Oaks Rise CIC
Founded in 2023 by mothers of autistic children, Oaks Rise CIC is a neurodivergent-led alternative education and learning centre based in East Sussex. It was born out of the founder’s children’s shared experience of school-based trauma and mental health challenges that had left them disengaged from mainstream education.
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Legal Structure
Community interest company (CIC) limited by guarantee
Funding Type
Blended – part grant, part loan
Funding Year
2024
How much investment did you receive?
Investment Amount
£80,000 (£75,000 unsecured loan / £5,000 grant)
Loan Duration
4 years
Cost of Capital
5.5%
Turnover
£248,670
CAF’s support came at a pivotal moment. They didn’t just provide funding – they understood our mission and gave us the tools to grow with integrity. Thanks to them, we’re now able to offer a safe, empowering space to even more children who need it most.
Charity Representative, Oaks Rise CIC
Challenge
Oaks Rise offers a pioneering, neuro-affirming model that blends academic opportunity with a nurturing, learner-led approach. It is the first education setting in the UK where almost all staff are neurodivergent, creating a uniquely empathetic and empowering environment. However, despite strong demand and a proven concept, the organisation faced a critical challenge: its original premises – a converted bar space – were unsuitable for growth, and limited working capital constrained its ability to scale.
Solution
We decided to take out social investment to allow us to relocate to larger more suitable premises in Hove, East Sussex. The funding enabled us to secure a long-term lease on a fit-for-purpose facility in Hove, hire a teaching assistant, and expand our service offerings.
Revenue
- Local Authority and School Funding: Oaks Rise anticipates that the fees from Local Authorities and Schools will rise from £161k in FY24-25 to £199k in FY 25-26 as the current batch of students will move from parent-funded hours to the Council funded hours.
- New classrooms and learner pods: In its forecasts, Oaks Rise has estimated that additional classrooms and capacity will add £47k of income in FY 24-25 (half year estimate) and go up £176k in FY 25-26.
- Private Fees: As part of the business plan, Oaks Rise aims to reduce the number of students being paid for directly by parents. This figure decreases from £47k in FY24-25 to £29k in FY 25-26. It is built on the estimate that 2 students will be paid for privately.
- Building Sub-Let: With the new office space, Oaks Rise will let out the space to partner and 1:1 tuition provider Learn with Confidence on Fridays to carry out their sessions. It is expected to raise approx. £650 per month.
- New classrooms and learner pods: In its forecasts, Oaks Rise has estimated that additional classrooms and capacity will add £47k of income in FY 24-25 (half year estimate) and go up £176k in FY 25-26.
- Private Fees: As part of the business plan, Oaks Rise aims to reduce the number of students being paid for directly by parents. This figure decreases from £47k in FY24-25 to £29k in FY 25-26. It is built on the estimate that 2 students will be paid for privately.
- Building Sub-Let: With the new office space, Oaks Rise will let out the space to partner and 1:1 tuition provider Learn with Confidence on Fridays to carry out their sessions. It is expected to raise approx. £650 per month.
Impact
Social investment has enabled us to:
- Move into a larger, more suitable facility
- Increase capacity to support more pupils
- Strengthen our staff team and wellbeing infrastructure
- Enhance our ability to demonstrate impact through improved measurement tools.
Since opening, we have supported over 40 pupils and expects to reach over 300 children in the next five years. Our model – low-demand, learner-led, and rooted in lived experience – has proven to be a lifeline for children who previously felt excluded from education.
- Move into a larger, more suitable facility
- Increase capacity to support more pupils
- Strengthen our staff team and wellbeing infrastructure
- Enhance our ability to demonstrate impact through improved measurement tools.
Since opening, we have supported over 40 pupils and expects to reach over 300 children in the next five years. Our model – low-demand, learner-led, and rooted in lived experience – has proven to be a lifeline for children who previously felt excluded from education.
This deal really demonstrates the value of social investment when it leans in early. By backing Oaks Rise at a critical moment, we helped unlock their potential to scale and deepen their impact. It’s a great example of how flexible finance, paired with trust and strategic support, can catalyse grassroots innovation.
— Meena Manian, Social Investment Principal, CAF