About Us
Built on belief in young people
Affable Alternative Provision was founded on a single conviction: that every young person, regardless of their history, deserves an education that sees their potential.
Our Story
Where Affable began
Affable Alternative Provision grew out of a frustration shared by many educators: that the young people who most needed a different approach were too often the ones left without one. Too complex for mainstream, too young for the next step, and too often simply waiting.
Our founder, Wendy Nellis, spent thirty years working in pupil referral units, mainstream and SEMH specialist schools before establishing Affable with a small team of like-minded practitioners. The name itself reflects the ethos — affable: friendly, easy to talk to, approachable. Qualities that, in our experience, are the foundation of any meaningful educational relationship.
Today we work with young people aged 4-25, referred by schools and local authorities across the region. Our provision is small by design — because we believe that knowing every young person by name, and being known by them is paramount.Our mantra is to support each child from the centre outwards and our driving force is the inspiring work of Carol Dweck (Growth Mindset).
"We don't fix young people. We create the conditions in which they can begin to fix themselves."
Our Values
The principles that guide everything we do
Belonging before learning
A young person cannot learn if they do not feel safe. We invest in relationships first — everything else follows.
Growth at every pace
Progress is not linear. We celebrate every step forward, however small, and never measure a young person against someone else's timeline.
Safeguarding above all
The welfare of every young person in our care is our absolute priority. Our safeguarding culture is embedded in everything we do.
Partnership with families
Families are not an afterthought. We work alongside parents and carers as equal partners in every young person's journey.
Honest, open communication
We tell schools and local authorities the truth — about progress, about challenges, and about what comes next. No surprises.
High expectations, always
Compassion does not mean lowering the bar. We hold high expectations for every young person because we believe in what they are capable of.
Our Approach
Trauma-informed, relationship-led, outcomes-focused
Everything at Affable is grounded in trauma-informed practice. We understand that many of the young people we work with have experienced significant adversity, and that behaviour is communication. Our role is to listen — carefully, consistently, and without judgement.
Our curriculum is broad and flexible, combining core academic subjects with vocational pathways, creative arts, and outdoor learning. We adapt to the young person — not the other way around.
Outcomes matter to us. We track progress rigorously, report transparently to referring schools and local authorities, and plan for positive next steps from day one. Our goal is always to move young people forward — whether that means returning to mainstream education, progressing to college, or entering supported employment.
Our Team
The people behind the provision
Wendy Nellis
Founder & Lead Practitioner
Wendy founded Affable Alternative Provision after 30 years working in SEMH specialist schools and pupil referral units. Her vision was simple: create a provision that genuinely puts the young person first, every single day.
Qualifications & Experience
- PGCE
- QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)
- Child Mental Health
- Childhood Trauma Informed
- Worked in SEN Schools, Mainstream, and AP
Want to find out if we're the right fit?
For any enquiries, please don't hesitate to contact Wendy directly via either link below.
"Visiting Affable was the moment we knew we'd found the right place. The atmosphere was unlike anything we'd seen — calm, purposeful, and genuinely warm."