Our Mission, Values & Leadership
We believe in meeting every young person where they are, using movement and trauma-informed nurture to unlock their potential and rebuild their future.
What to Expect on Day 1: Step-by-Step Transition
We understand that starting at an alternative provision can feel overwhelming. Here is exactly how we support new learners from the moment they arrive.
Quiet, Welcoming Arrival
No noisy school bells or crowded corridors. You will be met personally at the door by your designated key worker who guides you in calmly.
Morning Breakfast & Check-In
Settle in comfortably with a warm drink or morning snack. Review your visual timetable for the day so there are zero unexpected surprises.
Small Group Sessions (4–6 Learners)
Learn at your own pace with a 1:4 pastoral ratio. Plenty of active movement breaks and sports activities woven into academic blocks.
Calm Zones & Sensory Space
If you ever feel anxious or overstimulated, our quiet sensory zones are accessible at any time with supportive, non-judgmental staff.
Daily Reflection & Small Wins
Finish the day celebrating your personal achievements, reviewing positive progress points, and leaving with confidence for tomorrow.
More Than Academic Progress
Some young people are referred to Active Futures Academy because they need a more flexible, individualised approach to learning than mainstream settings can provide.
While academic progression is important, it is just one part of our wider vision. We place a profound emphasis on improving attendance, developing emotional regulation, and fostering genuine self-worth through positive relationships and physical engagement.
We work in close, transparent partnership with families, home schools, and external agencies to ensure every young person receives wrap-around support.
Our Four Core Values
Building mutual trust, understanding diverse backgrounds, and valuing every voice.
Welcoming learners without judgment, adapting to individual needs and neurodiversity.
Using active challenges to help young people navigate setbacks and build grit.
Inspiring confidence and opening clear vocational and educational pathways.
The Four Pillars of Our Mission
Everything we do is designed to create a meaningful, lasting turnaround in a young person's educational journey.
To Re-engage
Connecting young people back to learning through daily physical activity, active learning, and kinesthetic stimulation.
To Heal
Using movement as a therapeutic pathway for emotional regulation, mental health recovery, and sensory processing.
To Educate
Delivering core Functional Skills in English and Maths through practical, low-stress, and real-world methods.
To Empower
Equipping students with recognized vocational awards, leadership skills, and clear progression routes for life beyond AFA.
Meet the Senior Leadership Team
With decades of combined teaching, pastoral leadership, and headship experience, our leadership is dedicated to supporting the most vulnerable children.
Pete Marsden
Pete has worked in education for nearly 20 years, driven by the belief that every young person deserves a setting that recognizes and develops their potential.
His educational journey began as a PE technician before qualifying as a physical education teacher, advancing to senior pastoral leadership roles across secondary and further education (16–18). Pete has supported hundreds of learners with complex behavioral, emotional, and social needs.
“My motivation to create Active Futures Academy came from my time as a pastoral leader. Too often, mainstream settings lack the flexibility or movement-led systems to truly support children in distress. AFA was built to give them that alternative.”
Contact Pete: 01942 318020 · enquiries@activefuturesacademy.co.uk
Nicola Green
With over 30 years of primary education experience—including 12 years as a Primary Headteacher—Nicola brings exceptional leadership, curriculum expertise, and deep safeguarding acumen.
Throughout her career, Nicola has specialized in supporting children and families where education has broken down. She believes strongly that trusting, consistent relationships are the true foundation for positive behavioral and educational transformation.
Nicola works closely with families, SENCOs, and external multi-agency teams to dismantle barriers and restore self-belief in young learners.
Contact Nicola: 01942 318020 · enquiries@activefuturesacademy.co.uk
Accreditations & Quality Assurances
We take safeguarding, governance, and quality assurance with the utmost seriousness, maintaining recognized regional certifications.
Wigan Council Believe in Business (Silver)