Welcome to MAP Education

We work closely with learners, schools, referring organisations, and families to ensure every student is matched with the most appropriate course and qualification. Through a structured referral process, trial sessions, and initial assessments, we build a clear understanding of each learner’s needs.

At MAP, every learner benefits from access to a range of qualifications and units, allowing us to tailor learning pathways that support individual goals, abilities, and aspirations.

Together We Have Hope

With over 20 years of experience in mainstream education and over 16 years in leadership, including 13 years as a senior leader, I am immensely proud to serve as the Head of Education at MAP Education. My journey with MAP began when I referred children to the charity, witnessing first-hand the incredible impact of their alternative provision. MAP excels in engaging learners with their education, improving outcomes for those at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), and enhancing attendance, all while meeting the diverse needs of every child.

Since joining MAP in September 2023, I can genuinely attest that transforming lives is at the core of our mission. While our impact may not always be immediately visible, we are frequently reminded of our influence by the young people and adults who return to share how their time at MAP changed their lives.

Our holistic approach and meaningful relationships are central to everything we do. We emphasise partnership working with schools, academies, multi-agencies, and families to fully engage learners and help them see and reach their potential. We all share the responsibility of shaping the lives of our children.

At MAP, we go above and beyond to ensure that our learners not only achieve their qualifications but also understand their place in the world and how they can be local, national, and global citizens. Our work is driven by our core values of Equality and Equity, Relationships, and Responsibility. On behalf of our Trustees, staff, and learners, I want to thank you so much for your continued support of MAP Charity and your contribution to changing the lives of every child we serve. Zena Zenonos-Walker, Head of Education, MAP Charity

CIEAG & Raising Aspirations

Alongside the education programme, MAP Education also carries out a wide range of arts and music activities with professional and developing artists, creatives and university students. These activities are of considerable value to the education programme as they give learners meaningful encounters with professionals working in the creative industries.

This supports the Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance, particularly Benchmark 4 (Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers), Benchmark 5 (Encounters with Employers and Employees) and Benchmark 6 (Experiences of Workplaces).

Through workshops, collaborative projects and creative opportunities, learners are able to see how the skills they are developing through their qualifications can be applied in real working environments. This helps them to better understand the relevance of their learning, develop important employability skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving, and gain insight into possible career pathways within the creative sector.

These experiences help to raise aspirations and broaden learners’ understanding of progression opportunities. At MAP Education, we are keen that no learner is left without a clear progression pathway and that no young person becomes NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) when they leave school. We therefore work closely with Year 11 learners to ensure they have a planned next step before they leave the programme. This supports Gatsby Benchmark 3 (Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil) and Benchmark 7 (Encounters with Further and Higher Education). Learners receive support with careers advice and guidance, college applications, exploring post-16 options, and preparing for and attending interviews so that they can successfully move on to further education, training or employment. To see more about how we meet Gatsby Benchmarks, see here.