Jus'T'Learn Review 2026: Small Alternative Provision with a Clear Reintegration Focus

This is a small independent secondary setting (ages 11 to 16) designed as an alternative provision route for pupils who need a reset from mainstream education. It operates with a maximum capacity of 80 pupils and frames its core purpose around re-engagement, rebuilding learning habits, and supporting a return to mainstream where appropriate. The current Head of School is Shaila Osman.

The latest Ofsted inspection (13 to 15 December 2023) judged the school Good overall and confirmed that it meets the independent school standards.

The school positions itself explicitly as a specialist alternative provision, and its published materials make clear that many pupils arrive with disrupted schooling, gaps in prior learning, and social or emotional barriers that have made mainstream placement difficult. The ethos is built around structure, consistency, and a high-support model, including key worker allocation for each student, regular review points, and personalised planning tools such as Pupil Passports and Individual Learning Plans.

A distinctive feature is the explicit reintegration ambition. The stated objective is to move students to a better place socially, emotionally and educationally, so they can progress into a suitable next step, which may be mainstream, another placement, or post-16 education depending on the individual. That framing matters for families, because it tends to mean the experience is designed for transition rather than for a fixed five-year secondary journey.

Day-to-day routines are clearly set out. The published school day runs Monday to Friday, 9:15am to 3:00pm, with a structured timetable across five lessons plus break and lunch. For pupils who have struggled with attendance, punctuality, or behavioural consistency, that predictability can be a practical advantage, provided the student can accept clear boundaries.

FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking places the school at 4,053rd in England and 13th in Merton for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This sits below England average in relative terms, placing it in the lower performance band nationally.

That headline needs careful interpretation in context. This is not a conventional intake with a stable cohort from Year 7 to Year 11. The setting is designed for pupils who may arrive mid-phase, sometimes on short respite placements, often with large prior gaps in learning, and with a strong focus on re-engagement and stabilisation. Those characteristics can make headline exam measures more volatile year to year than they are in larger, more stable schools.

It is also notable that the school’s own published description highlights baseline testing and ongoing monitoring to identify gaps and misconceptions, with a focus on addressing severe gaps in learning and emotional literacy through individualised programmes. In a setting like this, families often need to weigh two questions alongside results: whether the provision can restore attendance and learning routines, and whether it can credibly move a student forward to a sustainable next placement.

The curriculum model described publicly blends accredited pathways with intensive support. The school states that pupils can follow GCSEs alongside Functional Skills, AQA Awards and The Prince’s Trust Achieve Programme, which suggests a mix of traditional qualifications and skills-based routes designed to re-open progression opportunities for students who have fallen behind.

A key strength, based on the most recent inspection narrative, is the emphasis on identifying what pupils already know, spotting gaps, then revisiting content when recall is insecure. That approach aligns well with pupils who have experienced fragmented schooling, because it reduces the likelihood that lessons assume knowledge that was never securely learned in the first place.

Where families should probe more deeply is curriculum precision by subject. The improvement priority flagged in the latest inspection is that, in some subjects, the school had not yet broken down the curriculum into clear small steps of knowledge in a way that consistently guides teaching order and ensures all pupils reach their potential. Translating that into parent language, it is worth asking how the school maps learning progress in each subject, how it checks what has been retained, and how it prevents gaps from reappearing when pupils move between teachers or between sites.

Where Students Go Next

As an 11 to 16 provision, the practical destination question is post-16: college courses, apprenticeships, training, or, in some cases, reintegration into a mainstream setting before Year 11 is complete. The school’s published aim is reintegration into the next appropriate step, and its admissions material also signals that placement length varies, from short respite to longer-term support through examinations.

Careers guidance is presented as a defined strand, with support for applications and interview preparation. For pupils who have had a difficult relationship with education, this practical, next-step focus can be a turning point, especially if paired with realistic qualification planning and a calm routine that rebuilds attendance.

The most useful parent questions here are specific. What proportion of pupils reintegrate into mainstream, and on what timeframe. Which colleges and training providers are most commonly used in practice, and how transition is managed. How the school approaches GCSE entry for pupils arriving late in Key Stage 4, and what alternatives exist where GCSE routes are not realistic within the placement timeframe.

Admissions are not described as a once-a-year intake. The school’s published admissions process is built around referral and suitability review. For alternative provision placements, a referral is completed by the referring school or local authority, reviewed by the Head of School (and a board representative where needed), then followed by interview and enrolment if accepted, with a start date agreed with relevant stakeholders.

The admissions page also lists “private students” among the groups the school may cater for. In practice, that means families should not assume a single route. Some pupils will be placed and funded through commissioning arrangements, while a smaller number may be privately arranged. Either way, the gateway question is fit, whether the setting can meet the student’s needs, and whether the placement objective is respite, reintegration, exam completion, or stabilisation prior to a different pathway.

For 2026 entry specifically, the most reliable approach is to treat admissions as rolling and needs-led, and to confirm current availability, referral requirements, and any documentation checklist directly with the school. The published term calendar for 2025 to 2026 also lists scheduled parent evenings, which can be a useful anchor point for planning engagement once a placement begins.

Pastoral support is embedded into the operating model rather than treated as an add-on. The school’s own materials emphasise key workers, review dates each term, and care planning tools designed to support complex needs, including for pupils with special educational needs and those with Education, Health and Care Plans.

The most recent inspection narrative presents a consistent picture of students feeling safe, trusting staff, and being supported back into learning when emotions escalate. That points to an approach that aims to reduce disruption quickly and return pupils to learning, rather than allowing behavioural episodes to derail the day. The safeguarding statement in the latest report is also clear, with arrangements judged effective.

A practical consideration for families is how the school communicates day-to-day. In alternative provision placements, progress often depends on tight alignment between home, the commissioning school or local authority, and the provision itself. Parents should ask how often reviews occur, who attends, and how progress against reintegration objectives is tracked and shared.

Extracurricular life here is best understood as structured enrichment and targeted programmes, rather than the traditional menu of after-school clubs you might see in a large comprehensive. The school describes specialist workshops, events and trips as part of how it broadens pupils’ experiences and rebuilds engagement.

The published extracurricular page highlights partnerships and programmes that align with the needs of pupils who may be vulnerable to exploitation or disengagement. Examples include The Social Switch (Catch 22), which is framed around youth violence online and offline, and RugbyWorks, which uses sport as a values-based skills development route for young people outside mainstream education.

There is also a strong employability and progression thread. The King’s Trust is referenced as part of the wider extracurricular picture, and the school’s own student charity is described as offering careers advice, CV writing and mock interviews, mentoring and workshops, and support with personal statements and college applications. For students approaching Year 11, that practical emphasis can be more relevant than a long activity list, provided it is delivered consistently and matched to realistic pathways.

The published school day runs 9:15am to 3:00pm, Monday to Friday, with break and lunch clearly timetabled.

Outdoor space is described in the latest inspection narrative as limited across sites, with regular planned visits to local leisure centres used to support physical education. That is worth factoring into fit for students who benefit from frequent outdoor movement breaks.

For families comparing options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and comparison tools can help you place this setting alongside nearby mainstream schools and alternative provisions, particularly when weighing reintegration routes and post-16 pathways. In alternative provision decisions, clarity on travel logistics, daily routine, and review cadence often matters as much as curriculum design.

Fees & Financial Aid

Fee arrangements here are less straightforward than in a conventional independent day school. The December 2023 inspection report lists indicative daily fees as £65 per day for pupils without an Education, Health and Care plan, and £100 to £120 per day for pupils with an Education, Health and Care plan.

However, the school also publishes a charging statement indicating that education during school hours is free, with the possibility of requesting contributions for some extracurricular activities, and with exam-related charges possible where a student fails to attend a scheduled exam without valid written evidence. This combination strongly suggests that funding and charging may vary by placement route and commissioning arrangements. Families should clarify, in writing, what is charged to parents (if anything), what is funded by the commissioning body, and what additional costs can arise in practice (uniform, transport, exams, trips).

Financial assistance and bursary structures are not presented in the conventional independent school format. If a family is exploring a private placement route, the right question is not “termly fees”, but “what is the full costed placement package and what does it include”.

• Admissions are needs-led, not calendar-led. If you are looking for a standard Year 7 intake process with published deadlines and open days, this is not that model. The admissions route described is referral, review, and agreed start date.

• Curriculum precision varies by subject. The latest inspection highlighted that some subjects still needed clearer sequencing of small steps of knowledge, so it is sensible to ask how each subject plan is structured, especially for pupils in Key Stage 4.

• Limited outdoor space. Planned off-site access to leisure centres supports physical education, but pupils who need frequent outdoor breaks may require additional planning.

• Results can look different in alternative provision. This setting is built around re-engagement and transition. Parents should ask for a clear plan for reintegration or post-16 progression, and how success is defined for their child.

This is a small, structured alternative provision designed for pupils who need a high-support reset and a realistic route back into sustainable education. It will suit families and commissioning bodies looking for calm routines, clear adult support, and a reintegration-orientated placement plan, rather than a conventional secondary school journey. The main challenge is fit: the best outcomes are likely when the student’s needs, placement purpose, and expected duration are all clearly agreed at the outset.