National education charity could operate from council site
A council site could be transformed by a nationally recognised educational charity focused on turning around the life chances of children who struggle in mainstream education.
Oasis Village Wirral is a proposed education, health and community hub which would be based on the Solar Campus site in Wallasey.
Members of Wirral Council’s Policy and Resources Committee are to be asked to consider proposals for the Solar Campus site to be declared a “surplus asset” – no longer needed by the council for its own operations, and for officers to be able to negotiate terms for transfer of the building.
If these recommendations are approved it would allow negotiations to move forward for the building to be used by Oasis Charitable Trust, to set up Oasis Village Wirral. This would bring together schools, health services, voluntary sector, council Children’s Services and families in one place to support children and young people who are struggling or are at risk of exclusion from school.
The establishment of Oasis Village Wirral is intended to support children and young people struggling with school attendance, behaviour, SEMH needs (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health), and those at risk of exclusion.
A report to be presented to members of the Policy and Resources Committee says that the Oasis Village model is already operating successfully in London where it offers therapeutic education, after-school provision, tailored placements, and whole-family support.
The report says that currently Wirral faces persistent challenges in school attendance, with rising exclusions, widening educational inequalities, and deepening child and family poverty.
In addition it says that schools across Wirral are increasingly unable to meet escalating Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) and neurodiversity-related needs without additional system support and that SEMH needs in Wirral are consistently higher than regional and national levels.
As a result, the report says, a new approach to inclusive provision is required in Wirral and this chance for collaboration with Oasis Charitable Trust provides an opportunity for this new inclusive approach.
The Oasis Village Wirral would also be a site for co-location with third sector organisations to enable access to peer support, food and clothes banks, and community spaces, while it would provide three tiers of tailored support for young people:
Tier 1: After-school enrichment, therapeutic activities and nutritious meals
Tier 2: Short-term placements offering music, film, horticulture, sport, and other creative and therapeutic approaches individually tailored to each child’s needs.
Tier 3: The Nurture Programme designed for children needing a temporary pause from their mainstream education placement without off-rolling them from their home school.
The report being presented to councillors says that the London-based Oasis St. Martin’s Village is demonstrating a reduction in exclusions, improved mainstream school attendance, improved mental health outcomes, and strong multi-agency collaboration with eighteen voluntary sector partners and that it is the intention of Oasis Charitable Trust to replicate the St. Martin’s model on Wirral.
For more details see Policy and Resources Committee - Wednesday, 11th March 2026 6.00 p.m.
