Potential Plus UK    https/www.potentialplusuk.org/

Potential Plus UK is the only UK organisation that works with families and schools for the benefit of young people with high learning potential (HLP), including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with dual or multiple exceptionality (DME) – high learning potential together with special educational needs or disabilities.

Our vision is for very young person with high learning potential to receive appropriate support and challenge to secure well-being and high attainment with the skills, resilience and confidence to succeed at every stage of their development. Without appropriate support and challenge they are frequently unable to develop essential life skills and can experience poor motivation, social isolation, and, in some cases, poor mental health. A lack of understanding and appropriate provision can result in a high and increasing number of these young people being excluded or self-excluding from school.

The core aims of our work are to improve the quality and provision of support for young people with high learning potential; to raise awareness about their needs and to advocate for improvements in policy and practice; to create and sustain a community of mutual support amongst their families; and to empower the young people themselves to develop self-understanding and lead change.

Uniquely, Potential Plus UK supports the family – parents and young people – as well as their educators and other professionals. We help parents develop their knowledge and confidence so that they can advocate for their child. We work to enhance teachers’ understanding and skills so that they can have a direct impact on the provision for young people. Our collaboration with other professionals ensures that understanding and best practice is shared more widely. The creation of a community amongst families is of huge importance to us, as it enables young people (and their parents) to meet together in person and through the use of technology. Significantly, we work to enable young people with high learning potential to have a strong voice in society.

As the only national charity working with both parents and schools, we lobby Government on the needs of young people with high learning potential, and we provide comments and suggestions on education policies being developed or implemented. We continue to develop relationships with national and regional media.

Potential Plus UK was set up and is still led by individuals with the lived experience of being or parenting a HLP or DME young person. Our active membership of families and schools not only forms the basis of our community, but also contributes to the direction and purpose of the charity.

Charity Registration No 313182

Tel: 01908 646433   Email: amazingchildren@potentialplusuk.org