Wanneroo Riding Centre

supported Learning & Engagement HUb

Regulation Before Education

We believe in a holistic approach to learning, where regulation comes before education. The current one size fits all strategy utilised in the traditional education system is failing many children, causing more stress and anxiety and damaging their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Safe Space to Learn and Grow

Our learning hub provides a safe space where young people can engage more fully with life and their peers in a safe, non-judgemental place where they will be supported to identify and utilise their unique skills and perspectives and work to their strengths. Meeting them where they are currently at and supporting them to not just survive but thrive!

No one size Fits All Approach

When learning is approached from a place of fight and flight or fear, we create more problems than we solve. By providing young people with a safe, supportive, inclusive environment, then allowing them the time to regulate and feel safe, they will start to show and interest and curiosity and be more willing to engage.

Our philosophy

Regulation before Education

Our approach is centred around engagement and emotional safety before task completion. Only when someone feels safe and regulated can they then turn their hand to learning and understanding.

No One Size Fits All Approach

Everyone has preferred learning styles and interests, when we are allowed to get curious about things in a way that feels safe and right for us, learning can become positive and fun and far more effective.

Experiential learning opportunities, curiosity and fun, through safe interaction with animals, peers and academic material is the foundation of everything we do. When you create an interest and willingness to engage, learning happens automatically.

This is why students are encouraged and supported to engage in learning activities, think differently and engage in tasks in a positive way that fits their unique style.

Expectations are the thief of all joy!

When we remove expectations from tasks that is when the magic happens. Students are met where they are on the day. We know that every day we have different capacity to deal with life, some days we are able to survive, other days thrive.

For this reason no punitive or compliance- based practices are used, engagement is encouraged but not demanded.

Session Structure

Facilitate by education and behaviour specialists, each session will incorporate a mixture of focused learning sessions, where students will be supported in engaging with and completing academic tasks in a way that feels safe and right for them. There will also be time for craft, animal interactions, regulation and downtime and social and emotional skill development session.

The main focus of these sessions will be to encourage engagement and emotional safety before task completion, as we know that once a child feels safe and supported, they will learn and grow when they are ready, forcing this just creates more emotional dysregulation, which is counter intuitive to creating a positive environment and learning environment.

We will fully support and encourage positive, safe, peer interaction and have tasks and activities that allow for this with minimal stress and pressure. Sessions will allow for students to engage when comfortable and also have time to step back and regulate when needed. We will strive to work with students within their window of tolerance and individual requirements, encouraging and supporting them to engage with the animals and others.

As much as sessions will be structured, students are free to learn at their own pace, with no pressure to perform or keep up. For some leaving the house and attending any social group is a huge achievement and every small win will be celebrated.

Typical Day Layout

9:30 Welcome grounding and regulation with the animals

10:00 Focused learning session

10:45 Break/ snacks/ Chill

11:15 Focused learning session

12:00 Lunch

12:30 Equine Assisted Learning – Social & Emotional Skill Development

1:30 Finish

These are small group sessions with 8 - 12 participants and will run initially on a Monday and Friday from Term 2 2026.

If yo are interested in Joining these sessions please download our Expression of Interest form and email to wannerooridingcentre@gmail.com