TEAL

31/05/2026

☀️🌿 Self Care Sunday 🌿☀️

As we prepare for Summer Term at TEAL CIC, today is a reminder that rest, reset and self-care are just as important as productivity. 💚

The warmer months bring exciting opportunities for:
🐴 Outdoor learning
🌱 Gardening & growing
🐔 Animal care
☀️ Nature walks
🤝 Teamwork & friendships
📚 Accredited learning
✨ New experiences & confidence building

But before the new term begins… take a moment to pause.

Go outside.
Feel the sunshine.
Listen to the birds.
Breathe deeply.
Drink some water.
Rest your mind.
Spend time with animals, nature or people who make you feel safe and calm.

At TEAL CIC we believe emotional wellbeing comes first — because when we feel regulated, supported and connected, we are far more ready to learn, grow and thrive. 🌿

Horses, animals and nature remind us that slowing down is not failing… it is necessary.

So this Sunday, be kind to yourself. 💚

✨ Reset for the week ahead.
✨ Recharge your batteries.
✨ Prepare your mind for new opportunities.
✨ Remember progress doesn’t have to be rushed.

We cannot wait to welcome everyone back for another term full of learning, laughter, muddy boots and special moments. 🐴☀️🌱

30/05/2026

✨ Understanding EOTAS & EHCP Pathways at TEAL CIC ✨

We are often asked how EOTAS funding and EHCP placements work for young people attending TEAL CIC, so we thought we’d share a simple explanation for families and professionals. 💚🐴

📚 What is an EHCP?

An EHCP (Education, Health & Care Plan) is a legal document designed to support children and young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). It outlines the support, provision and educational needs required for that young person to access learning safely and successfully.

Every EHCP should be personalised to the individual — because no two young people are the same.

🌿 What is EOTAS?

EOTAS stands for:
Education Otherwise Than At School.

This is a specialist pathway used when a traditional school environment is no longer suitable, safe or able to meet a young person’s needs.

An EOTAS package allows education to be delivered differently — often through therapeutic, vocational, outdoor or specialist provisions like TEAL CIC.

🐴 How can TEAL CIC support?

TEAL CIC provides:
✨ Accredited Equine Studies
✨ Animal Care
✨ Outdoor & Land Based Learning
✨ Therapeutic Equine Assisted Learning
✨ SEND-friendly small group environments
✨ Emotional regulation & confidence building
✨ Life skills, employability & social development
✨ Personalised pathways for young people aged 12–25

For many young people, learning outdoors alongside animals reduces anxiety, improves attendance, increases engagement and rebuilds trust in education.

🌱 How do EOTAS budgets work?

If a Local Authority agrees that EOTAS is appropriate, funding can sometimes be allocated to create a bespoke educational package around the young person’s needs.

This may include:
• Alternative education provisions
• Therapeutic support
• Specialist interventions
• Travel arrangements
• Vocational learning opportunities

Every package is individual and based upon the young person’s EHCP outcomes and identified needs.

💚 Why does this matter?

Not every young person thrives sitting behind a desk all day.

Some young people learn best through:
🐴 Hands-on experiences
🌿 Nature-based learning
🐶 Animal interaction
🛠 Practical activities
🤝 Relationship-based support
✨ Calm, nurturing environments

At TEAL CIC we focus on helping young people feel safe first — because when a young person feels safe, learning can begin again.

We are proud to support pathways that help young people reconnect with education, develop confidence and move towards brighter futures. 🌟

📩 Professionals and families are welcome to contact us to discuss placements, EHCP pathways and EOTAS opportunities.

29/05/2026

🌿 The Herd Sleeping… 🌿🐴

One of the loveliest things to witness is a herd of horses truly relaxing together 💚

For horses, sleep and rest are deeply connected to feeling safe. As prey animals, horses naturally rely on their herd for protection. Within a herd dynamic, some horses will rest deeply whilst others remain standing, alert, and watching the environment. They naturally take turns, regulating and protecting one another through trust, communication, and social bonds.

When horses feel secure within their environment and herd, they are able to fully relax, lie down, snooze, and regulate their nervous systems naturally 💤

At TEAL CIC, our horses live in a setup designed to support their natural behaviours and emotional well-being. They have the freedom to choose:
✨ Whether they want to be inside or outside
✨ To use the loafing areas, barns, shelters, or open spaces
✨ Who they spend time with within the herd
✨ Whether they want quiet rest, food, movement, or social interaction

Choice is incredibly important for horse welfare. Allowing horses to move freely between different spaces helps support emotional regulation, comfort, social connection, and natural herd behaviours.

You’ll often notice how the herd regulates one another:
💚 Calm horses helping anxious horses settle
💚 Horses mirroring relaxed behaviours
💚 Social grooming and resting together
💚 Shared movement and shared rest
💚 Respecting space and boundaries naturally

There is something incredibly therapeutic about simply sitting quietly and observing a herd. Horses teach us so much about connection, emotional awareness, co-regulation, boundaries, and the importance of feeling safe enough to rest.

Sometimes the greatest lesson is simply watching the herd be a herd 🌿🐴

28/05/2026

28/05/2026

✨🐴 Our Updated Accredited Alternative Education Page is LIVE! 🐴✨

At TEAL CIC we are passionate about creating educational opportunities that truly meet the needs of young people who may struggle within traditional school settings.

Our updated Accredited Alternative Education page now showcases the full range of opportunities we offer through practical, therapeutic and engaging learning experiences. 🌿📚

We specialise in supporting young people aged 12–25 through:

🐴 Accredited Equine Education
🌱 Outdoor & Land-Based Learning
🐶 Animal Care
📖 Maths & English
💼 Employability & Life Skills
💚 SEMH & Therapeutic Support
🌿 Equine Assisted Learning
🎓 Vocational & Accredited Qualifications

Our programmes are designed to help learners build:

✨ Confidence
✨ Emotional wellbeing
✨ Communication skills
✨ Independence
✨ Practical vocational skills
✨ Positive relationships
✨ Pathways into further education, volunteering and employment

With small group sizes, experienced staff and hands-on learning at the heart of everything we do, we believe education should be meaningful, accessible and inspiring for every learner.

We are also incredibly proud to now be an officially NCFE Approved Centre alongside our existing accredited pathways! 🎉

Take a look at our updated page below 👇

TEAL CIC Accredited Alternative Education

https://tealcic.co.uk/accredited-alternative-education/

Engaging accredited programmes for young people aged 12-25, delivered through horses, land-based learning, outdoor education and therapeutic support.

28/05/2026

💛 Educational Support Dogs 💛

Sometimes the quietest support can have the biggest impact… 🐾

Here we see Ripple gently resting his head on a student’s foot whilst they work. No demands, no expectations — just calm companionship and connection.

Educational support dogs can play such an important role within alternative education and therapeutic learning environments. Dogs like Ripple help create a sense of safety, comfort, and emotional regulation for many young people, especially during moments where learning may feel overwhelming or anxiety levels rise.

The benefits of support dogs within education can include:
✨ Emotional regulation
✨ Reducing anxiety and stress
✨ Supporting co-regulation
✨ Encouraging communication and social interaction
✨ Building confidence and self-esteem
✨ Supporting focus and concentration
✨ Providing movement and sensory breaks
✨ Creating feelings of calm and safety

Often young people will naturally seek connection through touch, proximity, or simply sharing quiet space with an animal. Dogs are incredibly intuitive and frequently respond to human emotions without needing words.

Movement breaks with support dogs can also help learners regulate their nervous systems, reset emotionally, and return to learning more calmly and positively. Whether it’s a walk, a cuddle, or simply sitting nearby, these moments matter.

They have an amazing ability to know when someone simply needs a little extra support 💛🐾

27/05/2026

🌿 Why Loose Time with Horses Matters 🌿

Some of the most powerful learning at TEAL CIC happens in the quiet moments… no pressure, no agenda, just young people and horses sharing space together 🐴💚

Loose time with the horses gives both the young person and the horse something incredibly important… choice.

We all deserve to have choices in life, and our horses do too. During these sessions, the horses are free to decide:
✨ Do they want to stay close to us?
✨ Do they want interaction or quiet time?
✨ Do they want to graze, eat hay, rest, or snooze in the sunshine?
✨ Do they feel comfortable enough to connect?

This creates honest, authentic interactions built on trust rather than control.

Horses naturally live within a herd hierarchy where communication, boundaries, respect, and emotional awareness are essential. Herds work together to keep one another safe, calm, and connected. Each horse has a role, but importantly, the herd functions through understanding body language, energy, and social awareness rather than force.

Through observing and working alongside this natural herd behaviour, our young people can begin to explore important life skills including:
💚 Respecting others’ boundaries
💚 Understanding consent and choice
💚 Building trust naturally
💚 Emotional regulation
💚 Communication without pressure
💚 Confidence and self-awareness
💚 Learning when to lead and when to step back

Often, the horses teach us that relationships do not need to be forced. Sometimes simply being present, calm, and respectful is enough.

These experiences can then transfer into everyday human life — friendships, family relationships, education, workplaces, and social situations. Learning to read emotions, respect space, work within a group dynamic, and understand our own responses are all incredibly valuable life skills.

Sometimes the quietest moments beside a horse become the loudest lessons of all 🌿🐴

26/05/2026

26/05/2026

🌟 Huge Congratulations to John! 🌟

We are incredibly proud of John for successfully achieving his ASDAN Accredited Short Courses through TEAL CIC 👏📚🐴

John has worked extremely hard to complete his courses, showing determination, resilience, and fantastic personal growth throughout his learning journey. His confidence and independence continue to grow each week, and it has been wonderful to watch him develop both practical and educational skills within our equine-based alternative education setting.

At TEAL CIC, we believe learning should be engaging, meaningful, and tailored to every young person’s strengths — helping learners achieve success in ways that work for them 💜

Through our programmes, young people can develop:
✨ Confidence & self-esteem
✨ Independence skills
✨ Teamwork & communication
✨ Practical life and employability skills
✨ Emotional well-being & resilience
✨ Accredited achievements and qualifications

Well done John — you should be incredibly proud of yourself! 🌟