those at risk of exclusion or experiencing EBSA.
Quality sits at the heart of everything we do. Through robust governance, quality assurance, safeguarding oversight and outcome monitoring, we deliver evidence-informed interventions that help children make meaningful progress while providing commissioners with confidence in the quality, accountability and impact of our provision.
Referrals and commissioning
Referrals are accepted from:
- Schools and academy trusts
- Local authorities
- SEND teams
- Inclusion services
- Attendance services
- Virtual schools
- Other authorised commissioning bodies
We do not accept direct referrals from parents or carers, as referrals must be made through a school, local authority or other authorised commissioning body.
Parents and carers are always welcome to contact us to learn more about our services and discuss their child's needs. We are happy to provide information and guidance on the most appropriate referral pathway, and recommend speaking with your child's school or local authority in the first instance.
Operating status
OpenGate (Central) is a specialist, non-school alternative provision provider.
Children remain on the roll of their school or receive support through local authority, school, academy trust or other authorised commissioning arrangements. Our provision complements existing educational placements through targeted intervention, specialist support, assessment, outreach, reintegration and transition planning.
We do not operate as a school or deliver substantially all a child's educational programme.
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we are working towards registration where appropriate. In the meantime, all provision is delivered in partnership with schools, local authorities and other commissioning bodies, ensuring appropriate educational oversight, safeguarding, quality assurance and accountability.
Helping children overcome barriers, remain connected to education, and move successfully towards reintegration, transition and long-term educational success.
Our centres in Central
Central senior leadership
Justine McQuillan
Director of Operations, OpenGate Central
Hayley Harrison
Head of Referrals & Partnerships, OpenGate Central
Helping children overcome barriers, re-engage with learning and find a positive way forward.
Let's find the right solution together
Whether you are seeking support for an individual child, exploring alternative provision options, or looking to strengthen local inclusion pathways, our team is here to help.
Talk to us about your referral, commissioning requirement or service need. Together, we can identify the most effective support to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.
