Red Balloon Learner Centres
Red Balloon Learner Centres is a UK registered charity that provides alternative education combining academic teaching, therapeutic wellbeing support, and social re-engagement for young people aged 11–18 with SEMH, EBSNA, trauma or neurodivergence-related school non-attendance, delivered through seven physical centres and a national online programme.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersMilton, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Red Balloon Learner Centres does
Red Balloon Learner Centres, operating as Red Balloon Educational Trust (UK registered charity, charity number 1109606), is a specialist alternative education provider founded in 1996 by Carrie Herbert MBE and Ruth Loshak. It serves young people aged 11–18 (and up to 20 via Red Balloon of the Air) who have self-excluded from mainstream school due to bullying, trauma, anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA), or other Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. The delivery model integrates three programme components — Education (academic teaching from Entry Level to GCSE in small group or 1:1 settings), Wellbeing (counselling, talking therapy, music therapy, art therapy, equine therapy and play therapy), and Social Re-engagement — in roughly equal weight, with small class sizes (1–6 students), negotiated curricula, and registered exam centre status.
The operating footprint spans seven physical centres across England — Milton/Cambridge (up to 40 students), Reading (up to 24), Aylesbury (newest, opened September 2025), Worthing (opened September 2022), RBET Norfolk (Earlham Road, opened January 2024), and the standalone Red Balloon Norwich (Drayton Road, separate charity number 1117092) — together with Red Balloon of the Air (RBAir), a hybrid online and face-to-face provision built on Microsoft Teams, shared presentations, and shared documents that extends reach nationally. An Outreach Service operates from Reading, delivering customised support in home or familiar local settings.
The revenue model is hybrid: the majority of placements are commissioned by UK Local Authorities and schools through Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) at £30,000–£35,000 per student per year (multi-year subscription/contract basis), supplemented by voluntary donations from individuals, corporate partners (St. James's Place Charitable Foundation, Cambridge Intelligence, Ingles Charitable Trust), workplace-giving platforms (CAF, Benevity), the "Friends of Red Balloon" monthly direct debit programme, community fundraising events, and a bursary fund for families unable to secure LA funding. A Central Services team provides strategic, HR, IT, marketing and fundraising support across the network.
Red Balloon Learner Centres firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Red Balloon Learner Centres
- Legal name
- Red Balloon Learner Centre Group (registered charity number 1109606)
- Website
- https://redballoonlearner.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Red Balloon Learner Centres is a UK registered charity that provides alternative education combining academic teaching, therapeutic wellbeing support, and social re-engagement for young people aged 11–18 with SEMH, EBSNA, trauma or neurodivergence-related school non-attendance, delivered through seven physical centres and a national online programme.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Red Balloon Learner Centres industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education and Therapeutic Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual Tutoring & Academic Intervention (K–12) (EDAJADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Virtual Special Education & Related Services (IEP Delivery Online) (EDAJADAG), Special Education Online / Virtual Schools & Remote Programs (EDAKAAAL)
Keywords
Where Red Balloon Learner Centres is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Red Balloon Learner Centres business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- EHCP/Local Authority Funding: The vast majority of students have Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs) which fund their placement. Local authorities commission places for students requiring specialised educational support.
- School/Commissioner Fees: Schools and commissioners directly fund placements. Fees at physical centres are typically £35,000 including IT setup and maintenance. RBAir costs usually within £30,000-£35,000 range.
- Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate partners and trusts. Regular giving through 'Friends of Red Balloon' monthly direct debit programme starting at £5. One-off donations and fundraising activities.
- Student Bursary and Hardship Fund: Some families meet costs directly when local authority funding is not available. Bursary fund supports vulnerable young people who cannot otherwise afford placement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Physical Centres - Full provision including IT setup and maintenance |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Red Balloon of the Air - Online and face-to-face hybrid provision |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Red Balloon Learner Centres product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Red Balloon Learner Centres provides alternative education and therapeutic support for young people aged 11-18 who have self-excluded from mainstream school due to bullying, trauma, mental health issues, or neurodivergence. The service combines academic teaching (Entry Level to GCSE), wellbeing therapy (counselling, music therapy, art therapy), and social re-engagement delivered through physical centres and a hybrid online programme. Placements are primarily commissioned by UK Local Authorities through Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs).
Product overview
Red Balloon Learner Centres provides a portfolio of alternative education services for young people aged 11-18 who have self-excluded from mainstream school due to bullying, trauma, mental health issues, or neurodivergence. The core offering combines three programme components: Education (academic teaching from Entry Level to GCSE), Wellbeing (therapy and mental health support), and Social Re-engagement. Services are delivered through two channels: physical Centre-based provision at six locations (Cambridge, Reading, Aylesbury, RBET Norfolk, Norwich, and Worthing) offering full-time or part-time attendance in homely settings, and Red Balloon of the Air (RBAir) providing a hybrid of online and face-to-face support for students unable to attend in person. Additionally, Red Balloon Reading offers an Outreach Service delivering customised support in students' homes or familiar settings. The Red Balloon Educational Trust (RBET) serves as the parent charity providing central support and strategic development across the network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Red Balloon Cambridge A physical Centre-based alternative provision in Milton, Cambridge providing full-time education for up to 40 young people from Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties. Operates Monday to Friday 9:00-15:30 during term time, offering small class sizes in a homely house-based setting. Includes science lab, art room, design and technology studio, and community room.
- Red Balloon Reading A physical Centre in Reading providing full-time or part-time therapeutic and educational support for up to 24 young people aged 11-16 from Berkshire. Operates Monday to Friday 8:30-16:30 during term time. Includes chill-out room, garden, and community kitchen/dining room. Also offers an Outreach Programme delivering customised support at home or in familiar local settings for anxious, neurodiverse or trauma-affected individuals.
- Red Balloon Aylesbury A physical Centre in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire providing alternative provision with a maximum of 15 hours of education per week. Operates Mondays to Thursdays from 9:15 am to 1:15 pm for school Years 9-11. The Georgian house features a large garden, science lab, library and music studio.
- RBET Norfolk A physical Centre at 76 Earlham Road, Norwich providing educational, wellbeing and social re-engagement programmes as part of Red Balloon Educational Trust. Features a science laboratory, library, conservatory room, garden and dining area. Partners with Norfolk County Council's TITAN team for the Ready to Go! travel training programme.
- Red Balloon Norwich A standalone physical Centre at 289 Drayton Road, Norwich (Registered Charity no. 1117092) providing alternative education for young people in the Norwich area. Operates as a separate charity from RBET Norfolk.
- Red Balloon Worthing A physical Centre in Worthing, West Sussex providing alternative education for young people unable to attend mainstream school. Operates as part of the Red Balloon Educational Trust network.
- Red Balloon of the Air (RBAir) A hybrid of online and in-person educational support provision offering up to 15 hours per week of education, therapy and mentoring for learners aged 11-20 who cannot attend mainstream school in person. Students log into real-time sessions from home using shared presentations, shared documents and Teams chat, and can attend face-to-face sessions at the RBAir Centre in Milton, Cambridge, or RBET's Learning Hub in Essex when comfortable. Accessible nationally to students unable to attend physically. Costs usually within £30,000-£35,000 range including IT setup and maintenance.
- Red Balloon Outreach Service Customised support delivered at home or in familiar local settings for anxious, neurodiverse or trauma-affected individuals. Focuses on social, emotional and mental health development through one-to-one sessions. Enables engagement with students who cannot yet attend a Centre setting.
Quantifiable outcome
- 91% pass rate across all qualifications (BTECs, Functional Skills, GCSEs, AQA units, NCFE certificates)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Red Balloon Learner Centres
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Red Balloon Learner Centres technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Red Balloon Learner Centres partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TITAN (Travel Independence Training across Norfolk)corePartnership with Norfolk County Council's TITAN team delivering the Ready to Go! travel training programme. Teaches 6 core modules: Pedestrian Skills, Communication Skills, Personal Health/Safety/Wellbeing, Problem-Solving Skills, Journey Planning Skills, Journey Practice Skills. Supports students with SEND to become confident independent travellers.
- Operation EncompasscoreJoint operation between Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Police and RBET-Norfolk. Helps schools provide support to children who have been present at incidents of domestic abuse and violence.
- easyfundraisingminorPartner platform enabling donors to make charitable donations while shopping online at over 4,000 retailers. Retailers make small donations to Red Balloon at no extra cost to the donor.
- Emmaus CambridgeminorStudents from RBAir volunteer at Emmaus Cambridge as part of their social re-engagement and career development activities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Red Balloon Learner Centres competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Ambitious about Autism: Charity running specialist education settings and online learning (Ambitious College) for autistic young people aged 14-25. Partial overlap with Red Balloon's neurodivergent student segment and shared use of online learning to extend reach.
- The National Autistic Society: UK charity operating specialist education services, schools and post-16 provision for autistic young people. Partial overlap with Red Balloon's autistic/ASC student cohort and shared reliance on EHCP funding.
Direct peers
- TBAP (Tri-Borough Alternative Provision Academy Trust): Multi-academy trust delivering alternative provision and SEMH-focused education in London boroughs. Comparable model of re-engaging students excluded from or unable to attend mainstream school, with commissioned placements from local authorities.
- Acorn Care & Education: Specialist education provider running independent schools and bespoke packages for children and young people with SEN, SEMH and autism. Closely comparable operating model and EHCP-funded revenue base.
- Witherslack Group: UK specialist education and care group operating residential and day schools for children with SEMH, autism and complex needs. Closest direct competitor in the specialist K-12 SEMH/alternative provision space, also reliant on local authority commissioning and EHCP-funded placements.
- Catch22: Social-purpose organisation running alternative provision, SEMH support and pupil-re engagement programmes across the UK. Comparable in mission and target cohort (children missing from mainstream education), with both physical and digital delivery models.
- Together Trust: Charity providing specialist education, residential care and community support for children and young people with complex SEN, autism and SEMH. Comparable therapeutic-plus-education model and local-authority commissioning reliance.
- Outcomes First Group: Large UK provider of specialist education, residential and fostering services for children and young people with SEN, SEMH and complex needs. Competes for the same EHCP-commissioned placements and serves overlapping local-authority commissioner relationships.
- Cambian Group: UK provider of specialist education and residential care for young people with autism, SEMH and complex needs. Directly comparable in serving local-authority-commissioned, EHCP-funded students in small, therapeutic settings.
Broad incumbents
- Priory Education and Children's Services: Broad incumbent operating specialist schools, colleges and residential services for children with SEN, SEMH and mental health needs across the UK. Wider portfolio but overlaps materially with Red Balloon's SEMH / EBSNA alternative-provision positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Red Balloon Learner Centres social profiles
Digital presenceRed Balloon Learner Centres compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Red Balloon Learner Centres financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Red Balloon Learner Centres leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Red Balloon Learner Centres subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Red Balloon Learner Centres funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Red Balloon Learner Centres M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Red Balloon Learner Centres
What does Red Balloon Learner Centres do?
Red Balloon Learner Centres provides alternative education and therapeutic support for young people aged 11-18 who have self-excluded from mainstream school due to bullying, trauma, mental health issues, or neurodivergence. The service combines academic teaching (Entry Level to GCSE), wellbeing therapy (counselling, music therapy, art therapy), and social re-engagement delivered through physical centres and a hybrid online programme. Placements are primarily commissioned by UK Local Authorities through Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs).
Is Red Balloon Learner Centres a public or private company?
Red Balloon Learner Centres is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Red Balloon Learner Centres founded?
Red Balloon Learner Centres was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Red Balloon Learner Centres based?
Red Balloon Learner Centres is headquartered in Milton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Red Balloon Learner Centres make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. EHCP/Local Authority Funding is the primary driver. The others are school/Commissioner Fees, donations and Fundraising and student Bursary and Hardship Fund.
Who are Red Balloon Learner Centres's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Ambitious about Autism and The National Autistic Society. Direct peers are TBAP (Tri-Borough Alternative Provision Academy Trust), Acorn Care & Education, Witherslack Group, Catch22, Together Trust, Outcomes First Group and Cambian Group. Priory Education and Children's Services is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Red Balloon Learner Centres have an API?
No public API is recorded for Red Balloon Learner Centres.
What industry is Red Balloon Learner Centres in?
Red Balloon Learner Centres's product category is Special Education and Therapeutic Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJADAH, Virtual Tutoring & Academic Intervention (K–12), with a secondary code of EDAJADAG, Virtual Special Education & Related Services (IEP Delivery Online). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.